FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Josh Chait
310.285.0182
josh@chait.com

Grand turn-out for I.M. Chait Gallery’s July 11th International Fine Arts Auction!

View Sale

Lot 228

BEVERLY HILLS, CA. July 11, 2004 - Private collectors, museum representatives, and curious on-lookers from around the world flocked to The I.M. Chait Gallery’s International Fine Arts auction held this last Sunday in Beverly Hills.

One of the highlights of the auction was the beautiful portrait by Russian artist Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (1839-1915). The painting, which depicts a lady with finely detailed features set against a classical drape sold for $11,162 to Los Angeles businessman Sam Tubis.

From the Ming Dynasty, an era that yielded beautiful porcelains and cloisonné, the Gallery offered a beautifully-appointed, 15th century blue and white porcelain bowl. This exquisite item sold for $26,437.

Rare and valuable objects such as porcelain wares and carvings from Southeast Asia, a number of them dating back centuries, were also sold at the auction.

The auction featured two tall Chinese carved ivory tusks in the form of Guanyin, each seated on a phoenix: one with a flute, one with a lute, with tiers of attendants arranged in the underside of the reticulated features. Guanyin is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and is one of the most highly revered figures in the Chinese Buddhist faith tradition. These fine ivories sold for $5,287.

A large antique Japanese Satsuma group of a laughing Hotei with three children sold for $5,581.

A well-crafted Chinese rhinoceros horn carving with birds and frogs amid openwork pronus branches, on matching wood stand also went up for auction. The Chinese believed that rhinoceros horns to possess magical properties, in particular enhancing male virility and sexual prowess. The horn sold for $1,762.50.

A beautifully carved Chinese openwork jadeite boulder of lavender and apple green suffusions sold for $4,112.50.

A Chinese carved pure white jade footed vase of flattened hexagonal form, animal head terminal handles with loose rings, loose chain, hanging bat pendant, on wood stands, was sold for $4,993.

For more information about the July 11th International Fine Arts auction, or to make inquiries on future auctions, please call 310 285 0182, or visit us on the web at www.chait.com. The I.M. Chait Gallery is located at 9330 Civic Center Drive, in Beverly Hills.