This season's Hong Kong autmn sales week saw Sotheby's star-studded line-up of Chinese works of arts. Kicking off the marquee auctions was The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung Sale, which turned out to be a massive success led by the house's star auctioneer Henry Howard-Sneyd. Amongst 28 lots offered, 26 were sold, where many had elicited intense bidding wars to achieve astounding prices far beyond estimates. In the end, the sale total came to nearly HK$470 million (around US$59.8 million) with a strong sell-through rate of 93%.  The spotlight of the night was on a huanghuali folding horseshoe back armchair from late Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Carrying a low estimate of HK$10 million, it was hammered down 10 times at HK$106 million, selling for a staggering HK$124 million (around US$15.8 million) after fees to become the most expensive Chinese chair and the second most expensive Chinese classical furniture ever sold.  In 2017, the British Museum's Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia officially re-opened, and Queen Elizabeth II was accompanied with Sir Joseph Hotung 

Lot 11 | Huanghuali Folding Horseshoe Back Armchair, Jiaoyi Created during late Ming dynasty (1368-1644) 71.2 x 67.2 x 102.8 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$10,000,000 – 15,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$106,000,000 Sold: HK$124,609,000 (around US$15.8 million)

As soon as auctioneer Henry Howard-Sneyd opened the proceedings of the lot at HK$8 million, an intense bidding war was sparked between at least eight bidders. The price climbed steadily in HK$1 - 3 million increments and saw no signs of slowing down. After 45 bids, the price reached HK$85 million, and the battle came down to a bidder in the saleroom versus the client represented by Jesica Lee, Director Asia, Private Client Group at Sotheby's. The 20-minute showdown eventually came to a close with the floor bidder with paddle number 8828 placing the victorious bid of HK$106 million. The room was filled with a round of applause before moving on to the next lot.

The huanhhuali folding horseshoe-back armchairs hammered at HK$106 million

The lot is won by the gentleman on the right After fees, the lot sold for a whopping HK$124 million (around US$15.8 million) to set the auction record for a Chinese chair – also the second most expensive Chinese classical furniture ever sold. The reshuffled top three auction record for Chinese classical furniture are as follows:

Massive huanghuali plank-top tedestal table, sold: RMB 115 million (around US$18 million) A pair of huanghuali phoenix motif cabinets, sold: RMB 98 million

Folding horseshoe-back armchairs, perhaps the most highly-sought after of all items of Ming (1368-1644) furniture, are among the most striking and most highly celebrated designs created by Chinese carpenters. Conceived to be folded for easy transport, these portable chairs could said to be an ancient ‘camping chair’. The horseshoe-back design, with its sweeping U-shaped crest rail, is easily adapted to collapsing. When folded, the front seat rail fits snugly within the curved supports of the arms – a complex construction more prone to damage than other pieces of furniture. Therefore, not many of them could withstand the test of time, making these armchairs such rare finds in the market nowadays. Less than thirty horseshow-backed folding chairs are known to exist from the Ming dynasty, largely preserved in prominent museums; and only a few remain in private hands, including the present one.

Illustration from Ming Dynasty In ancient Chinese history, folding horseshoe-back jiaoyi - or armchairs, were used by the imperial family and individuals from the upper-class. The Chinese phrase diyi ba jiaoyi, ‘the first taking the jiaoyi’, which is still in use, implies the highest-ranking person of an assembly who sits in a prominent position. The historical importance of jiaoyi can also be evidenced by their frequent appearance in paintings and prints from the Song (960-1279) to the Qing (1644-1911) periods, where some of them show servants carrying these folding chairs on their backs as they walk through the countryside. It was widely used both in formal and informal settings, sometimes even on the battlefields. The design reached its peak during the Ming dynasty, when carpenters were able to create the finest furniture from Huanghuali, a type of highly-prized rosewood known for the attractive grain, the rich hues that vary from reddish-brown to honey tones, as well as the natural, sweet scent.

Lot 9 | Qi Baishi | Flowers and Fruits, Ink and colour on paper, set of four, hanging scroll Created during 1864 - 1957 Each 283.8 x 54.2 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$18,000,000 - 30,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$66,000,000 Sold: HK$78,649,000 (around US$10 million)

Also elicited electrifying biddings was Qi Baishi's Flowers and Fruits. The bid started at HK$14 million. After two bids, the client represented by Carmen Ip, Head of Chinese Paintings Department, Sotheby's Hong Kong, had already placed an ambitious HK$45 million and surprised everyone in the room. The remaining bidders, however, continued undeterred and the price went up steadily in HK$1 increments – until Carmen Ip tried another spirited bid at HK$60 million. The main competitor left was the telephone bidder represented by Charlie Shen, Specialist, Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy.  In the end, it was Charlie's client with paddle number L0026 who brought the hammer down at HK66 million. After fees, the lot fetched HK$78.6 million (around US$10 million) to become the second most expensive work of the sale. The house's star auctioneer Henry Howard-Sneyd Charlie Shen (middle) won the lot for her client with paddle number L0026 Qi Baishi was quite prolific, but he produced very few multi-part works. The four-panel Flowers and Fruits is a colossal work spanning more than nine feet in height. According to publicly available materials, this is the largest extant multi-panel work by Qi Baishi. The four-scroll work depicts peaches, loquats and plantain lilies, pomegranates and plumed cockscombs and grapes. The peaches are scrumptious and large – myths have it that one can extend one’s life by a thousand years if the peaches are eaten. The loquats are perfectly round and wonderfully golden, symbolizing enormous wealth. Pomegranate seeds and grapes come in clusters, which imply a wish for abundant offspring. Finally, the plumed cockscombs and plantain lilies stand for advancement in career and growing wealth. The presentation of these symbolic flowers and fruit all together signify robust vitality and offer well-wishes for longevity, endless good fortune, and lasting family prosperity.

