The Antiques Trade Gazette Award for an Outstanding East Asian Work of Art from an Auction House went to Bonhams for a Xuande mark and period blue and white reserve decorated ‘peony’ dish.
The Xuande (1426-35) period is marked by a sudden keen imperial interest in ceramics. This 15in (38cm) dish is one of only four of this size, technique and design known and was in the collection of Baron Guy de Villelume (1908-91) of Château de La Gorgue until 1978. Bonhams’ estimate on November 3 is £700,000-1m.
Xuande dish, estimated at £700,000-1m at Bonhams.
The Apollo Award for Outstanding East Asian Work of Art from a Dealer went to Rosemary Bandini for a late 19th century blue lacquer kiseruzutsu by Rosetsu.
Two lacquer artists created works with intricately details wave designs (seigaiha) in the latter half of the 19th century: firstly Shibata Zeshin, who perfected a technique of ‘combing’ the thickened wet lacquer, and secondly Rosetsu, a pupil of Shibata Shinsai, who carved his intricate design into rare dark blue lacquer in minute detail.
Here Rosetsu has produced a kiseruzutsu (pipe case) in deeply carved lacquer that is inlaid with tiny beads of silver to represent the drops of spray created by the crashing waves.
