Christie's felt dispersing such a high-end collection in one go would flood the market and so split it between their Hong Kong and New York rooms.
The first part was dispersed in 85 lots last April in Hong Kong and fetched a premium-inclusive $1.69m total with a 78 per cent strike rate by lot. The second 88 lots were dispersed in New York in a single owner sale on March 30 and performed even better. Part Two attracted US, European, main-land Chinese, Hong Kong and Singapore private buyers and dealers and with only one casualty scooped a $3,310,600 (£1,839,220) hammer total.
The 18th century mark and period famille rose octagonal glass snuff bottle (pictured right) would represent the pinnacle of any collection and was the dispersal's most coveted entry. Meauring just 11/2in (3.7cm) high, it was painted with European subjects of a lady and a child and was one of a select group made for the Emperor Qianlong at his Beijing Palace Workshops.
It was well known to collectors through extensive publications and also from numerous museum exhibitions including shows at London's Percival David Foundation, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the National Museum of History in Taiwan and the Portland Museum of Art in Oregon.
This pedigree bottle attracted interest from Asian and American buyers and sold to a US collector at $580,000 (£322,220).
