Let the battle begin
- Source: Global Times
- [08:25 November 10 2010]
- Comments
A Qing Court vase.
By Wu Ziru
Although autumn art sales in China will not be in full swing until later this month, the sense of fierce competition is already in the air: Collectors who won, lost or were absent from Sotheby's Hong Kong sales in October are chomping at the bit for the Chinese mainland sales to begin.
Mainland houses are also heating up, with most of them, both large and small in scale, still revelling in outstanding spring sales. Hoping to capitalize on the seemingly never-ending sales momentum, the houses are gearing up for more, racing to offer a much wider range of items for avid and careful collectors this season.
"It is very accurate to compare competition among large and small auction houses to a fierce battle, especially in recent years as the market is growing rapidly each year," commented art market researcher Wang Liyong. "You can sense it from so many different aspects even before the war has begun."
"Auction houses are using all efforts to bring more articles to their clients and thus to be the biggest winner during this round of war," he added.
Among a wide line of antiques, modern art works and luxury goods are already set to go under the hammer, with ancient and modern Chinese painting masterpieces continuing to be one of the highlights attracting wide attention.
The market has witnessed works of this kind fetching astronomical prices in the past two years, even in the midst of the global economic downturn. Local auctioneers have now coined the belief that as long as you have great masterpieces you will never fail to set records.
Poly International Auction Company will again offer a featured auction from Guy Ullens' collection, consisting of 15 pieces of ancient and modern Chinese paintings. Among the series of precious works Painting of Spring River from art master Qiu Ying of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is the most highly anticipated.
Qiu was among the most famous painters of his time and was especially good at figure and landscape paintings. However, not living beyond his 40s, very few of his pieces have survived until today. The announcement of Painting of Spring River's sale received instant international attention.
Another highlight of the autumn sales is a piece from China Guardian. Caoshu-style (grass script) calligraphy Safe Placard, from acclaimed calligraphy master Wang Xizhi of the Jin Dynasty (265-420) is generally speculated to sell for over 100 million yuan ($15 million).
Wang is known in China as the sage of Calligraphy and only a few of his works have survived until today. Many of his pieces were imitated by famous calligraphers from later dynasties such as the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279).
