The BBC's Antiques Roadshow regular David Battie joins Dawsons' Richard Harrison

The BBC's Antiques Roadshow regular David Battie joins Dawsons' Richard Harrison

A Taste of Asia

The team at Dawsons are excited to be holding a dedicated Asian Art sale on November 5th, with something to suit every collectors pocket!

 


30/10/2020    

If like Richard (Dawsons' Asian Art expert), you’ve ever desired to own a real piece of Chinese porcelain or jade, Ming pottery or bronze, Japanese porcelain or ivory, Dawsons may well be able to provide you with an ideal chance to own your very own slice of Asian history within our upcoming and dedicated Asian Art Auction.

To add to Richard's pre-auction excitement this past week, he was privileged to be able to work with original member of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow team, David Battie FRSA, who as many will know is a British expert on ceramics with a particular emphasis on Japanese and Chinese artefacts. David, who Richard has previously worked alongside for many years, joined him to help catalogue the array of wonderful items that we have had consigned to auction… Cataloguing has never been so interesting!

 

 

The core of the sale stems from a private Hampstead collector, who lovingly put their collection together over thirty years. This wonderful collection covers both Chinese and Japanese porcelain and bronzes. There are Chinese bronzes dating back to the Shang Dynasty and Japanese bronzes dating to the latter part of the 19th century.

Early Chinese bronzes, the majority of which date back to BC or as known today as Before Common Era (BCE) will certainly be of great interest to many a collector. A large number of the items in the collection would have been buried with a deceased family member in order to make their passage and life in the next world as comfortable as possible. During the industrial expansion of China many graves were disturbed during the construction of new buildings and train lines, revealing buried treasures. This collection of early bronzes includes; lamps, incense burners, ladies hair ornaments & hair pins and even a cooking stove.

Lot 238: An amusing Japanese bronze, Meiji/Taisho period. Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000

From the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) is a great collection of pottery tomb accessories, again all the things needed in the afterlife, comprising figures, guardians, dancers, a cooking stove, a farm building and even a table laid out with food and a chair upon which to sit. Every need was catered for in the afterlife, and there are even several pottery female dancers.

There is a small collection of 13th–15th century celadon wares, principally bowl and vases. Celadon is a thick green coloured glaze, used because it resembled jade. A myth states that if poisoned food is placed upon a celadon dish, that dish would either change colour or break.

This whole private collection has been put together with a real interest not only in the aesthetic appeal of the items but equally the historical and social significance of the items.

Lot 231: A Chinese powder blue bowl and cover, Kangxi, early 18th century. Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000 

 

Also within the auction and a joy to behold, we have a superb 18th century Chinese jade brush washer, carved as a duck, its head curling around the top; such a tactile piece that once seen, one doesn’t want to part with it. There is also a wonderful and exquisite Han Dynasty (202BC – 220AD) gold, silver and turquoise inlaid bronze garment hook. It is fascinating to see such fabulous craftsmanship on something so old. They are so very rare, and almost unique.

Lot 175: A fine white jade brush washer, 18th century. Estimate: £30,000 - £50,000

Dawsons are international fine art, antiques and jewellery auctioneers and valuers, with the expertise to help. We would love to hear from you… 0207 431 9445