Asian Works of Art

• Two-Day Asian Works of Art Sale on September 17-18, 2024 Surpasses Expectations!

• Rare Set of 12 Qing Dynasty Zodiac Figures Achieves $114,800

• Highlights Included Property from the Alan Oliner Collection

• Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions

NEW YORK, NY -- Competitive international bidding drove strong results at Doyle's two-day auction of Asian Works of Art on September 17-18, 2024. This highly-anticipated sale presented the arts of China, Japan and throughout Asia spanning the Neolithic Period through the 20th century. Showcased were exceptional porcelains, bronzes, jades, snuff bottles, pottery, scholar’s objects, furniture and paintings from prominent collections and estates.

A Set of Twelve Chinese White Jade Zodiac Figures, Qing Dynasty
The top lot of the sale was a rare set of twelve Qing Dynasty zodiac figures that soared past their estimate of $8,000-12,000 to achieve a stunning $114,800. Each of white jade figures is carved as an anthropomorphic figure holding its attribute. Jade zodiac figures such as these were commissioned by the Qianlong emperor and originally stored in a "wannian jiazi he" (cyclical year box). The figures surrounded a central jade box featuring the Daoist qian trigram, symbolizing celestial guardians protecting the emperor. According to the Imperial Workshop's records, a complete set of twelve white jade zodiac figures was delivered to the court on the 21st day of the 5th month in 1783 and placed in the Hall of Merit and Diligence. Created to commemorate the Jinchuan suppression victory, the figures reflect the emperor’s literati spirit and draw inspiration from poet Chou Yuan's works.

The Alan Oliner Collection of Asian Works of Art
Highlighting the Alan Oliner Collection was an exceptional Chinese Famille Verte porcelain rouleau vase of the Kangxi Period (1662-1722) that sold for $102,100, many times its $15,000-20,000 estimate. The cylindrical rouleau body form served as a perfect “canvas” for porcelain artists, allowing detailed scenes to be painted in 360 degrees. During the Kangxi Period, figural scenes flourished, often illustrating figures from early Chinese history, where legend and fact intertwine. In the “Peacock Banquet” scene on the Oliner vase, an Emperor-General hosts a lavish feast under a full moon, attended by guests receiving peacock feathers. This gesture symbolizes gratitude and honor, referencing a Qin Dynasty general’s escape among peacocks. Ultimately, the peacock came to represent symbolize nobility, fortune, and achievement.

The Alan Oliner Collection encompassed art from China, Japan, the Islamic world and beyond, with a notable emphasis on 17th century Chinese porcelain. The collection was distinguished by its breadth and exceptional quality. Unlike some collectors driven by personal notions of exoticism or antiquity, Mr. Oliner sought out fine examples of Early Qing porcelain, adhering to the strict standards of the period. It is a collection that took study and taste, as well as patience. Mr. Oliner not only possessed a keen eye for porcelain but also exercised excellent judgment in selecting trusted dealers, including venerable New York and London firms like Ralph M. Chait Galleries and Marchant, as well as other fine sellers. A number of the pieces also bear distinguished provenance, with examples from the collections of J.P. Morgan, U.S. President Herbert Hoover and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Mr. Oliner’s meticulously kept invoices reveal the methodical and unhurried acquisition of porcelain representing the fantastic range of styles popular through the Shunzhi and Kangxi periods of the 17th century. Porcelain masterworks in the collection feature blue and white wares evoking the earlier Ming Dynasty, intricately molded and glazed soft paste sculptures reflecting both Daoist and Buddhist influences, and the novel forms and decorative palettes that first appeared in the early decades of the Qing Dynasty. The collection offers an excellent survey of 17th century porcelain.

The Alan Oliner Collection delighted connoisseurs of fine Chinese porcelain and honored Mr. Oliner’s legacy as a distinguished American collector dedicated to preserving Chinese history with scholarship, care and dignity.  Read More  View Lots

Decorative Asian Art
Day 2 of the sale on September 18, 2024 presented Decorative Asian Art (Lots 401-787). Read More

We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

Please call Richard Cervantes at 215-539-3109 or email Asian@Doyle.com