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Sunday 22 December 2019

Great Video of Emperor Qianlong’s Yangcai ‘Jade Spring Hill’ Vase


I think Christie's did a great job illustrating the beauty and significance behind Emperor Qianlong’s Yangcai ‘Jade Spring Hill’ vase in a brief but vivid video :p

Before we all leave for the long festive holiday, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! For those of you travelling, be safe on the road :p Looking forward to even more exciting and amazing times in 2020!



https://www.christies.com/features/5-minutes-with-Qianlongs-yangcai-Jade-Spring-Hill-vase-9492-3.aspx

Saturday 14 December 2019

Saturday 7 December 2019

I Forgot Just How Tedious The Traditional Firing Techniques of Longquan Celadon Were!



As a huge fan of celadon, i definitely enjoyed this short, insightful documentary on the traditional firing techniques of Longquan celadon. I must admit that prior to watching this documentary, I had no idea that the longest Dragon Kiln was 97m!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3kU52xtu4E&feature=youtu.be

Sunday 1 December 2019

Will Trump 'Budge' If Other Auction Houses Follow Christie's Lead?


I must admit that Christie's request to be excluded from Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports came as a complete surprise to me. I am extremely curious to see if: 

1. other auction houses like Sotheby's and Bonhams will follow Christie's lead?
2. the overall sales in the antiques market will jump if Trump 'budges' and removes the tariffs just to appease these auction houses?


https://news.artnet.com/art-world/christies-asks-excluded-trumps-tariffs-chinese-imports-claiming-cause-significant-loss-business-1695027

Sunday 17 November 2019

Fencai (Famille Rose) v Falangcai (Imperial Famille Rose). What's The Difference?


I don't remember if I have shared this article (in link below) before in the past, but I personally find it to be a good point of reference for Fencai and Falangcai porcelain pieces. Enjoy!


https://en.thevalue.com/articles/yongzheng-famille-rose-quali-bowls-bonhams

Sunday 10 November 2019

Seventeen Restored 'Treasures' From Beijing's Old Summer Palace to Be Uploaded for Online Viewing



Judging from the pictures, I personally think the work done by the group of heritage restorers (assigned to restore the 'treasures' Beijing's old Summer Palace) is impressive. Looking forward to viewing the 17 restored artefact pieces online :p


https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3035602/treasures-beijings-old-summer-palace-restored-painstaking

Sunday 3 November 2019

Will Pieces from the SAME Private Collection Smash Their 'Attractive' Price Point at Sotheby's London?



Delighted to learn about a certain rare famille-rose vase (supported by three boys from the Qianlong era) selling for more than 5 times its estimate of HK$2.5m-3m in Hong Kong recently :p I am very curious to know if any the exquisite pieces from the SAME private collection will smash their 'attractive' price point....especially the pair of celadon-ground Famille-Rose ‘bajixiang’ lobed vases from the Qianlong era (Estimate: £150,000 - 250,000).
https://en.thevalue.com/articles/imperial-porcelain-pharmaceutical-collection-sothebys

Sunday 27 October 2019

Will Qianlong Gilt-Bronze Bell Crush Its Estimated Value at Christie's London Fall 2019 Auction?


This imperial gilt-bronze bell (bianzhong) from the Qianlong period caught my attention whilst I was surfing the internet today :p I'm very curious to know if it'll crush its estimated value of £800,000 - 1,200,000 at the upcoming Christie's London Fall 2019 auction :p



https://en.thevalue.com/articles/qianlong-bianzhong-gilt-bronze-bell-christies-yamanaka

Sunday 20 October 2019

Over $400million in Online Sales in 6 Days for Sotheby's!


