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A CARVED WOOD GUANYIN.
17th / 18th Century.
Seated in long flowing robes, red velvet base, 32cm H.
£2,000-3,000
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A BAMBOO CARVING OF A LUOHAN.
18th / 19th Century.
Seated cross legged in long flowing robes, consulting a book, wood stand, 11cm H.
£1,000-1,500
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A GILT AND LACQUERED BRONZE CARVING OF A SCHOLAR RIDING A HORSE.
17th Century.
The figure seated in a wide rimmed hat, with his body turned to the left, the face of the figure and nose band of the horse decorated with gilt, the saddle decorated in red lacquer, the horse with bowing back legs and a juvenile demeanor, 8cm H.
£600-800
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A BRONZE 'RECUMBENT LION' PAPERWEIGHT.
17th Century.
Cast with its head turned to the right, with alert eyes showing an intense gaze, framed by thick coiling eyebrows, with a curling mane and a bushy tail wrapping around its right hind leg, 7cm long.
£500-800
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A BRONZE 'WATER BUFFALO' WATER DROPPER.
17th Century.
Seated with the legs tucked under and the head raised, the mouth open for the release of water, 7cm long.
£400-600
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A BRONZE 'LION AND FIGURE GROUP' PAPERWEIGHT.
17th Century.
The figure seated with the head turned to the right, and tail tucked round to the left, the figure clambering over the body of the animal, 7.5cm long.
£500-800
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A CINNABAR LACQUER PEACH-FORM BOX AND COVER.
Qing Dynasty, 18th Century.
The cover is finely carved through thick layers of cinnabar lacquer with a peach-shaped medallion depicting a landscape scene of a lady and child under a pine tree, bordered with a rim of bats, the rounded sides of the cover and box are embellished with hexagonal diaper, 6cm H, 11cm long.
£2,000-3,000
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A ROBINS-EGG GLAZED WASHER.
Qing Dynasty, 18th Century.
Of rectangular form with hand modelled canted sides, supported on a spreading rectangular base, 5cm H.
Provenance: John Marriott (1921-2007) and Count R.L. Sangorski (1940-2014) Collection; acquired from John Sparks, 8th September 1986.
£300-500
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A TURQUOISE-GLAZED BISCUIT 'BUDDHIST GROTTO' BRUSHREST AND WATER POT.
Qing Dynasty, Kangxi era.
The four-peaked rocky grotto moulded enclosing a seated Buddha on a lotus throne, conjoined to a small peach-form washer, 6cm H.
£300-500
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A BAMBOO 'RAFT' CARVING.
19th / 20th Century.
Carved and pierced with various figures and fishing nets, 50cm long.
£1,200-1,500
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A HARDWOOD 'POMEGRANATE' BOX AND COVER.
Qing Dynasty, 18th / 19th Century.
The top carved with twin splitting pomegranates, the sides following in section the outline of the design, 5cm H, 13cm long,
Provenance: The Minor Arts of China, volume IV, Spink & Son Ltd, 1989, cat no 15.
£1,000-1,500
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A PAIR OF RECTANGULAR WOODEN BOXES WITH GOLD AND SILVER-INLAID COVERS.
Qing Dynasty / Republican era.
Each finely decorated with a scene of a lady seated on a rock, 4 x 11 x 9.5cm (2)
£800-1,200
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A BAMBOO 'PINE TREES' LIBATION CUP.
17th Century.
Naturalistically carved as a section of a pine trunk, detailed with nodules imitating tree bark and carved in openwork with growing pine firs on extended gnarled branches, 10.5cm H.
£6,000-8,000
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A HARDSTONE-INLAID LACQUERED WOOD 'BOYS' TABLE SCREEN.
Qing Dynasty, 18th Century.
Of rectangular form, the carved wood panel inlaid with various hardstones, one face decorated with three boys at play, the reverse with flowering leafy branches, all supported on a pierced wood stand, 27cm H.
£8,000-12,000
The present screen falls under the umbrella of the decorative technique known as bai bao qian, or 'a hundred treasures' inlay which aside from table screens can also be found most commonly in boxes and brush pots. A number of pieces survive in the Imperial collection and several of these are illustrated in Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings in the Collection of the Palace Museum: Classics of the Forbidden City, 2002, pls 219-248. Such works incorporate an impressive range of materials including mother-of-pearl, soapstone, malachite, steatite, lacquer and gilt bronze, and it is testament to the skill and dexterity of their creators that such a diverse range of materials were used within a single workshop. The floral decoration on one side of the screen closely resembles work on two pieces from the Imperial collection, (illustrated on p 119 and p 139, ibid).
