We look at some of the best lots from a Bonhams auction of Asian art
Bonhams’ Fine Japanese Art and Fine Chinese Art auctions were held at the London salerooms in May. Each auction included a range of fine art, such as netsuke carvings, silk screen prints, ceramics, textiles and bronzes. Here we take a closer look at some of the furniture that went under the hammer.
A lacquered wood, ivory and inlaid Shibayama four-panel folding screen made in the late 19th/early 20th century during the Meiji era (1868–1912). It is boldly decorated on each panel with a figure, depicting respectively a Chinese dignitary holding a tama (wish-granting jewel), a seated warrior with a statue of a goddess, another warrior reading a scroll and a standing archer, each applied in high relief and inlaid in typical Shibayama style. The hardwood frame is pierced and carved with various species of birds and flowers along the top and spring and summer flowers along the bottom. The reverse is lacquered and decorated with a bird flying among foliage
A black-lacquer bundai (writing desk) made in the early 20th century during either the Meiji (1868–1912) or Taisho (1912–26) era. The bundai is of standard form with fudegaeshi (raised sections to left and right), decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, togidashi maki-e and e-nashiji with a moonlit scene of windswept bush clover growing along the banks of a winding stream, possibly alluding to Noji no Tamagawa (the Jewel River in Noji) in Omi Province. One of the sides is mounted with fittings of gilt copper
Top: a black-lacquer bundai (writing desk) made in the 19th century during the Edo period (1615–1868). The roiro ground is decorated in gold hiramaki-e and e-nashiji with omodaka (three-leaf arrowheads) on a shallow meandering stream. The whole desk is raised on two straight-sided feet with scalloped inner edges, and the sides are applied with brass metal mounts
£1500
Bottom: a black-lacquer katana-kake (sword stand) made by Umezawa Ryushin (1874–1953), in ca 1900–20 during the Meiji (1868–1912) or Taisho (1912–26) era. The lower storage section has a removable door and supports a rack for two swords. The stand is entirely covered in black roiro lacquer and is decorated with large scattered butterflies in gold, silver and coloured takamaki-e, tetsusabi-nuri and other textures, including shell and coral
£308,750
A fine hongmu ‘dragon’ throne made during the Qing Dynasty. The wide seat is of generous proportions and is framed by an ornately openwork carved three-stepped throne-back extending down towards the armrests. It is set on a bulging apron and four cabriole legs terminating with dragon-clawed feet. The panels are finely carved with writhing dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls amidst whirling clouds. The wood has a dark-chocolate tone
£37,500
A 17th- or 18th-century huanghuali throne-shaped mirror stand. The back is in three sections, high in the centre flanked by two lower curving panels, each with extending protruding crest rails terminating in carved scroll leaf shapes, enclosing openwork panels with birds amidst a floral meander of leafy blossoms. There are railings on the sides and front, the centre is left open. The platform is set with six drawers, carved on the front with floral scrolls
Huanghuali
‘Huanghuali’ means ‘yellow flowering pear wood’. It is a member of the rosewood family and its botanical name is Dalbergia odorifera. Its colour ranges from reddish-brown to golden-yellow, antique pieces made from this wood have generally mellowed to a yellowish tone. It is characterised by a shimmering surface, figured patterns and a sweet fragrance.
A rare huanghuali horseshoe back armchair, made in the 16th or 17th century. The elegantly curving crestrail is set on two straight back posts and S-shaped front and side posts. There is a shaped spandrel beneath each out-scrolled and rounded terminal, with a curved rectangular back splat. The posts are of circular section continuing through the matte seat frame forming the square-section legs secured by hump-back aprons and four stretchers. The wood has a warm honey-brown tone
A two-part huanghuali campaign desk. The top section has a drop-down desk front with a felt writing pad over two drawers. The interior of the desk has five deep drawers made of softwood and one locking compartment framed with an ivory border. The lower section has two wide drawers with ivory borders and a softwood interior, flanked by two pairs of lifting handles
A huanghuali stool made during the mid-Qing Dynasty. The seat has a rectangular form with a woven bamboo seat added later. It is framed by mitred sections each softened away at the corners to reveal a curved triangular corner section. The top panel is supported on curved S-frame brackets and supported on four straight legs similarly joined to the bottom struts and raised on four low bracket feet