Several of these pieces had a prestigious provenance: they once belonged to Friedrich Hirth (1845-1927) a sinologist, author of numerous publications and a renowned collector.
From 1870-97 he worked for the Chinese maritime customs services, during which time he presumably built up his collection of textiles, porcelain and other works of art.
Hirth later became professor of Chinese at Columbia University and was also a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. His collection provided material for numerous exhibitions from the 1890s until his death in 1927.
One of the pieces now offered is a 19in (49cm) high bronze head of a Buddha from Thailand, which can be dated to the 16th or 17th century. It is being sold without a reserve or a guide price – the market must decide.