The three boys depicted on the reverse side, one flying a kite, another holding a rattle, with a third boy looking on, follow the popular theme of depicting boys at play in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and represent the wish for many sons. The boy flying a kite can also be read as a wish for a 'rise in rank' and a successful career. The skilled composition of the scene undoubtedly derives from painting. Scholars from the Palace Museum have argued that the motifs of children at play on some Qianlong enamelled porcelains are based on paintings of the famous court painter Jin Tingbiao of the same period (The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, 1999, pl. 27). Indeed, the blocking out of childrens' clothes in primary colours typical within his work seems well suited to being transposed into work in bai bao qian. Two decorated screens are illustrated in Gunhild, Ostasiatische Lackkunst, 1978, cat no 89 and 91.
| The following fourteen lots (164-176) are from the collection of Gordon Aldrick. | Gordon Aldrick has spent a life time devoted to developing the appreciation of Chinese art in the West, and in particular Chinese painting. In 1975 he resigned from an academic post at Pembroke College, Oxford to set up a dealership in Chinese painting, based mainly in the University town. Combining a scholarly temperament with a Chinese aesthetic sensibility Aldrick set out to educate and inform his clients in an area not traditionally widely appreciated in England.
His own journey through the field of Chinese painting was guided by close friendships with leading contemporary artists including Taiwanese ink painter Lo Ch'ing (1948 -) and Stars artist Zhao Gang (1961 -). The present selection, drawn from Aldrick's personal collection, including works by the two artists and pieces acquired on the direct advice of Lo Ch'ing, also includes works acquired in Hong Kong and trips to mainland China and works from the Chi Mei Chai Gallery in Great Russell Square, London.
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LO CH'ING (1948 -).
1970.
Jingwu suixin muzhi dong er dong, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 68 x 44cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired directly from the artist.
£1,500-2,000
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LO CH'ING (1948 -).
1970.
Xian yue di meixue, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, the calligraphy 19 x 34cm, the painting 34 x 34cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired directly from the artist.
£600-800
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CHU WEI-BOR (1929 -).
1973.
Water-based woodblock print on paper, limited to 4 of 30, 84 x 50cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired in Taiwan circa 1985 on the advice of Lo Ch'ing.
£100-200
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DING YANYONG (1902-1978).
Frog beneath banana leaves, ink on paper, framed and glazed, 69 x 34cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired in Taiwan circa 1985 on the advice of Lo Ch'ing.
£2,000-3,000
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ZHAO GANG (1961 -).
c. 1988.
Untitled, oil on canvas, 165 x 126cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired directly from the artist in New York, following the exhibition Gang Zhao: Selected Abstract Works 1983-88, Vorpal Gallery, 1988.
£1,500-2,500
The youngest member of The Stars (Xing Xing) Group, Zhao Gang (1961 -) was one of the first artists responsible for launching the phenomenon of Chinese contemporary art onto the global stage. Like many of his contemporaries within the group including Ai Weiwei (1957 -), Wang Keping (1955 -), Ma Desheng (1952 -) and Qu Leilei (1951 -), Zhou emigrated first to Europe and then later to America where he took up a scholarship at Vassar College in 1984. The present lot perfectly demonstrates the artist's struggles to make sense of his Chinese identity and status as an international artist: the red blocks in the painting alluding to both the work of Mark Rothko, the Chinese flag and Mao's little red book.
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TIAN YANYUN.
1945.
Beauties, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 67 x 34cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection.
£300-500
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ZHANG MUKANG (1901-1982).
1944.
Shi nu, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 35 x 42cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection.
£300-500
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GAO MADE (1917-2007).
20th Century.
Dream, ink on paper, hanging scroll, 33 x 33cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired from the Chi Mei Chai Gallery in Great Russell Square.
£300-500
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ZHOU CANGMI (1929-2011).
1978.
Listening to cicadas, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 34 x 45cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired from the Chi Mei Chai Gallery in Great Russell Square.
£200-300
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LI ZHENJIAN (1921-1992).
1978.
Birds and banana leaves, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 89 x 46cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired from the Chi Mei Chai Gallery in Great Russell Square.
£200-300
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GUO YICONG (1940 -).
Ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 43 x 33cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection; acquired from the Chi Mei Chai Gallery in Great Russell Square.
£200-300
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LI SHAN, LIU YULOU AND ZHAO HONGWU.
Birds and flowers, 33 x 44cm; Birds and bamboo, 35 x 42cm; Landscape, 70 x 45cm, ink and colour on paper, scroll mounted. (3)
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection.
£300-500
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CHINESE SCHOOL.
Landscape, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, 77 x 44cm.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection.
£800-1,200
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A SCHOLAR'S ROCK.
Qing Dynasty, or later.
Wood stand ornately carved with lingzhi spray and supported by four feet, 40cm H.
Provenance: Gordon Aldrick Collection.
£800-1,200
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Y A MOULDED GOURD SNUFF BOTTLE.
19th / early 20th Century.
Decorated with Buddhist emblems among clouds, below a band of lotus-leaf lappets, 6.5cm H.
