TOKYO CHUO AUCTION TO HOLD INAUGURAL HONG KONG AUCTIONS IN NOVEMBER 2014 Presenting Rare Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings, Works of Art and Tea Wares Appearing in the market for the first time Yong Xing (1752-1823): Standard-script Calligraphy YONG XING (1752-1823), Standard-script calligraphy, handscroll, ink on paper, 29.5 115cm Preview: Auction: Venue: Enquiries: Monday, 24 November 2014, 2-7pm, Tuesday, 25 November 2014, 10am-7pm Wednesday, 26 November 2014 at 2pm Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong +852 2805 9016 info@chuo-auction.com.hk Tokyo Chuo Auction is pleased to announce it will hold its inaugural Hong Kong sales at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong on 26 November 2014. More than 220 fine and rare Chinese paintings, calligraphy pieces, works of art and tea wares will be offered. A public preview will take place on 24 and 25 November at the Four Seasons Hotel. Mr Ando Shokei, Founder of Tokyo Chuo Auction, said: We are delighted to hold our inaugural auctions in Hong Kong, offering rare Chinese works of art from Japan that are fresh to the market. Japanese collectors have a discerning eye for Chinese antiques and many of these works are sourced from eminent Japanese collections. As one of the three most important international art auction centres, Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in the market. We are pleased to expand our business to the city and to bring rare and precious Chinese antiques collected in Japan with excellent provenance to
collectors in Asia. As well as appreciating and showcasing classical Chinese aesthetics, we endeavour to contribute to the fostering of art and cultural exchange between Japan and China. Our first auctions in Hong Kong comprise sales of The Art of Tea Ceremony, Classical Chinese Paintings and Modern Chinese Paintings. Highlights include Standard-script Calligraphy by Yong Xing (1752-1823), Poem in Running Script by Wang Duo (1592-1652) and a Fine Cinnabar Lacquer Bowl with Dragon Design, Longqing mark and period, Ming Dynasty. In addition, to commemorate the 170 th anniversary of the birth of the master painter Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), we will present a representative selection of Wu s works such as Peaches. SALES HIGHLIGHTS The star lot of the sale is Standard-script Calligraphy by Yong Xing (1752-1823) (Est.: HK $3 million-5 million / US$390,000-650,000), who was the son of the Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795). Yong Xing was an esteemed calligraphy master of the Qing Dynasty and Emperor Qianlong frequently ordered him to inscribe Imperial edicts, as his calligraphy was very favourable to the sovereign. Appearing for the first time in the auction market, this rare handscroll was in the collection of the Qing court and was also recorded in the catalogue of the Qing Imperial Collection. It later entered the collection of Lin Langan in the 20 th century. With clear provenance, it stands out with rich historical and collecting value and is expected to arouse enormous interest among collectors. From left: A silver teapot with a phoenix-shaped spout and jade lid knob by Hata Zoroku II Meiji period H: 15.5 cm; W: 414 g An iron teapot with dragon design and a phoenix-shaped spout by Hata Zoroku IV Meiji period H: 17.5 cm A silver teapot with floral design by Hori Goro, Meiji period H: 24 cm; W: 2186 g Tokyo Chuo Auction will bring a new sale category to the Hong Kong market entitled "Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Tea Ceremony" that presents a series of exquisite tea wares from distinguished Japanese collections. Highlights include two fine teapots crafted by the renowned Zoroku clan, who are regarded as the pioneers in making teapots with designs
inspired by those on ancient Chinese bronzes. After crafting the first iron archaistic pot with patterns derived from Chinese bronzes in 1861, the clan were praised for their simple and rich aesthetics, superbly manifested in a Silver Teapot with a Phoenix-shaped Spout and Jade Lid Knob by Hata Zoroku II (Est.: HK$40,000-60,000/ US$5,200-7,800) and an Iron Teapot with Dragon Design and a Phoenix-shaped Spout by Hata Zoroku IV (Est.: HK$80,000-120,000/ US$10,400-15,600), both made during the Meiji period. The sale will also present a Silver Teapot with Floral Design crafted by Hori Goro also in the Meiji period (Est.: HK$40,000-60,000/ US$5,200-7,800). A fine cinnabar lacquer bowl with dragon design, Longqing mark and period, Ming Dynasty H:8.5cm; D:18cm Another important lot is a Fine Cinnabar Lacquer Bowl with Dragon Design, Longqing mark and period, Ming Dynasty (Est.: HK$1.8 million-2.5 million/ US$234,000-325,000). Its exterior is elaborately carved with dragons cavorting amongst billowing clouds and rolling sea waves. Full of motion, the decoration demonstrates the extremely high level achieved by skilled craftsmen in the Longqing period. A Qingbai melon-shaped ewer and cover with a warming bowl, Southern Song Dynasty 1H:14cm; D:17cm 2H:21cm A further highlight is an elegant Qingbai Melon-shaped Ewer and Cover with a Warming Bowl, Southern Song Dynasty (Est.: HK$200,000-300,000/ US$26,000-39,000). In ancient China, people were fond of drinking both cold and hot wine. It was common practice to use a warming bowl, such as the one featured, to pre-heat or maintain the temperature of the wine in the ewer by placing it inside the bowl filled with hot water.
