BONHAMS ASIA WEEK NEW YORK SALES ACHIEVE OVER US$14 MILLION
Kanagawa-oki nami-ura (Under the Wave off Kanagawa), or The Great Wave, by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), sold for US$899,500
New York – Bonhams’ September Asia Week New York auctions featured an outstanding selection of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean works of art which achieved over US$14 million across five sales. The week was highlighted by exceptional results from the Collection of David S. and Nayda Utterberg, which saw five rare lots of 17th century huanghuali furniture bring a total of US$4.26 million and by the highly successful results from a private collection of Japanese prints, headlined by an early impression of the universally admired and iconic print The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai which sold for US$889,500.
A rare and large 17th century huanghuali waisted corner-leg table with giant’s arm braces and drawers, sold for US$1,633,500.
The Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale started the week by more than doubling its pre-sale estimate achieving US$7.8 million with 88% sold by lot. The sale included the collection of David S. and Nayda Utterberg highlighted by a large huanghuali waisted corner-leg table with giant’s arm braces and drawers which sold for four times its estimate, achieving US$1,633,500.
Additional highlights from the Utterberg collection:
• A fine and rare 17th century huanghuali three-shelf bookcase with drawers, jiage, sold for four times its estimate at US$1,143,500.
• A fine and rare 17th century huanghuali tapered low cabinet sold for four times its estimate at US$991,100.
• A fine 17th century huanghuali round-corner tapered cabinet, yuanjiaogui, sold for US$279,900.
• A fine and rare 17th century huamu burlwood-inset huanghuali recessed-leg wine table, jiuzhuo, sold for US$216,400.
Highlights from the rest of the sale include:
• A fine and rare huanghuali round-corner cabinet, yuanjiaogui sold for four times its estimate at US$699,000.
• A superb and rare imperial glass two-handled globular tripod censer sold for four times its estimate at US$406,900.
• A very rare 10th century yue celadon-glazed double-gourd vase, sold for 16 times its estimate at US$165,600.
An enameled, yellow-ground opaque white ‘Peaches and Blossom’ glass snuff bottle, sold for US$15,360.
The Robert and Florette Weiss Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, sold to benefit the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, on September 16 was a white glove sale and achieved US$283,000 overall. A highlight of the sale was a fine Suzhou jade ‘Collecting Winter Blossom’ Snuff Bottle, 1740-1830 which surpassed its estimate when it sold for US$44,800.
Additional highlights include:
• An enameled, yellow-ground opaque white ‘Peaches and Blossom’ glass snuff bottle sold for US$15,360.
• A chalcedony agate ‘Eagle, Bats and Feline Beast’ snuff bottle attributed to the Stevens Deer Master, Official School, 1730-1850 sold for US$12,800.
• A rare squared-cylindrical red-overlay yellow glass ‘Bats and Cranes’ snuff bottle, 1770-1830, sold for US$9,600. Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings
On September 17, two albums containing leaves of 18th century calligraphic inscriptions and landscape paintings achieved more than six times its estimate when it sold for US$406,900 during the Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings sale. The albums titled Celebrating the Sheizhuang Residence, for Yongting (Ye Tianci), 1775-c. 1798 features the works of various artists from the period. Overall, the sale achieved US$2,100,000.
An Intoxicated Poet by Wu Wei (1459-1508) sold for US$108,450.
Additional highlights include:
• An Intoxicated Poet by Wu Wei (1459-1508) sold for US$108,450.
• Lotus, 1962 by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) sold for US$89,400.
• Landscape, 1967 by Liu Kuo-Sung (Liu Guosong, b. 1932) sold for US$89,400.
• Mandarin Ducks in a Pond by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) sold for US$79,240.
Shimotsuke Kurokamiyama Kirifuri no taki (The Falling Mist Waterfall at Mount Kurokami in Shimotsuke Province) by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), one of a series of eight, sold for US$508,500.
A Private Collection of Japanese Prints and Watercolors
On September 18, A Private Collection of Japanese Prints and Watercolors saw 13 outstanding works achieve US$2.3 million overall. Of particular note was the globally celebrated image Kanagawa-oki nami-ura (Under the Wave off Kanagawa), commonly referred to as The Great Wave, circa 1830-1831 by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), which achieved US$889,500.
Additional highlights include:
• A complete series of prints entitled Shokoku taki meguri (A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces), circa 1832, also by Hokusai sold for US$508,500.• Tamaya no uchi Hanamurasaki, Sekiya, Teriya, circa 1790, a print from the series Seirō nana komachi (Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters) by Kitagawa Utamaro (1754-1806) sold for US$191,000.
• A print titled Ōgiya no uchi Takigawa, Otokonami, Onnanami (Takigawa of the Ogiya, [kamuro] Otokonami, Onnanami), from the series Seirō nana Komachi (Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters) by Utamaro sold for US$152,900.
A print depicting the courtesan Hanabito of the Ōgiya, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1795-1797 by Ichirakutei Eisui (active circa 1790–1823) sold for US$152,900.
Fine Japanese and Korean Art
Closing out Asia Week New York at Bonhams was the Fine Japanese and Korean Art sale including the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection of Japanese Art on September 18. Highlighting the sale was a depiction of the courtesan Hanabito of the Ōgiya, circa 1795-1797 by Ichirakutei Eisui (active circa 1790–1823) which sold for US$152,900, more than seven times its estimate. The sale overall achieved US$1,526,000.
Additional highlights include:
• Two prints by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) surpassed estimates – Ri Haku (Li Bai), from the series Shika shashin kyō (A True Mirror of Chinese and Japanese Poetry) sold for US$76,700 and an untitled work depicting turtles and a reflected plum branch sold for US$70,350.• A group of five mixed-metal tsuba from the 19th century soared 17 times its estimate after fierce competition from two telephone bidders, selling for US$70,350.
• A set of 35 prints from the series Fuji sanjūrokkei (36 Views of Mount Fuji) by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) sold for US$57,600
About The Bonhams Network
Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognised for its bespoke service, and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars.
Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams’ global strategy is a result of recognising the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement. More information HERE
In 2023, Bonhams achieved 14% growth with $1.14 billion in turnover. Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.
Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914, also in Hong Kong
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