£600-800
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A PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE VASES.
Republican era.
Of pear shaped form with a spreading neck, each painted with birds on a leafy branch, apocryphal Da Qing Qianlong nianzhi mark to base, 14cm H. (2)
£100-200
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A FAMILLE ROSE WATERPOT AND COVER.
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong mark and probably of the period.
Of rectangular form with rounded sides, there are four panels decorated with landscape scenes and calligraphy, on a stipple turquoise glazed ground, with gilded bosses, and an integral base, wood scroll-form stand, 8.5cm H.
£500-800
Literature: For a water pot of similar shape, but with a robin's egg glaze see The Helen D Ling Collection of Chinese Ceramics, 1995, cat no 92.
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A COLLECTION OF SNUFF BOTTLES.
Qing Dynasty, and later.
Including glass, porcelain and agate pieces, the largest 8cm H. (8)
£200-300
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AN INSIDE PAINTED SNUFF BOTTLE, BY SUO ZHENHAI (1944-2006).
1982.
Painted on one side with a lotus leaf, the reverse with a spider among gourds, 6.5cm H.
£300-500
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AN INSIDE PAINTED SNUFF BOTTLE.
1981.
Decorated with a bird in a lotus pond, stopper, 8cm H.
£300-500
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AN INSIDE PAINTED SNUFF BOTTLE.
1981.
Decorated on one side with two scholars, the reverse with a man together with three goats, stopper, 8cm H.
£300-500
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AN INSIDE PAINTED SNUFF BOTTLE.
20th Century.
Each side decorated with figures in a landscape, 8.5cm H.
£300-500
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TWO INSIDE-PAINTED SNUFF BOTTLES.
20th Century.
One depicting a lion, the other a dog, 8-9cm H.
(2)
£200-300
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AN INSIDE PAINTED SNUFF BOTTLE.
1982.
7cm H.
£300-500
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AN OVERLAY GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE.
Qing Dynasty.
Carved with a flowery branch, twin handles, 7cm H.
£400-600
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A FAMILLE ROSE 'CRICKETS' SNUFF BOTTLE AND COVER.
Qing Dynasty.
The cylindrical body delicately painted with two crickets, Qianlong nianzhi mark to base, stopper, 8.5cm diameter.
£600-800
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A SQUARE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE.
Qing Dynasty.
The sides each with bat-form handles, 7.5cm H.
Provenance: Sotheby's London, 1 August 1990.
£200-300
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A PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE.
19th / early 20th Century.
Of flattened heart shape, each side with a raised moulded shaped panel, one side with a landscape painting within a shaped cartouche, the reverse with a calligraphic inscription, reserved on a dotted yellow ground, possibly imitating sharkskin, the narrow sides with blue enamelled lion-mask fixed-ring handles, Qianlong nianzhi mark to base, stopper, 5.5cm H.
£600-800
Literature: For a similar bottle see Christie's, The Edmund F. Dwyer Collection, 12 October 1987, lot 98.
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A QUANTITY OF SNUFF BOTTLE SPOONS AND STOPPERS.
(Qty)
£200-300
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A BRONZE RITUAL TRIPOD WINE VESSEL, JUE.
Shang Dynasty, 16th-11th Century BC.
The vessel is cast with two bow-string bands and a loop handle, all raised on three blade-like supports, with malachite encrustations, 18cm H.
Provenance: John Marriott (1921-2007) and Count R. L. Sangorski (1940-2014) Collection; acquired from Christie's, South Kensington, 9th May 1988, lot 134.
£400-600
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AN EARTHENWARE URN AND COVER.
Silla Dynasty.
11cm H, 12cm diameter.
£300-500
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A LACQUERED BOX AND COVER, CONTAINING NINE CUPS.
Han Dynasty.
The box's cover decorated with tigers among scrolling patterns in gold and red on a black ground, the flanged cups decorated with a bird in red and gold within a geometric border, 15cm H.
£1,000-1,500
Sold together with TL Test documents consistent with the above date.
Literature: For a similar box of cups see Teng, Lacquer Wares of the Chu Kingdom, 1992, cat no 83.
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A POTTERY VASE AND A MOUNTAIN-FORM COVER.
Han Dynasty.
The body of the vase painted with a writhing dragon, 44cm H.
£500-800
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A SILVER-INLAID DAGGER SCABBARD.
Warring States period, or later.
17cm long.
£300-500
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AN INCISED STONE 'DEER GROUP' PLAQUE.
Ming Dynasty.
Carved with two deer, one sitting with a spray of lingzhi in the mouth, the other standing beside pines, 22 x 22cm.
£2,000-3,000
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A CARVED STONE 'BIRD' BOX AND COVER.
Tang Dynasty.
Of quadrilobed section the cover incised with a bird, 5cm long.
£600-800
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