Lot 10 | Gilt Bronze Seated Figure of Avalokiteshvara, Acuoye Guanyin | Dali Kingdom Created during 11th to 12th century Height: 37.8 cm | Overall: 41.9 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$15,000,000 – 20,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$40,000,000 Sold: HK$48,775,000 (around US$6.2 million)  

The third most priciest lot of the sale belonged to this gilt bronze seated figure of Avalokiteshvara. The bidding started at HK$8 million and over 30 bids propelled the hammer price to HK$40 million, placed by the telephone bidder with paddle number L0085 represented by Jesica Lee. After fees, it fetched HK$48.7 million (around US$6.2 million). This present figure comes from the collection of Nitta Muneichi (1912-2006), who was born in Taipei as Peng Kai-dong. He later left for Japan as an adolescent and took on a Japanese name. He became a successful businessman with a company covering a wide range of different industries – such as retailing, jewellery, restaurants, galleries, and property management. After World War Two, he opened an antique shop in Tokyo and he began collecting Buddhist bronzes in 1950, which eventually became his main collecting interest.

A legendary art collector, Nitta donated many Buddhist artworks to prestigious museums – such as the National Palace Museum, Taipei; Tokyo National Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. On top of that, he had even ‘beaten’ The Louvre as well as the British Museum in auctions.

Shakyamuni Buddha, gilt bronze (477 CE) | Height: 40.3 cm | National Palace Museum, Taipei

Gilt bronze Buddhist figures such as the present Avalokiteshvara sculpture hold a unique place in the development of Chinese Buddhist sculptures. They are remarkable due to their distinctive style, grace, serenity and their sheer size. Acuoye bodhisattvas – such as this present one – are mostly depicted as standing figures. A seated sculpture, however, is rare and the present Guanyin appeals with its gentle, feminine facial features. Oeuvres of this type can be attributed to southwestern China, today’s Yunnan province – a region that was ruled under the Nanzhao (750-902) and later Dali (937-1253) kingdoms. During the 9th century CE, Buddhism was established as state religion and the religion was facing multiple challenges to flourish in China’s heartland in the next few centuries. As found in this sculpture, Yunnanese gilt-bronze bodhisattva figures are distinctive through their physical characteristics of a slender built with prominent shoulders, hands held in gestures of teaching (vitarka mudra) and wish-granting (varada mudra). Alongside these depictions, they are also adorned with bejewelled necklace, armlets and single bracelet, simple dhoti, and high coiffure with an Amitabha Buddha figure in front, which identifies them as representations of Avalokiteshvara. This style appears to have been developed at least by the 10th century.

Lot 6 | Blue and White ‘Fish’ Jar, Guan Created during Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) Width: 35.3 cm Provenance (Amended by The Value):

Estimate: HK$20,000,000 – 25,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$32,500,000 Sold: HK$39,700,000

Lot 1 | Bronze Male Chimera, Bixie Created during Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) Length: 27 cm | Height: 18 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$6,000,000 – 8,000,000  Hammer Price: HK$29,000,000 Sold: HK$35,465,000

Lot 24 | Qi Baishi | Bodhidharma Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree, Ink and colour on paper, framed 136 x 45 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$3,500,000 – 5,000,000  Hammer Price: HK$25,000,000 Sold: HK$30,625,000

Lot 13 | Moulded Blue and White Barbed ‘Fish’ Charger Created during Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) Diameter: 47.8 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$30,000,000 – 50,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$15,000,000 Sold: HK$18,525,000

Lot 17 | A jade animal-shaped plaque Created during late Eastern Zhou - Western Han dynasty, 3rd - 2nd century BC 14.8 x 6.9 x 0.5 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$800,000 – 1,200,000 Hammer Price: HK$13,000,000 Sold: HK$16,105,000

Lot 12 | Junyao Purple and Blue Glazed Tripod Narcissus Bowl Created during early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) Width: 20.7 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$4,000,000 – 6,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$12,000,000 Sold: HK$14,895,000

Lot 14 | Huanghuali Painting Table   Created during the Kangxi period (1661-1722) 171 x 89.5 x 86.5 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$6,000,000 – 8,000,000 Hammer Price: HK$8,000,000 Sold: HK$10,055,000

Lot 15 | A bronze figure standing on a crouching beast Created during Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period Height: 22.8 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$500,000 – 700,000 Hammer Price: HK$7,000,000 Sold: HK$8,820,000 Lot 2 | Anonymous | Melon and Grasses, Ink and colour on paper, one album leaf, framed Created during Ming Dynasty, 16th dynasty, China 27 x 28.5 cm Provenance:

Estimate: HK$300,000 – 500,000 Hammer Price: HK$4,100,000 Sold: HK$5,166,000

Auction House: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sale: Hotung | The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung: Part 1 | Evening Date and Time: 8 October 2022 | 7:30pm (Hong Kong local time) Number of lots: 28 Sold: 26 Unsold: 2 Sale Rate: 93% Sale Total: HK$469,226,800 (around US$59.8 million)