Last Thursday, on April 20th in the closing moments of the sale of Asian, Ancient, and Ethnographic Works of Art a Chinese Cloisonné Bottle Vase offered by the Falls Church, Virginia-based Quinn’s Auctions measuring 10 inches in height, dated to the 18th / 19th century and estimated to sell for $400-$600 slowly began building to an astounding final result, selling at $812,500.  The sale of 466 lots realized a total of $1,441,206

According to Matt Quinn, the vase was consigned by a local Washington DC family, who assumed it held no value. “We knew that iGavel was the perfect platform for getting this special vase the best exposure possible, and are thrilled with the results,” says Quinn.

Though the astounding result of the cloisonné vase was by far the highest price in the sale, other items also far exceeded expectations. A large Chinese Bronze Censer, Qing Dynasty (estimate $5,000-8,000) offered by the Savannah Georgia-based Everard Auctions surged to close at $32,500. Amanda Everard, whose company has been on the iGavel platform since its inception, gives her assessment: “We are thrilled with the sales results and credit the iGavel platform for their online expertise.”

Lark Mason Associates also reports impressive sales with a pair of Chinese Square-Form Vases, 20th century (estimate $1,000-1,500) realizing $38,750 with 58 bids extending over an hour. A Pair of Chinese Porcelain Bowls, Republic Period (estimate $1,000-1,500) fared similarly, selling for $36,875, and a Tibetan Seated Bronze Figure (estimate $5,000-8,000) fetched $32,500.

“Auction sales are often unpredictable,” says Lark Mason who founded the auction platform. “Objects are sometimes cataloged quickly and esoteric objects can be overlooked, leading to the mystique of auctions as a potential treasure trove for diligent and seasoned experts.  But these finds rarely go unnoticed on the iGavel Auctions platform and results like this example which is a rare early Chinese Cloisonné vessel that might have eluded even the most knowledgeable experts, was seen and bid upon by enough bidders to realize a strong price usually associated only with the major international art auction houses.”

In seeking to better understand why iGavel is able to sell high-end works that are not recorded reaching similar prices on other comparable sites, it seems to be the unique niche market occupied by the company. “Part of iGavel’s success is from credibility garnered by a strong guarantee offered on each item sold, and a transparent process,” says Mason. “Two weeks for bidding, condition reports that are available without asking, and published minimums or reserves are not the usual format for auction companies or auction sites.”

For more information, visit www.igavelauctions.com or www.larkmasonassociates.com