Asian Art

The Asian Art in London festival of exhibitions and auctions runs for the 20th time from November 2-11. Here, Kate Quill and Roland Arkell look back at how it all began and what this year's event involves.

Glasgow saleroom Mulberry Bank will offer a late 18th century Qing famille rose bottle vase with an estimate of £1.5m-2m in its October 20-21 auction.

Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire sold a Yongzheng (1723-35) mark and period dish for £230,000 (plus premium) on September 29.

Initially described as a 19th century glass font for an oil lamp and pitched at £40-60, this bell-shaped vessel drew wide interest before the September 1 sale at Tring Market Auctions (17.5% buyer’s premium).

A collection of early 20th century Chinese silver attracted wide interest at Catherine Southon’s (18% buyer’s premium) September 6 sale at Selsdon, south London.

Sotheby’s Hong Kong autumn series posted benchmark sums in two Chinese works of art categories. Records were broken for both ceramics and carved jade.

A selection of good online illustrations plus a brief noncommittal description can be the regional auctioneer’s safest route when offering Chinese works of art. It proved successful when a porcelain bowl was consigned to the September 7 sale Greenslade Taylor & Hunt (19% buyer’s premium) held at Taunton.

As London gears up for the 20th Asian Art in London festival in November, ATG talks to its founders and participants on evolving the event to stay relevant and distinct in a crowded calendar

Tapering cabinets or yuanjiaogui were valued by the Ming and Qing for their practical use, as the primary place of storage for clothes and linen, and also paintings and books.

They have big, wise shoes to fill but Asian art gallery managers of a younger vintage are determined to make their mark, as ATG finds out...

Every work of art speaks about the culture from which it came, the artisans who made it or the history of collecting and artistic appreciation. Rather than huge commercial worth or ostentation, a strong narrative is the defining feature of so much Asian art.

Lazarus Halstead, head of Asian art at Chiswick Auctions, describes this 33ft (10m) long handscroll as “both a work of art and an historical document”.

Paul Moss chose an unorthodox route to move the family firm into its second century. Here he discusses his passion for ‘great’ Asian art, the ebbs and flows of the market and succession planning.

A long tradition of trade between China and Java culminated with the establishment of a trading colony in 1297, early in the Majapahit period (1292-1500).

Traditional tastes and newer trends were in evidence at auctions in London, the regions and overseas during the past 12 months. Here ATG selects its hammer highlights...

ATG speaks to two exhibitors at 'Asian Art in London' - Jacqueline Simcox who has participated at the event since 1998 and Red Finer of Peter Finer Fine Antique Arms and Armour who joined in 2016.