DOYLE NEW YORK TO AUCTION A CHINESE IMPERIAL ZITAN TABLE ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

Asian Works of Art Sale to Showcase the Arts of China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia from the Neolithic Period through the 20th Century

Featuring Fine Porcelain, Jades, Bronzes and Other Objects

Doyle New York will hold an auction of Asian Works of Art on Monday, September 13 at 10am. The sale offers over 430 lots showcasing the arts of China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia dating from the Neolithic Period through the 20th century. Offerings include porcelain and pottery, jade, ivories, scholar's objects, bronzes, snuff bottles, swords, textiles, screens and paintings.

Highlighting the auction is an 18th century Chinese Imperial zitan side table from the Estate of Sonja Caron Stein of Long Island, NY. Estimated at $500,000-700,000, this exquisitely carved table, or changzhuo, is crafted of rare zitan wood -- a commodity so expensive and highly-prized that existing stores of it were safeguarded in the Imperial warehouse and restricted for use by the Imperial Palace Workshop. An Imperial provenance is also suggested by the table’s carved borders of five-clawed dragons, a symbol of the Emperor. The table is additionally decorated with borders of bats, representing happiness.

“Early Chinese furniture of zitan wood is highly sought-after, because of its rarity and its Imperial connections," said Marley Rabstenek, Doyle New York’s specialist in charge of the sale. "A table such as this is certain to generate excitement among the world’s most important collectors of Chinese furniture.”

Chinese furniture also includes a pair of 17th/18th century yokeback Huanghuali armchairs -- the 'officials hat chairs' – from the Collection of Dr. Ruth Lax (est. $50,000-70,000).

Chinese porcelains in the auction are highlighted by a blue and white glazed Meiping bearing the Qianlong Seal Mark and of the Period (1736-1795). In a private collection since the 1950s, the Meiping measures 9 1/2 inches in height and bears an estimate of $150,000-200,000. Exceptional artistic and technical talent is evidenced in this piece, as it emulates designs of early Ming blue and white wares. The use of the heaping and piling of the brilliant cobalt blue on the bright white ground is further testimony to the precision of the craftsmen who worked the Imperial kilns during the Qianlong Period, most likely under the watchful eye of Tang Yin. Tang Yin supervised the Imperial kilns during the Yongzheng and Qianlong Periods, during which time indisputably the finest wares were produced.

Other notable Chinese porcelains include a pair of light blue celadon glazed porcelain gu-form vases with the Yongzheng Mark and of the Period from a private collection (est. $20,000-30,000), a Ming Dynasty blue and white vase of shouldered-form and painted with fish (est. $20,000  - $30,000), and a pair of Famille Rose enamel diminutive porcelain dishes with the Yongzheng Six-Character Mark and of the Period (est. $20,000-30,000).

The selection of Chinese jades in the sale features an Qing Dynasty white jade small pouring vessel of rounded form decorated with a carved bat and two attendants (est. $30,000-50,000). Other jades of note include a white jade pendant depicting a dancing boy with a lingzhi fungus and peonies (est. $20,000-30,000), an 18th century celadon jade carving two swimming carp (est. $20,000-25,000), a pair of mid-19th century gilt decorated spinach jade boxes (est. $15,000-20,000), and a Qing Dynasty white jade carving of two geese (est. $15,000-20,000).

Ivories include a 17th century Chinese ivory teapot with carved cartouches depicting narrative scenes, the base with the Tianqi four-character mark (est. $20,000-30,000).

Chinese bronzes offer a Warring Stated Period (475-221BC) gold inlaid bronze camel (est. $15,000-20,000) and a pair of 19th century bronze guardians (est. $10,000-20,000).

Chinese paintings include an 18th century ink and color on silk depiction of an immortal riding in an elephant drawn cart attributed to Wang Shouqi (est. $6,000-8,000) and a 2006 oil on canvas view of Vanishing Homes, No. 88, by Lu Hao (b. 1969) (est. $5,000-7,000).

Among the Japanese Works of Art in the auction are a Nara Period, 8th century, wood pagoda from the set of One Million Pagodas consigned by the Estate of Karl Lunde (est. $2,000-3,000) and a large group of netsuke from the Estate of Paula Brown Glick.

Images and interviews are available upon request.

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