On June 27, Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction closed with a gross turnover of 920 million RMB and a total sale rate of 88.52%. The auction lasted for three days, during which over 4,000 lots were on bid in 32 sales.
Generally, we keep our traditional advantages in categories of Chinese painting & calligraphy, important manuscripts, seals and ink stones, etc. and present new sales highlighting the elegance and inheritance of art. Many lots perform beyond expectation and selected art works sold at extraordinarily high prices break the records over and over again. With domestic and international collectors participating with great enthusiasm, 90% of the lots are successfully sold. Among those, sales of Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy by Top Members of Xiling Yinshe, Pure Soul: Master Hong Yi’s Calligraphy Works and Rise of Modern Chinese Painting: China’s First Sale of Painting Sketches are traded by 100%, giving us another night of White Gloves. Since 2004, Xiling Auction has presented 15 brand-new sales in China’s market and harvested supports from the market with an exceptional sense of innovation.
Quotes from the GM Lu Jingqing:
Xiling Auction advocates the philosophy of interpreting art and life. By innovating management principle, developing new art categories, promoting academic research and engaging in cultural communication and charity activities, we have developed both the cultural and creative industries and other related industries to auction, enriching the one-hundred-year brand of Xiling Yinshe. Through collecting art works from home and abroad and extending exchanges of art and culture, we will continue to make our contribution to reviving traditional Chinese culture, present a new image of China and improve the quality of people’s life.
I. Zhang Chonghe and Kunqu opera highlighted in the Spring Auction
This sale lasted 4 hours from 11:00 pm, June 25 to 3:00 am of the next day. Among more than 200 lots, many were bid over tenfold the estimates, with a total sale rate of 98% and a turnover of 2.755 million RMB.
The Ink Sticks of Qianlong Period, Qing Dynasty collected by Zhang Chonghe and provided by Yang Zhensheng, starting at 18,000 RMB, was responded by about ten bidders. When the price reached 500,000 RMB, there were still two bidders in pursuit of the lot. Finally the deal was closed at 690,000 RMB, almost forty times the estimates.
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Xiling
Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Qing Dynasty Ink Sticks of Qianlong Period
Sale Price: 690,000 RMB
The Autograph Manuscript of Gongche Notation of the Palace of Eternal Life by Zhang Chonghe started with 280,000 RMB and was closed at 598,000 RMB after competitive biddings. An Entertaining Shoushan Stone ‘Bamboo’ Seal by Zhao Mu, Ms. Zhang’s most frequently used seal, started bidding at 30,000 RMB and was closed at 483,000 RMB. The Kunqu Opera Costume designed and used by Ms. Zhang was clinched at 126,500 RMB, with its start price of 10,000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionZhao Muan A Entertaining Shoushan Stone ‘Bamboo’ Seal
Sale Price: 483,000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionZhang Chonghe Kunqu Opera Costume
Sale Price: 126,500 RMB
II. Three Sales Witnessed the Night of White Glove again
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Li Keran The First Sketch of Shaoshan Mountain
Sale Price: 713, 000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionLiu Haisu Fishing among Rivers
Sale Price: 713, 000 RMB
The second sale achieving full deal rate is Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy by Top Members of Xiling Yinshe with a total turnover close to 100 million RMB. The Landscape of Xiling by Huang Binhong, as one of Huang’s masterpieces completed in his late years, showed viewers grand scenery in South China with the magnificent strokes of north school. This lot started at 6,000,000 RMB, and finally was clinched at 13,800,000 RMB after rounds of fierce bidding.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionHuang Binhong Landscape of Xiling
Sale Price: 13,800,000 RMB
