Mossgreen auction in house in Melbourne got cleaned out by Chinese collectors earlier this month showing, once again, the appetite for Chinese works of art coming out of mainland China:
Their enthusiasm for Chinese art prompted some spectacular results, with 96 per cent of Asian art lots sold and some high prices achieved – defying the general trend of the Australian art auction market which this year has remained flat in comparison to the thriving overseas market.
One Chinese collector, and private museum builder, bought 150 lots at Mossgreen and set some of the auction’s top prices for Asian art.
His purchases included a carved ivory vase and cover from the Qing dynasty, for which he paid $103,700 (including buyer’s fees), almost 3½ times its high estimate of $30,000. The same buyer also pushed the cost of a pair of a large ivory covered Qing dynasty vases to $79,300 (including buyer’s fees), three times their high estimate of $25,000.
Another Chinese collector bought a rare and tiny Kangxi period carved rhinoceros horn libation cup for $91,500 (including buyer’s fees), paying nine times its high estimate of $10,000.
Fine result for auction house on back of Asian art market boom (The Age)