From left: Wang Duo (1592-1652) Poem in running script Hanging scroll, ink on satin Dated geng chen, 1640 251 x 48 cm Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) Peaches Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper 135 x 65cm Zhang Ruitu (1570-1641) Poem in running script Hanging scroll, ink on satin 182 x 49cm Another highlight is Poem in Running Script by Wang Duo (1592 1652) which is a large calligraphy scroll (Est.: HK$1.8 million-2.8 million / US$234,000-364,000). Rendered with vigorous and domineering strokes, the slightly elongated characters exude strength and manifest the artist s personality. Wang Duo s calligraphy is widely admired and collected in Japan. The present lot was exhibited in a major exhibition of Wang Duo s works in Tokyo in 1979.
To commemorate the 170 th anniversary of the birth of Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), Tokyo Chuo Auction will present a representative selection of his works, including Peaches (Est.: HK$800,000-1.2 million/ US$104,000-156,000), formerly collected by Matsumaru Togyo. A disciple of Kawai Senro, Matsumaru was a renowned Japanese seal carver who excelled in studying the seal carving methods and styles of the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-220 AD) dynasties. Although he never met Wu Changshuo, he was dedicated to promoting the master's seal-carving art after his death through organising exhibitions and publishing catalogues of seals carved by him. Another notable piece in the sale is Poem in running script by Zhang Ruitu (1570-1641) (Est.: HK$1.2 million-1.8 million/ US$156,000-234,000). Finished towards the end of his life, every character in the calligraphy shows the features of Zhang s cursive script: writing characters without concealing the tip of the brush; replacing supposedly cursive strokes with angular ones as well as domineering brushstrokes. Works of the master Qi Baishi (1863-1957) have been coveted by Japanese collectors. Persimmons, painted by Qi Baishi (Est.: HK$250,000-350,000/ US$32,500-45,500) with light and relaxing brushwork in pale colours, exudes rustic elegance and naturalness. Its seemingly casual composition is in fact similar to the one of the Six Persimmons by Muqi, a painting regarded as a national treasure in Japan. Qi Baishi (1863-1957) Persimmons Framed, fan leaf, Ink and colour on paper, 20 56cm In Grape vine (Est.: HK$400,000-600,000/ US$52,000-78,000), Qi Baishi combines vigorous and determined brushwork with ink in different shades to portray twisting vines and interwoven leaves, among which are grapes in different hues of blue, all seemingly competing with each other to gain the viewer s attention. Plants and rock is a collaborative work by Wu Changshuo and various artists including Kang Youwei, Wang Yiting, Li Ruiqing, He Weipu and Yao Fuqiu (Est.: HK$300,000-600,000/ US$39,000-78,000). It was dedicated to their Japanese friend, Dr. Hagino, who was about to return to Japan. Depicting prunus, bamboo, rocks and other flowers with a poem inscribed by Kang Youwei, it is indeed an unusual piece, combining the talents of so many renowned artists.
Qi Baishi (1863-1957) Grape vine hanging scroll, Ink and colour on paper, 109.5 x 34cm Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) and Various Artists Plants and rock Hanging Scroll, Ink on paper 134 67cm Full of elegance and interest, Hua Yan s Rural life (Est.: HK$1.8 million-2.8 million/ US$234,000-364,000) features scholars drinking and conversing freely amongst mountains and rivers. As the album contains inscriptions by Wu Changshuo, his son Wu Cangkan and Nagao Uzan, possibly it was brought to Japan during the Chinese Republican era. Afterwards it was collected by Hashimoto Tatsujiro, published in The Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings and displayed in an exhibition of Asian art. Hua Yan (1682-1756) Rural life Album of twelve leaves, ink and colour on silk
The sales will also present an array of agarwood pieces and censers of exceptional quality. Highlights include: From left: Two pieces of splendid agarwood L:24cm, W:369g; L:34cm, W:792g (Est.: HK$600,000-900,000/ US$78,000-117,000) A piece of Mananban agarwood from Kyukyodo L:20cm; W:123g (Est.: HK$35,000-55,000/ US$4,550-7,150) A piece of fine agarwood from Kyukyodo L:22.5cm; W:183g (Est.: HK$25,000-55,000/ US$3,250-7,150) A string of agarwood prayer beads D:18cm; W:94.5g; 19 beads (Est.: HK$35,000-55,000 / US$4,550-7,150) A white jade censer with orchid design and green jade cover, Qianlong mark and period L:7.5cm; W:5.5cm; H:3.5cm (Est.: HK$150,000-250,000/ US$19,500-32,500) # # # About Tokyo Chuo Auction Founded in 2010, Tokyo Chuo Auction endeavours to foster cultural exchange between Japan and China. Its inaugural sale in 2010 was also the first auction ever held in Japan offering Chinese antiques to promote the appreciation of Chinese fine art assembled in Japan. The sale aroused enormous interest amongst collectors and brought a new dimension to the Japanese art market. Tokyo Chuo Auction now holds several sales a year offering classical and modern Chinese paintings, Chinese ceramics and works of art, bronzes, tea vessels, scholar s objects, jewellery and watches. More than ten auctions have been conducted in Japan with previews held in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.
Mr Ando Shokei, the founder of Tokyo Chuo Auction, was among the first group of Chinese students who studied in Japan after China s implementation of economic reforms. Mr Shokei began his career in trading after graduating from university. Supported by his family, he developed a great passion for Chinese art and in 2010 established Tokyo Chuo Auction with a mission to offer exceptional works of art at auction and to support cultural and art events. Tokyo Chuo Auction also regularly holds tea seminars to promote tea culture. To further develop its business activities in the region, Tokyo Chuo Auction set up its Hong Kong office in 2013. Its inaugural Hong Kong auctions will be held on 26 November 2014 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Press Contact: Victoria Communications +852.6086.1672 victoria@victoriapr.com.hk