The auctions were once again characterised by private and trade buyers competing for the quality fresh-to-market entries. Christie’s triumphed over Sotheby’s with their small, selective offering of Chinese art and a single-owner snuff bottle collection sell-out sale.
However, it was Sotheby’s and not Christie’s who offered buyers the most sought-after Indian and South East Asian art with a large collection of Himalayan bronzes, a good
selection of Indian stone sculpture, and a quality single-owner sale of Indian miniature paintings.
Although there was no Japanese and Korean auction at Sotheby’s, take-up was steady in Christie’s sale with a contemporary Korean painting by Park Sookuen (1914-65) Asia week’s most expensive work selling at $520,000 (£376,810).
Trade and private buyers compete vigorously for the most desirable pieces… with mixed results
There were auction highs and lows during New York’s March Asia week that saw Sotheby’s (20/15/10% buyer’s premium) and Christie’s (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) hosting eight sales in four days, from March 19-22.
