Imperial Chinese antiques spike London auction results

22 May 2011

click to enlarge

A rare pair of famille rose 'melon' teapots and covers, with iron-red Qianlong seal marks, sold for £1,341,600 at Bonhams.

(Bonhams)

London auction results in mid-May were boosted 180 percent by a growing demand among buyers for Chinese Imperial pieces.

A record 58 million pounds ($93.9 million) was achieved in the sale series, almost three times the 20.6 million pounds total last May, according to Bloomberg.

Bonhams alone achieved £21,473,200 with four Asian art sales, including a record total of £16.9m (with 95% sold by value) for Chinese art at the Knightsbridge auction salesroom.

The top lot was a pair of famille rose 'melon' teapots from a Scottish home. The pair was estimated to sell for £20,000-30,000, but a Chinese buyer sent the lot to £1,341,600 (with buyer's premium).

Regional auction houses in the U.K. have also experienced increased sales and clientele seeking Asian art and antiques. For one, the Salisbury auction house Woolley & Wallis offered a Qianlong period Imperial white jade teapot that sold for 2.1 million pounds on May 18.

Sales of Chinese art continue this week in Hong Kong.

Read more at Bloomberg

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