The lots included a finely painted 14in (35cm) Ming blue and white ‘dragon and phoenix’ basin c.1440 that belongs to a rare group of large and individualistic blue and white vessels produced in the short reign of the Zhengtong emperor (1436-49).
Although broken in two and repaired, it is one of only two known basins of imperial quality from the period. Acquired by du Boulay from Roger Keverne in 1997, it carried an estimate of £40,000-60,000 and sold at £78,000.
From another source, a private collection in Kent, Duke’s offered a finely carved Jiaqing (1796-1820) or Daoguang (1821-50) boxwood figure of the goddess Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West) with a fitted carved zitan stand.
Standing 5in (13cm) high, it bore the seal mark for renowned bamboo carver Shang Xun.
Estimated at up to £25,000, it took £185,000.
