(BOYNTON BEACH, Fla.) – A beautiful Chinese hand-carved white jade sculpture depicting a chariot with horses and riders galloped past its pre-sale estimate of $300-$500 to sell for $40,120 – about 100 times what it was expected to fetch – at a sale of Chinese works and fine decorative arts held July 13 by Elite Decorative Arts, at the firm’s showroom in Boynton Beach.

“The auction was successful in all categories across the board, but jade in particular did extremely well,” said Scott Cieckiewicz of Elite Decorative Arts. “We expected the jade to hold its own, but I don’t think anyone in the company was prepared for the results we achieved. We were helped by exceptional jade consignments that were bid on aggressively by some strong jade buyers. This is obviously a great time to buy and sell jade, as the market appears to be red hot.”

The sculpture exhibited a stunning, even-toned white jade color throughout, with some translucence. Included was a fitted wooden base and presentation box. Overall, the piece was 10 inches tall by 25 inches wide. It was the top lot in a sale that saw 242 lots change hands, mostly to phone bidders who numbered around 30. Approximately 100 people attended the event live.

Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com (642 registered bidders), Artfact.com (515 bidders), Auctionzip.com (339 bidders) and a European provider (59 bidders). Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include an 18 percent buyer’s premium (for winning in-house and phone bids) or 21 percent (for winning online bids).

Close behind the jade chariot sculpture, as the sale’s second top lot, was a Chinese hand-carved celadon green jade moon flask vase, depicting a coastal scene to one side and a landscape scene with two men to the other. Featuring a silver inlay fitted wooden base and a silk fitted presentation box, the moon flask vase, 6 ¼ inches tall, went to a determined bidder for $37,760.

Two other lots cracked the $30,000 mark. One was an antique Chinese Qing Dynasty period (circa 1796-1820) hand-carved celadon jade figural mountain carving showing two children at play and a frog nearby ($31,860). The other was a large and heavy solid red coral sculpture depicting a maiden with children, 10 ¼ inches tall, with fitted wooden base ($30,250).

Breaking the $20,000 mark were a pair of hand-carved Chinese jadeite Guan Yin sculptures, each having beautiful white mottled jadeite color with apple green infusions and both standing about 11 ¼ inches tall ($29,500); and a pair of large spinach jade vase form reticulated lantern urns, each having relief palace scenes throughout the body, 16 ½ inches tall ($22,420).

A large hand-carved Chinese white and apple green jadeite Guan Yin sculpture, showingherin a standing position, with a crane to the right holding stalks with lotus blossoms, 22 ¼ inches tall, coasted to $18,880; while a stunning Chinese relief carved white jadeite lidded vessel having scrolled archaic designs to the back and front of the body, 8 ¾ inches tall, made $11,800.

A large Chinese hanging urn having a very finely carved and textured high relief archaic design to the body, showing a chih lung dragon and phoenix arms with rings, 26 ½ inches tall, realized $10,620; and a gorgeous Chinese lavender and green jadeite archaic design vase having a diamond form, with four foo lion handles with rings to the rim, 13 ½ inches tall, rose to $9,440.

A Chinese square form scholar’s desk brush pot showing calligraphy poems throughout the exterior and the bottom holding a blue six-character zhuanshu Qianliong (circa 1736-1795) reign mark, fetched $6,665; and a late Qing dynasty period (19th century) Chinese hand-carved white and apple green jadeite figure of a recumbent stag with child holding a flower hit $6,490.

A breathtaking pair of Chinese icy white jade covered bird boxes, each having an even-toned bright and translucent white color with some russet hints, with fitted wooden silver inlay bases and a fitted, silk lined presentation box, garnered $5,900; and a Chinese hand-carved white jade moving sculpture depicting two Meirens on a swinging platform, 5 inches tall, made $4,720.

Elite Decorative Arts maintains a spacious gallery in the Quantum Town Center, located at 1034 Gateway Boulevard (Suite 106) in Boynton Beach, Fla. The firm is an established, third-generation gallery and auction house specializing in fine decorative arts, paintings, estate jewelry and more. The firm’s knowledgeable, full-time staff works Monday through Friday, from 10-6.

Elite Decorative Arts’ next big auction is slated for Saturday, Aug. 10. Offered will be fine porcelains, artwork and decorative arts. Consignments will be accepted up to July 26th. The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To inquire about consigning, you may call them at (561) 200-0893, or you can send them an e-mail at info@eliteauction.com.

To learn more about Elite Decorative Arts and the upcoming Aug. 10 auction, please log on to www.eliteauction.com.

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