Christie's Hong Kong makes history in Asia

时间：2006-12-04 01:01:16

（单词翻译:单击）

Dec. 2 - Christie’s Hong Kong set a new milestone1 for auction2 history in Asia with the Asian Art, Jewellery and Watches Autumn Auctions3 held from 26 to 30 November achieving a staggering sale total of over HK$1.64 billion/ US$210 million, with a 61% market share. This is the highest total ever achieved in a sales season in Asia, and numerous world auction records were established over the five-day auction series.

 

There was highly competitive bidding throughout the sales in all categories in a packed saleroom at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Buyers from around the world competed vigorously in the saleroom and on the telephone for the exceptional pieces offered, driving the prices of many lots far above pre-sale estimates.

 

Edward Dolman, Chief Executive Officer of Christie's International, said: “Another record-breaking series of sales at Christie's Hong Kong showed the growing strength in Asia of the demand for works of art of the highest quality. The historic sales saw world auction record prices for any work of art in Asia and an Asian oil painting and a contemporary Chinese painting. The sales of 20th Century Chinese Art and Asian Contemporary Art were the highest ever anywhere in the world. The sales total of over HK$1.64 billion (US$210 million) was also the highest total achieved in a sales season in Asia. I am delighted that Christie's continue to be the market leader in Asia and we look forward to investing further in the region to build on this success.”

 

The Asian art sales achieved an overall total of HK$1.27 billion/ US$163 million, a 50% increase on the Spring season and 60% on the same season in 2005. This also sets a record total for any series of Asian art auctions held anywhere in the world.

 

In the sale of Jade4 Shears5 and Shimmering6 Feathers - Imperial Chinese Ceramics7 from the Robert Chang Collection, a highly important Imperial famille rose “swallows” bowl of the Qianlong period (1736-1795) sold to Dr. Alice Cheng for an astonishing US$19,671,600. This is the highest price ever achieved for a work of art at auction in Asia, as well as a new world auction record for Qing porcelain8. The finely potted bowl is enamelled to the exterior9 in two shades of pink, yellow, green brown and black with graceful10 swallows in flight beside a flowering apricot tree. It is the only existing example in private hands; its pair is in the Percival David Foundation in London.

 

The star lot of the sale of Important Chinese Jades11 from the Personal Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, an extremely rare Imperial white jade libation cup of the Qianlong period, fetched US$1,471,600, a world auction record for a white jade cup. The exterior is intricately carved and depicts12 a landscape scene from Suzhou. It is a breathtaking virtuoso13 masterpiece exemplifying the highest level of artistry achieved by Imperial lapidaries14 of the 18th Century.

 

These two sales, together with the Important Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art auction, realized a total of US$70,297,915, the highest total ever achieved at Christie’s worldwide in this sale category.

 

The 20th Century Chinese Art sale and the Asian Contemporary Art sale realized a combined total of HK$522,912,000/ US$67,978,560, the highest total ever achieved anywhere in the world for both categories. Taking centre-stage was Slave and Lion by Xu Beihong (1895-1953) that sold for HK$53,880,000(US$7,004,400) after furious bidding, smashing the world auction record for any Asian oil painting and for the artist. A rare work, Slave and Lion dates from the artist's stay in Berlin in the early 1920s. It exceptionally demonstrates Xu's grasp of historical subjects and Western literary references, offering a new perspective on the development of the modern Chinese art.

 

Christie’s Hong Kong achieved a grand total of over HK$2.84 billion (US$364 million) for its 2006 Spring and Autumn auctions, the highest annual sales total set by any auction house in Asia.

 
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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 milestone c78zM     
n.里程碑；划时代的事件
参考例句：
  • The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
  • I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。
2 auction 3uVzy     
n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖
参考例句：
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。
3 auctions 1c44b3008dd1a89803d9b2f2bd58e57a     
n.拍卖，拍卖方式( auction的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • They picked up most of the furniture at auctions in country towns. 他们大部分的家具都是在乡村镇上的拍卖处买的。 来自辞典例句
  • Our dealers didn't want these cars, so we had to dump them at auctions. 我们的承销商都不要这些车子，因此我们只好贱价拍卖。 来自辞典例句
4 jade i3Pxo     
n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠
参考例句：
  • The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
  • He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。
5 shears Di7zh6     
n.大剪刀
参考例句：
  • These garden shears are lightweight and easy to use.这些园丁剪刀又轻又好用。
  • With a few quick snips of the shears he pruned the bush.他用大剪刀几下子就把灌木给修剪好了。
6 shimmering 0a3bf9e89a4f6639d4583ea76519339e     
v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • The sea was shimmering in the sunlight. 阳光下海水波光闪烁。
  • The colours are delicate and shimmering. 这些颜色柔和且闪烁微光。 来自辞典例句
7 ceramics 0a6d841bb40f677207869b9f856b3b21     
n.制陶业；陶器
参考例句：
  • an exhibition of ceramics by Picasso 毕加索陶瓷作品展
  • The ceramics bore the imprint of Luca della Robbia. 陶器上印有卢卡·德拉·罗比亚的字样。
8 porcelain USvz9     
n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的
参考例句：
  • These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。
  • The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。
9 exterior LlYyr     
adj.外部的，外在的；表面的
参考例句：
  • The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
  • We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。
10 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
11 jades f37846d25982d95f7b8a0d17bd12249a     
n.玉，翡翠（jade的复数形式）v.（使）疲（jade的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
  • Nephrite is one of China's most five famous jades. 和田玉是中国五大名玉之一。 来自互联网
  • Raman spectroscopy is applied to the identification of jades. 本文提出玉石品种鉴定的新方法———激光拉曼光谱法。 来自互联网
12 depicts fd8ee09c0b2264bb6b44abf7282d37f6     
描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述
参考例句：
  • The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
  • He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
13 virtuoso VL6zK     
n.精于某种艺术或乐器的专家，行家里手
参考例句：
  • He was gaining a reputation as a remarkable virtuoso.作为一位技艺非凡的大师，他声誉日隆。
  • His father was a virtuoso horn player who belonged to the court orchestra.他的父亲是宫廷乐队中一个技巧精湛的圆号演奏家。
14 lapidaries de3e1b8a80bc545d679cf713b7b072f6     
n.宝石匠，玉石雕刻师( lapidary的名词复数 )
参考例句：

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