The top end of the market remained strong and of the seven sales held between Christie’s and Sotheby’s, March 19-21, Christie’s notched up an overall US$13,319,755 (£9,651,995) total to Sotheby’s more modest US$8,051,408 (£5,834,355) tally.
While Asia week’s punchiest price was bid for a 20th century Korean painting by Park Sookeun – breaking the auction record for the artist at $520,000 (£376,810) – this large sancai-glazed Ferghana horse, Tang dynasty (618-907AD), 2ft 11/2in by 2ft 71/2in (65cm x 80cm), pictured right, stole the limelight at Christie’s 246-lot Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale, March 21.
Secured by a private buyer just below its US$500,000 estimate at US$480,000 (£347,825), it was a fitting top lot for the Chinese Year of the Horse.
Ahead of the field
Christie’s and Sotheby’s may not have had a vintage New York Asian Art series this March, but private and trade buyers continued to compete for the best quality fresh-to-the-market entries.