I must admit that that was quite a feat....even for an auction house as reputable as Sotheby's:p Looks like online bidding (up 44%) is still the preferred choice when compared to phone bidding (up 17%) :p Good to know that the ongoing chaos in HK didn't deter serious collectors from bidding for their favourite pieces :p Would be interesting to see if online bidding drops when and if normalcy ensues in HK...


https://amp.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3032403/auction-house-sothebys-raises-over-us400-million-sixth

Sunday 13 October 2019

Chinese Porcelain (as Decor Pieces)


Just wanted to share this simple guide on Chinese porcelain (as decor pieces). Hope you find this a useful point of reference:)


https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/south-east-se-asia/china-art/a/chinese-porcelain-decoration

Sunday 6 October 2019

Only One out of Four Yuan-Ming Jun Wares Sold at Christie's Hong Kong



It's interesting that only one out of four Yuan-Ming Jun wares managed to be sold at Christie's Hong Kong recent spring sales. However, given all of the bowls offered are similar in shape and sizes, I am inclined to agree that the lack of uniqueness could be one of the reasons leading to the flop.

Having said that, I must say the numbered one bulb bowl was my favourite among the three unsold pieces :p What about the rest of you?



https://en.thevalue.com/articles/christies-jun-ware-masterpieces

Legendary Collector Robert Chang Pays a Whooping 540,000Euros for Qianglong White Jade Vase


Hmm....it's interesting how white jade pieces have been highly sought-after in recent years. It would be interesting to see if this trend changes over time.

https://en.thevalue.com/articles/art-d-asie-christies-paris-spring-2019-result

Sunday 29 September 2019

Junkunc Jade Dragon Head Fails to Sell at Christie’s New York


The only Tang-dynasty jade dragon head (in private hands) fails to find a new owner at Christie's New York despite pre-sale hype....

It's interesting how the sentiment in the room changed so quickly. I personally couldn't help but wonder if it would have been snapped up had Christie's been willing to settle for a 'modest' US$2.2million.


https://en.thevalue.com/articles/junkunc-jade-dragon-head-tang-christies-fail

Sunday 22 September 2019

Thank you, BBC!



While the documentary may have been a short one, I am so glad BBC was literally granted full access to the Terracotta warriors from the Qin dynasty! I was particularly pleased that viewers were given a glimpse of the hidden 'stamps of quality control' found on some of the Terracotta warriors.


https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07n8vwl/how-mass-production-shaped-history

Saturday 7 September 2019

US$36m for An Imperial “Nine Dragon” Lacquer Throne, A Celadon Glazed ‘Chrysanthemum’ Teapot, A Jade Animal-Shaped Plaque and A Blue and White Red ‘Dragon’ Bottle Vase


I couldn't help but noticed the stark difference in pricetag between the blue and white vase (Yongzheng period) and the magnificent imperial three-coloured carved 'nine dragon' lacquer throne (Qianlong period) paid by Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian. Could it be that ceramics is still more in demand than lacquer items?


https://en.thevalue.com/articles/liu-yiqian-collector-chinese-antiques-auction?fbclid=IwAR3Zli6m61LvLm5snqlNV7o_6QzxRYXMb5cssdsowNDFMRhFREZv0vrmy9Y

Sunday 1 September 2019

The Numerous Roles of Mirrors in Chinese History


While mirrors have been reduced to nothing more than a grooming aid in modern times, it's amazing how they were also used as ornaments, tokens of love, gifts, religious items in Taoism and burial objects in the ancient Chinese culture!

https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1807289481/

Sunday 25 August 2019

Experts Top Tips on Buying Antiques


Despite recent news of buyers' purchasing 'imperfect' pieces at auctions, I'm relieved that one expert is discouraging buyers from purchasing fine porcelain that have cracks and chips on them.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/how-to/114984953/experts-give-their-top-tips-on-buying-antiques

Sunday 18 August 2019

Tea Drinking in China


Tea drinking is an essential experience to connect with the past and the present. It’s also a great way to indulge our senses, which is what I think great art is all about.
- Shunan Teng, founder of Tea Drunk.



https://www.christies.com/features/Brewing-tea-in-a-Yixing-teapot-9723-3.aspx

Sunday 11 August 2019

The Mystery of Ancient Chinese Pottery Finally Cracked!


