Christie’s is bringing Fine Asian Art back to its London calendar with around 150 works, led by Chinese furniture, porcelain, Buddhist sculpture and Japanese lacquer.
Christie’s has announced the return of a dedicated Fine Asian Art sale in London on 6 November, bringing together approximately 150 works across Chinese ceramics, furniture and painting, Himalayan and Indian Buddhist art, and Japanese lacquer. Estimates range from £1,000 to £350,000, with the public pre-sale view running from 31 October to 5 November.
A Yongzheng dragon dish provides a recognisable focal point
Among the porcelain highlights is a large blue-and-white dragon dish from the Yongzheng period, estimated at £150,000 to £200,000 and offered from the estate of Sir John Keswick and Clare, Lady Keswick. Its scale, imperial mark and provenance give the sale an immediate visual anchor.
For collectors, porcelain of this quality rewards close examination because condition, glaze, drawing and provenance all influence value. A public preview provides the opportunity to compare the object with furniture, sculpture and works on paper rather than judging it only through photography.
Huanghuali furniture brings another form of Chinese connoisseurship
The sale includes several pieces of huanghuali furniture, led by a large 17th-century trestle-leg table estimated at £250,000 to £350,000. Other examples include a demountable square table and a low-back armchair, each representing a tradition where proportion and joinery carry as much importance as ornament.
These works often appeal to collectors beyond the conventional Asian-art category because their construction and restrained surfaces speak directly to modern design sensibilities. They can sit convincingly beside contemporary furniture while retaining deep historical and material significance.
Buddhist sculpture and Japanese lacquer widen the collecting field
An 11th-century marble figure of Sarasundari from Western India comes to market for the first time in more than half a century. Japanese highlights include around 25 lacquer works, including inro and sword fittings retained from the collection of Edward A. Wrangham.
The breadth encourages collectors to look across regions and materials rather than treating Asian art as one homogeneous field. Sculpture, lacquer, ceramics and furniture each require different expertise, but together they reveal the range of techniques and collecting traditions represented in the sale.
London gains a focused Asian-art moment again
Christie’s says the format marks its regular return to Asian Art in London following the success of a May collection sale. The pre-sale exhibition gives collectors several days to inspect the works before the 6 November auction.
For international yacht owners and private collectors already moving through London for art, fashion and business, a concentrated preview can be particularly useful. It allows specialist appointments and object handling to fit into a wider city itinerary rather than requiring a dedicated collecting trip.
Official sources: press.christies.com.
Source
press.christies.com