Major Collections Highlight Our Spring 2016 Asian Art Auction

Asian Art Spring 2016 Auction

It has been another busy season for Waddington’s Asian Art department, and we are delighted to present our spring auction offerings for your consideration. The catalogue includes some exceptional pieces from notable private collections, and from exciting new consignors.

We are very privileged to include the Collection of Harold Gordon Groves (lots 85-120), which is an outstanding example of one’s lifelong dedication to passionate collecting.

Another important private collection, acquired mainly from Sotheby’s and Christie’s, London, during the 1970s through to the 1990s (lots 243-273), also features some exceptional artifacts – from jade to textiles.

We are also offering rare, museum grade Japanese prints. These include Hiroshige’s In the Grounds of the Tenjin Shrine at Kameido (lot 12) and Shiko Munakata’s Hawk Woman (lot 26). With more than 350 extraordinary lots, it is always challenging to select the covers.

We are proud to present a massive 18th/19th century blue and white Ming-style dish (lot 180) as the front cover of our spring catalogue. The Ming dynasty “heaped and piled” decoration of cobalt blue has been considered the zenith of porcelain firing, and we are privileged to be entrusted with this fine example from a renowned Vancouver collection.

The back cover is a very rare album of a bodhi leaf sutra (lot 343). Originally purchased in from the prestigious London dealer J. Nachemsohn in 1929, this piece was passed by descent and is in excellent condition.

We are also honoured to be entrusted with several exceptional pieces from the Collection of Robert Stephenson (lots 49-56), including his prized massive Thai bronze Buddha (lot 54). This finely cast piece has great presence, and we rarely see such pieces outside of a museum collection.

Finally, we are very pleased to be featuring select scrolls from an American painting collection (lots 195-203). A decorated naval commander, James C. Taylor was stationed in Asia for much of his career, and he became captivated by Chinese scroll paintings. His collection was passed by descent to his grandson, Robert U. Taylor, who has also become a fervent collector.

We have strived to cultivate a diverse catalogue this season, while always maintaining our rigorous standards for quality and rarity. It has been a privilege assembling this auction, and a true pleasure to work with numerous fine examples of Asian culture from our valued clients.

Our heartfelt thanks to all our consignors, buyers and consultants for your continued support.

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