The mystery of a qingbai ewer (recovered from the ocean floor) is finally cracked with the help of portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Given the pXRF's fine detail, it would be very interesting to see what else scientists will uncover about twelfth century manufacturing in China over time :p


https://cosmosmagazine.com/archaeology/scientists-crack-mystery-of-ancient-chinese-pottery-found-in-shipwreck

Sunday 4 August 2019

10% drop in Art Sales at Sotheby's


Sotheby's cited uncertainties related to Brexit as one reason for the 10% drop in art sales in the first six months of 2019. It would be interesting to see if the art market makes a comeback when the dust finally settles :p


https://news.artnet.com/market/sothebys-final-earnings-report-1613755

Sunday 28 July 2019

A Fine 'Song Style' Yue Yao Vase For Sale






A fine 'Song Style' Yue Yao vase
H - 28 cm



Interested parties can contact me at           maynaik23@gmail.com for further inquiries.

Chinese Symbols, Motifs and Meanings



I recently came across this informative article on Chinese symbols, motifs and meanings by Christies (in link below), and thought it'd be a useful point of reference for us all.

https://www.christies.com/features/Nature-in-Asian-art-7220-1.aspx

Sunday 14 July 2019

Yixing and Pottery



500 years ago, Yixing teapots only existed in Yixing, a city in the Jiangsu province of eastern China. Today, these exact teapots are exported worldwide. It all started when an inquisitive young man by the name of Gong Chun, decided to pick up the craft and eventually went on to start a trend of making small-sized teapots.


https://www.eater.com/coffee-tea/2016/1/22/10814268/china-teapot-Yixing

Sunday 7 July 2019

A Foolish and Naive Emperor, The 'Pot of Peace' and an Invasion by The Anglo-French



I think this article serves as a good reminder of the importance of: 
  • strong and competent leadership.
  • surrounding ourselves with a loyal and competent team of advisors.



https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1906176779

Sunday 23 June 2019

A Guide to Chinese Ceramics Glazes



Informative write-up on ceramic glazes by Christie's (in link below).


https://www.christies.com/features/Glazes-A-Chinese-Ceramics-collectors-guide-7651-1.aspx

Sunday 9 June 2019

'Rare' 57cm Blue and White ‘Fruit and Flower Spray’ Vase Becomes the One and Only Yongzheng Blue and White Vase Sold for HK$37m at Christie’s Hong Kong



Hmm....I must admit that I was expecting this big, rare vase (in link below) to fetch more than HK37million. Could it be that bidders found this 'unusually big' vase less appealing compared to the other smaller pieces from the Yongzheng era?


https://en.thevalue.com/articles/christies-yongzheng-blue-and-white-vase-result-2019?fbclid=IwAR1ucGrv7IHIDxhMmEqAD9Df-J0CF2GKz94uEGi2g9ZzH0hufhMJxvj6Y_s

Friday 31 May 2019

Restoration Work of the First Batch of Relics at YuanMingyuan Park is Nearly Finished!


It's been years since my last visit to Beijing, but I am definitely looking forward to revisiting Yuanmingyuan Park after restoration works are completed! Apparently, restoration work of the first batch of relics - a snuff bottle, a stool, two bowls and two pieces of glazed tiles - is nearly finished :p



http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1151036.shtml

Sunday 26 May 2019

Billionaire’s Secrets on How to Make a Bundle in Art


Many collectors go to an art fair with the hopes of purchasing a 'masterpiece'. As such, it comes as no surprise that many would be willing to pay an arm and a leg for a 'one of kind' piece. However, what I find particularly interesting (in article in link below) was Mr Sigg's comment about having a mere one hour to decide whether or not to spend one million dollars at an art fair these days! If what he says is indeed true, then it's safe to say that when art collectors attend an art fair, they have to:

1. know exactly what they want.
2. be prepared to spend a ton of money if they manage to find what they want.



