MALVERN, Pa. – An online-only Winter Asian Auction featuring 400 lots of fine Chinese and Asian items, to include carvings in jade and other hard stones; Chinese, Japanese and Korean porcelain; bronze Buddhas and more will be held Friday, February 17th at 10 am Eastern time by Converse Auctions. People can register to bid and see the catalog at www.converseauctions.com.

Two strong candidates for top lot of the auction, both carrying estimates of $2,500-$5,000, are a large Chinese lapis lazuli (rich blue semiprecious stone), elaborately decorated with gilt dragons, flaming pearls and clouds, and with defining details in pen and ink, 17 inches tall; and an antique Chinese Ming Dynasty gilt bronze Buddha, beautiful and diminutive at just 9 inches by 6 inches.

A magnificent and large Chinese Qing Dynasty carved box containing 17 jade seals with a cover that depicts a dragon in shallow relief, has a pre-sale estimate of $1,500-$2,500. Also, a Chinese green jade dragon seal, finely carved and displaying a recumbent double headed dragon on top and with the base incised with Chinese and Manchu scripts in low relief, should hit $600-$900.

Anyone looking for a gorgeous antique Asian vase has come to the right auction. These will be led by a pair of Guang Xu marked gilt porcelain and cobalt glazed vases, decorated all over with gilt medallions, 16 ¼ inches tall (est. $500-$800); and a Chinese Qian Long rotating marked vase with two famille rose reserves, impressive at 13 inches tall by 8 inches wide (est. $400-$600).

Other vases will include a meiping vase decorated in a large red dragon under blue clouds all around (est. $200-$400); a pair of double gourd cloisonné vases with colorful flowers (est. $200-$400); a Korean thrown and hand-manipulated Koryo celadon vase in a pale earthy green (est. $100-$200); and a small liuyeping red glazed willow vase glazed in oxblood (est. $100-$200).

A Chinese framed cloisonné and gilt bronze wall plaque, 18 ¾ inches by 28 ¾ inches, should rise to $2,000-$4,000; while a Chinese painting on rice paper, with petals painted in a very soft style, contrasting with the intensity of the branches, 60 inches by 17 ½ inches, should hit $200-$400.

A green antique carved agate bowl with handles carved in the shape of men holding a lotus blossom has an estimate of $600-$900; and a pair of small Qian Long jaune bowls with dragons, flowers and vines painted against a delicate yellow background, should rise to $300-$500.

A pair of huanghuali folding chairs, with pierced backs and brass accents throughout, 41 inches tall, should fetch $800-$1,200; and a wooden stringed instrument called a Pi Pa, with a series of wooden frets and a back inlaid with nacre characters and scene, is expected to make $200-$400.

Two beautiful and interesting lots have reasonable $200-$400 estimates. The first is a set of three 17-inch-tall Tang terra cotta men on hexagonal bases, each one carrying offerings, with robes that are glazed in amber and green (the rest remaining unglazed). The second is a group of four blue and white porcelain panels depicting scenes and calligraphy and artist signed by Wang Bu.

A small chicken tea cup, marked on the bottom, has an estimate of $300-$500; a Chinese carved libation cup in the shape of a lotus leaf surrounded by pods, flowers, buds and stems should sell for $200-$400; and a unique Song-style teapot with removable lid and mouse finial over a border of carved and incised plantain leaves, 8 ½ inches tall, carries a pre-sale estimate of $200-$400.

Rounding out just a few of the auction’s expected top earners are a pair of famille rose jars with wooden lids in different sizes (est. $200-$400); a traditional cowpea inkwell glazed in mottled reds and greens and showing a six-character mark on the bottom (est. $200-$400); and a Chinese Jian blackware-style porcelain glazed censer, raised on dragon-headed legs (est. $100-$200).

Bidding may be done directly through the Converse Auctions website, at converseauctions.com; the Converse smartphone App; or via the online bidding platforms LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. For the previews, Converse Auctions is located on historic Lancaster Avenue in Malvern, Pennsylvania between Routes 29 and 401, at 57 Lancaster Ave. in Malvern, Pa. 19355.

Previews will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 15th and 16th, from 10-4 Eastern time. Converse Auctions is accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly, at (610) 722-9004; or, you can send an email to Todd Converse directly, at Todd@ConverseAuctions.com or info@ConverseAuctions.com.

Late last year, Converse Auctions changed its name from Gordon S. Converse & Company, which was founded by Gordon Converse, who began his career as a horologist and an appraiser on the hit PBS series Antiques Roadshow. Converse Auctions is now solely owned and operated by M. Todd Converse, Gordon’s son. The firm’s inaugural sale, held Dec. 30th, 2016, was a huge success.

Todd had been working and learning under his father, and he brings 15 years’ of experience and a renewed energy to Converse Auctions. He understands the auction business and has a deep appreciation of beautiful things. He proudly displays his family's ancestral crest in the new logo, representing his respect for history and his commitment to fair trade and customer satisfaction.

Anyone who is curious to know the potential value of an antique or collectible may bring it to Free Appraisal Tuesdays, from 10-4, at the Converse Auctions facility in Malvern Pa., at 57 Lancaster Avenue. For more information about Converse Auctions and the internet-only Winter Asian Auction scheduled for Friday, February 17th, please log on to www.ConverseAuctions.com.

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