Buyers were found for around half of the 323 Chinese lots, with the foremost entry a large Canton enamel famille rose European subject rectangular plaque dating to c.1750. Rumoured in the trade to be consigned from a dealer, this 2ft 3in by 4ft (69cm x 1.22m) panel depicted a European harbour scene peopled by groups of young ladies in conversation and playing wind instruments.
Possibly one of a set of four panels intended to decorate the Qianlong emperor's summer palace, it was underbid by an American private buyer and sold to a major Asian collector at £105,000.
Elsewhere, £38,000 secured a large Yongzheng mark and period green and yellow dragon bowl for an American-based Chinese collector, while a Hong Kong private buyer bid £60,000 for an deeply carved early 18th century spinach jade mountain, formerly in an old American collection, that depicted luohan winding their way up a jagged rocky path to their mountain retreat.
"Only recently have Chinese buyers begun to understand how good spinach jade can be," said Colin Sheaf.
There were no such privately entered highlights in the Japanese section that sold only 12 of its 98 lots, prompting Colin Sheaf to review his strategy for this market. "Unlike Chinese art, where there is a very wide group of buyers, the private retailing market for Japanese art is contracting… We are going to make the Japanese section smaller and more focused," he said.
Similarly, there was only patchy interest for the 44-lot Indian and south-east Asian sculpture section, with only six lots selling. It is the first time Bonhams have included such a section, but Colin Sheaf is keen to repeat the exercise in his November sale. "Auction houses don't really address this market consistently in London… We are taking a cautious and conservative view of developing the market," he said.
