The Lark Mason Associates sale of Asian, Ancient and Ethnographic Works of Art, which closed on October 11, achieved an impressive $1,342,070 including buyer’s premium. An important pair of very rare Chinese Huanghuali Horseshoe Back Continuous Armchairs, dating from the early Qing dynasty hammered $250,000. Attracting bidders was the unusual and difficult to construct crest rail that anchors into the seat frame, rather than with exposed curled handgrips.

Other notable results included works in porcelain, lacquer, jade, metalwork and paintings. A particularly rare porcelain vase, created for presentation purposes to Senator D. Worth Clark of Idaho, and with a gilded Zhong Zheng mark in relief, created in 1947 on the occasion of Chiang Kai-shek’s 60th birthday. Only 40 of these vases were made, each imitating bronze with extensive landscape scenes centered on the wide, ovoid body. Estimated at $20,000-30,000, the vase realized $91,735. 

A fine quality carved red lacquer table screen, dating to the Qing dynasty, had multiple bids with an ending result of $68,875 against an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000. The screen depicts a mountainous landscape and is set within a finely carved, lotus blossom and vine frame. Offered by Mark Lawson Antiques in Saratoga, Springs New York, the screen garnered 24 bids. 

With an estimate of $5,000-8,000, a pair of Chinese ‘Chicken Bone’ Jade Censers set with later gilded metal and enamel mounts realized $42,950. The censers, dating to the Qing dynasty displayed a intricate pierced landscape and foliage scenes and. 

In addition to the works of art, was a fine selection of paintings by the Singaporean artist, Chen Wen Hsi. The group of 17 works, from a Northeast Collector, realized a total of $200,125,00.

Says Lark Mason, ““Despite a volatile Asian art market, we are pleased that so many of our items surpassed their estimates 8 to 10 times over.