Pure Soul: Master Hong Yi’s Calligraphy Works is the third sale contributing to the White Glove Night. 12 exquisite items, varied from letters, scrolls, couplets and inscriptions, reached a gross turnover of 14.5 million RMB and a deal rate of 100%. Amidst all the twelve, Amitabha in Seal Script by Master Hong Yi, a Buddhist Sutra that Master Hong Yi presented to his bosom friend Wang Mengsong, is extremely rare. This work, published on Huangshan Daily in 1990, was finally clinched at 3,100,000 RMB in the auction.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionMaster Hong Yi Amitabha in Seal Script
Sale Price: 3,105,000 RMB
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Xiling
Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Master Hong Yi Calligraphy in Running Script
Sale Price: 2,415,000 RMB
III. Classical Paintings and Calligraphy Kept Strong, and the Modern and Contemporary Were Traded by Over 90%
The Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction keeps its high quality as always. The sale of Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy reached a total turnover of 173,000,000 RMB and a deal rate of 88%. Five-character Poem in Running Script by Wang Duo was clinched at 4,600,000 RMB. The lot of Five-character Couplet in Regular Script by Zhao Zhiqian, which is dedicated to the famous poet Zhang Mingke, started at 1,200,000 RMB and was closed at 4,255,000 RMB, multiplied the estimate.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Wang Duo Five-character Poem in Running Script
Sale Price: 4,600,000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionZhao Zhiqian Five-character Couplet in Regular Script
Sale Price: 4,255,000 RMB
Wild Weeds in the Wind by Shi Xuechuang was sold at 7,015,000 RMB. Dong Qichang’s work Scholar’s Secluded Life inscribed by Wu Hufan ended its bidding at 6,900,000 RMB. Flowers in Four Seasons by Zhao Zhiqian began bidding at 5,000,000 RMB and was closed at 9,430,000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionShi Xuechuang Wild Weeds in the Wind
Sale Price: 7,015,000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionDong Qichang Scholar’s Secluded Life
Sale Price: 6,900,000 RMB
Modern and Contemporary Paintings & Calligraphy sale becomes the pursuit of bidders as the lots had been collected by famous artists with provenances, thus over 90% were traded. White Monkey Offering Peach by Qi Baishi, published for many times, was finally clinched at 5,750,000 RMB. Appreciating Waterfall by Zhang Daqian is one of his mid-age master pieces, clinched at 5,750,000 RMB as well.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionQi Baishi White Monkey Offering Peach
Sale Price: 5,750,000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionZhang Daqian Appreciating Waterfall
Sale Price: 5,750,000 RMB
Xu Beihong’s A Horse previously collected by the military governor of Jiangxi Province, Li Liejun, was sold at 5,405,000 RMB. Xie Zhiliu’s Pheasants by Green Bamboo, one of the masterpieces to extend his good wish and previously collected by Qian Zhenhuang’s grandson Qian Muzhi, started at 500,000 RMB and deserved the honor by the sale price of 3,450,000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionXu Beihong A Horse
Sale Price: 5,405,000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionXie Zhiliu Pheasants by Green Bamboo
Sale Price: 3,450, 000 RMB
In the sale of Xiling Yinshe’s First Sale of Literati’s Horizontal Inscribed Boards, there are 100 literati’s horizontal inscribed boards, ending up with a total turnover of 30,850,000 RMB and a sale rate of 95%. The board Shi Qing Feng Ming Yue Zhi Lu made by Deng Shiru started at a price of 6 million RMB and was closed at 15,525, 000 RMB after the buyers both on site and telephone raced the bids for as long as 20 minutes. This board successfully hit the record as one of Deng’s calligraphy works, a truly greatest work of its kind.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionDeng Shiru Calligraphy
Sale Price: 15, 525, 000 RMB
IV. The sale of Important Chinese and International Manuscripts hit the record again and the Rare and Fine Ancient Books continued being welcomed by the market.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionLudwig Von Beethoven Autograph Letter Signed on Interpretation of Human Nature and Music Composition
Sale Price: 3,247,500 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionKang Sheng Calligraphy Dedicated to Luo Ping
Sale Price: 1,265,000 RMB
Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction presented two sales: Fine Ink Rubbings and Fine and Rare Ancient Books, involving 255 lots with an average sale rate of 82.65% and a turnover of 21,895,000 RMB. The lots imbued with literati’s elegant taste and academic value continue to be favored by the market. For instance, the rubbings of the wares and inscriptions collected by Wu Dacheng and Chen Jieqi were 100% sold in the sale of Fine Ink Rubbings. The Rubbings of Jade Articles, Coins and Tiles collected by Wu Dacheng even took the first place with a sale price of 2, 185, 000 RMB. In the sale of coin rubbings, the Collection of Coin Impressions which was issued every time when a member of Shou Quan Hui Society celebrated his birthday started the biddings at the price of 80, 000 RMB but did not stop until 575, 000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring AuctionWu Dacheng Collection of Coin Impressions
Sale Price: 2, 185, 000 RMB
In the section of seal impressions at the Fine and Rare Ancient Books, the Seal Impressions of Baoyanzhai Studio inscribed by Pang Shilong started at 50, 000 RMB and was realized at 345, 000 RMB; a book called Mei Jing Shu Wu Yin Xuan collected by Wu Hufan experienced a fierce competition from the price 50, 000 RMB to 184, 000 RMB for the book was printed only in ten copies. In the section of manuscripts and literatures about Zhejiang, Jiang Xueyong’s manuscript of Yin Zhi Gao, one of the most important literatures about Zhejiang that have ever appeared on the auction in recent years, was finally clinched at a price of 1, 035, 000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Jiang Xueyong Yin Zhi Gao
Sale Price: 1, 035, 000 RMB
V. Success of all categories by market-oriented operation and strategies
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Early Qing Dyansty A Square Tianhuang Stone Seal Engraved by Shang Jun
Sale Price: 2, 472, 500 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
A Shoushan ‘Furong’ Stone ‘Elephant’ Seal Engraved by Wu Changshuo
Sale Price: 897, 000 RMB
Besides, in the sale of Study Series-Fine Inkstones and Ink Sticks, a Duan inkstone inscribed by Zhang Yuanbian and collected by Song Ping started at 220, 000 RMB and was realized at 713, 000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Ming Dynasty A Duan Inkstone Inscribed by Zhang Yuanbian and Collected by Song Ping
Sale Price: 713, 000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Yuan Dynasty A Copper-red Mallet-shaped Vase with Peacock and Peony Patterns
Sale Price: 3, 852, 500 RMB
Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Collections of Jingxiutang Studio
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Early Qing Dynasty A ‘Pomegranate’ Flower Holder Made by Chen Mingyuan
Sale Price: 862, 500 RMB
The lot of Purple Clay ‘Drum’ Teapot with ‘Zhong Yu Xian Guan’, ‘Peng Nian’ and ‘Man Sheng’ Marks of mid-Qing Dynasty was marked with a starting price of 450, 000 RMB but soon overtaken by a collector’s bid of 1, 500, 000 RMB and it was sold at 2, 587, 500 RMB. Shunzhi Period, Qing Dynasty-A Circular Purple Clay Teapot with ‘Da Bin’ Mark of Shunzhi Period, Qing Dynasty even clinched a deal at 5, 865, 000 RMB from 190, 000 RMB, 25 times higher than the estimate. This auction also sets its foot in the Pu’er tea for the purpose of inheriting and developing our tea culture. Lots at high prices and sale rates also came in succession.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Shunzhi Period, Qing Dynasty A Circular Purple Clay Teapot with ‘Da Bin’ Mark
Sale Price: 5, 865, 000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Pang Ran A Set of Dark Jade Plaques
Sale Price: 977, 500 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Yuan Dynasty A Pair of Marble Lions
Sale Price: 9, 315, 000 RMB
The sale of Modern and Contemporary Chinese Oil Paintings is finished with a sale rate close to 90%. A Sha Qi’s masterpiece – ‘Naked Woman before a White Horse’, the largest one for auction up to now, was drawn on the door on the 2nd floor of the artist’s former home. It is the only one of eleven mural series that has been left in the mainland China and it created a historical record at the sale price of 4, 485, 000 RMB.
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
Sha Qi Naked Woman before a White Horse
Sale Price: 4, 485, 000 RMB
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Xiling Yinshe 2016 Spring Auction
A Set of Comic Strip Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Sale Price: 414, 000 RMB