'Once a work catches your eye, read up as much as you can about the artist and scour the Internet for past sales results on auction house websites and third party providers such as Artnet and Artprice. Check the C.V. too. The chances of appreciation in value are much better when an artist’s works have been featured in reputable galleries or acquired by major museums.'
- Uli Sigg, collector of more than 2500 pieces of Chinese contemporary art, including the likes of Ai Weiwei, Zhang Xiaogang and Zeng Fengzhi



https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-05-07/top-collectors-reveal-the-secrets-of-how-to-invest-in-art?fbclid=IwAR3FsD0LdWokoq7F-n-Dh0avkbRIFkUaHQ0pnc1CymvUYVRjVVe3tjDZr3g

Sunday 19 May 2019

A Bidding War Over a Chipped Chinese Pot with No Date Mark


Chipped and no date marks. Yet, the pot in question (in link below) sold for thirty times its pre-sale estimate! With all the hype about markings and condition (of items), I must admit I was quite surprised that a pot with no mark and in poor condition attracted any attention at all, let alone sparked a bidding war. It would be interesting to see if other similar pieces will garner as much interest in future....
  

https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/chipped-chinese-pot-sparks-international-2761301

Sunday 12 May 2019

A 23% Dip in Private Sales for Sotheby's....


It's worth noting that Sotheby's private sales dropped by a sizable 23% from the equivalent period in 2018. While CEO Tad Smith noted that results can vary from quarter to quarter, he expressed optimism for the coming six months due to several 'significant' private sales that closed last month. 

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I'm quite keen to see how their upcoming evening auction in New York does :p



https://news.artnet.com/market/shift-in-hong-kong-auction-schedule-put-pressure-on-sothebys-first-quarter-earnings-1533139?fbclid=IwAR3m6s7Wg-ZuXotgZ3TulHq-QiptA4CdZtBWkVBbgxsPYlOLS7eO5f-G8RQ

Sunday 5 May 2019

A Peak at An Extremely Rare and Stunning 'Nine Dragon' Lacquer Throne Fit for an 'Emperor'


It's no wonder they say this throne is fit for an 'emperor' :p The workmanship of this extremely rare 'Nine Dragon' lacquer throne dating back to the Qianlong period is just amazing!



https://www.christies.com/features/An-important-Chinese-lacquer-throne-Qianlong-dynasty-9819-3.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0yES2-5a7q7nR0mIlEw8S7J-lKWCmIWVR1Gny9t5FjZs6KZhfToTvifpI

How To Choose A Chinese Teapot by Daniel Lui


Deciding on what to collect can be tricky....and teapots are no different. Appreciate Mr Liu sharing his thoughts and insights in his article titled, 'How to Choose a Teapot.' Hope you find it helpful!


http://www.thechineseteashop.com/how-to-choose-teapot.html?fbclid=IwAR0s-GheCzs9rCBZ9sdwayjVnY2OoBz0LynvbUQVJBeCuOiwdORZDBeZwxE

Sunday 28 April 2019

How to Spot a Fake: Porcelain


In the article, 'How to Spot a Fake: Porcelain' (in link below), forgery expert Curtis Dowling, "If you just buy yourself a book of marks, there's a very good chance you're going know exactly what you're looking at very quickly."


While I agree that a book of marks may help me identify certain marks, I won't go so far as to say that it can definitely aid in the tedious task of authenticating a piece of porcelain.



https://www.cnbc.com/id/100661682

Monday 22 April 2019

A Fine Zisha 'Melon' Teapot With a Long Handle (Bearing Jiang Rong Mark) For Sale






A Fine Zisha 'Melon' Teapot With a Long Handle.
Jiang Rong Mark



Interested parties can contact May at maynaik23@gmail.com for further inquiries.

Sunday 14 April 2019

How Chinese Export Porcelain Conquered the Dutch



Came across this interesting article highlighting how Dutch merchants opened up the market for Chinese porcelain in Europe. Enjoy!


https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d674d7863444f7a457a6333566d54/share_p.html?fbclid=IwAR3_qwwI9tGyVMUH-WMfdEe3K3eRjuNUJl6r81SQHR28GDYqKB4Y7jY7WIE

Sunday 7 April 2019

Everything You Need to Know About Yixing Pottery



Just thought all the teapot lovers here might enjoy this write-up on Yixing ware by Christie's:p Enjoy!


https://www.christies.com/features/A-guide-to-Yixing-teapots-9709-1.aspx?sc_lang=en&fbclid=IwAR1riKn86rM7a3o8KlqUODT0zSPocjegokPDBfTPVT_oitR-4JdK2KAWQbM#FID-9709

Wednesday 13 March 2019

Our First Apperance at Atria's Weekend Bazaar!



