It was bought by a US-based Chinese buyer who paid top dollar for ownership at €55,000 (£41,355).
Elsewhere, a mainland Chinese dealer went to €6500 (£4890) for a set of 14 famille verte cups and saucers, Kangxi period (1662-1722).
“The recent sales in London and in Amsterdam are a sure sign that mainland Chinese are starting to become interested in Export wares, Famille verte, Kangxi blue and white as well as blue and white transitional wares,” said Amsterdam-based Asian art consultant Feng Chun-Ma, former head of the Chinese and Japanese department at Sotheby’s, Amsterdam. “But it all depends on the shape. They like Chinese forms like the sleeve vases and the double gourd vases. They are not interested in European shapes like ewers.”
Several mainland Chinese buyers also contested a pair of famille rose mirrored vases, Qianlong seal mark (1736-95) but catalogued as late 19th/early 20th century, and estimated accordingly at €4000-6000.
The Chinese buyers were convinced they were Imperial Qianlong vases and pursued them to a speculative €22,000 (£16,540) – a bargain if genuine 18th century vases but not if they are early 20th century copies.
“We are quite sure they are not old,” said Sotheby’s specialist Hélène Besançon.
Overall, the sale was 72 per cent sold by lot and totalled a
premium-inclusive €434,564 (£326,740).
The East fulfils its promise in the West
The resurgence of interest from Asian buyers in quality transitional blue and white sleeve vases was seen at Sotheby’s (22% buyer’s premium) in Amsterdam, when this finely painted example, right, illustrating boys presenting gifts to a number of scholars, topped the 243-lot Asian sale on May 21.