I'm so excited about participating in my neighborhood mall's weekend bazaar for the first time:p Please feel free 2 drop by and say hi if you happen 2 be in or around Atria Shopping Mall btw 10.30am - 9pm on 16th March 2019 (Sat). Please refer to the link below for the location of the mall. Cheers and hope to see you there!

https://goo.gl/maps/pQQZoXjSVyz



May

Sunday 10 March 2019

A Beginner’s Guide to Chinese Porcelain Vase Shapes



Personally found the article on porcelain vase shapes (in link below) to be a useful point of reference for porcelain collectors, new and experienced alikeEnjoy!


https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-beginners-guide-to-chinese-porcelain-vase-shapes-31882?fbclid=IwAR21ugf2UDxgpI4Ud-3P0DUnEz5wNcFxjycejEe4Ji-L1-0ZjZkVqJHLg7s

Sunday 3 March 2019

The History of Jade : The Emperor's Stone



Kudos to Visual Capitalist for making this 3-part article on jade an enjoyable read :p

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-history-of-jade-the-emperors-stone/?fbclid=IwAR13DBl1LnVHPA1jgu1DnY-NmlXPV4yYffMDPiDqb1oWlOrJGPSRm7Jv6HM


Sunday 24 February 2019

Collecting Guide: Chinese Archaic Bronzes


Hi everyone!

Just wanted to share the write-up (in link below) on Chinese archaic bronzes. Hope you find it helpful:)



https://www.christies.com/features/Collecting-guide-Ancient-Chinese-bronzes-8638-1.aspx



May

Thursday 21 February 2019

Another Exciting Day at Ecurve's Weekend Bazaar!



Looking forward to another exciting day @ Ecurve's bazaar in Mutiara Damansara 
Date : 23rd Feb 2019 (Saturday)
Time : 10.30am - 9pm
Location : Ground floor (Opposite Tony Romas)

Please feel free to drop by and say hi if you happen to be in or around the neighborhood. Hope to see you there!






Sunday 17 February 2019

X-Ray “Gun” Identifies A Shipwreck’s 800-Year-Old Knockoff Ceramics


While you can take a ceramic out of a kiln site, you can’t take a kiln site out of a ceramic. Not surprised that the highest-caliber porcelains tended to hail from Jingdezhen, which also happens to be home of the OG qingbai porcelain.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/x-ray-gun-identifies-a-shipwrecks-800-year-old-knockoff-ceramics/

Sunday 3 February 2019

China Focus: Revival of Porcelain Capital



Sounds like exciting times ahead for Jingdezhen! Looking forward to seeing the new changes when I revisit :p


http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-01/13/c_137739979.htm

Sunday 20 January 2019

Reflections of Life In Ancient Times


'Reflections of Life in Ancient Times' - an easy and interesting read about the history and various roles of bronze mirrors in Chinese history.


https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1807289481/

Sunday 13 January 2019

Demystifying Chinese Reign Marks — Everything You Need to Know to Get Started



Reign marks are by no means an indicator of the age of a particular porcelain piece. However, identifying these reign marks can definitely help us pinpoint when such a piece was FIRST made. I hope you find the article (in the link below) useful. 


https://www.christies.com/features/Reign-marks-on-Chinese-ceramics-An-expert-guide-8248-1.aspx

Sunday 6 January 2019

The Art of Clay Teapots



I thought I'd share this informative article on Chinese clay teapots titled 'The Art of Clay Teapots' (in link below). Looking forward to learning more about tea & teapots via our future tea tasting sessions:) Stay tuned for updates!


https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1808110264/