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I.M. CHAIT’S APRIL AUCTION OF INTERNATIONAL AND ASIAN ARTS SEES STRONG INTEREST IN PORCELAINS

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Lot 196 sold for $36,000

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - I.M. Chait’s first sale after their impressive New York City debut posted earnings of more than a half-a-million dollars, proof once again of Chait’s credibility with Asian arts connoisseurs. The Sunday, April 29 sale in Beverly Hills was peppered with Western goods from several estates, giving it an international aspect and decidedly broader appeal than usual.

It was a day of surprises and the first came immediately, when Lot 1, a dramatic carved tiger netsuke more than doubled its estimate and went off at $3,600, including buyer’s premium. The desirability story was repeated several more times as auctioneer Isadore Chait moved through the collection of twenty-five netsukes, carved miniatures and okimono.

Lot 1 sold for $3,600

Chinese porcelains, however, were the day’s stand-outs. Lot 196 (pictured top), an Imperial Quialong blue and white ewer with sweeping handle and spout, featuring a writhing dragon amid clouds on a peach shaped panel, commanded the day’s high of $36,000. Lot 191, a beautiful Yuan blue and white hexagonal “Yuhuchunping” vase portraying a warrior and official amid foliage and rockery, and mounted with an Islamic-style incised silver rim and chain-attached cover, followed at $21,600. Lot 195, the massive famille noire palace vase featured on the catalog cover and painted with two phoenixes amid large blossoms and flowering branches laden with numerous small birds made $18,000. Topping the list of small porcelains, Lot 192, a pair of Ca. 1700 Kangxi blue and white dishes portraying “Three Friends” of pine, bamboo and hawthorn and bearing the Chenghua mark fetched $9,600.

Lot 195 sold for $18,000

The next big surprise came when Lot 213, an antique Chinese ink-on-silk scroll of bearded immortals, jumped its high estimate of $2,000 to close at $11,400. It’s closest competitor, Lot 215, a large Chinese ink-and-colors-on-silk painting of an elaborately dressed Buddha in a cave surpassed its estimate at $4,440.

Lot 213 sold for $11,400

Among the statuary, Lot 200, a rare set of fifteen well carved Chinese Song Dynasty sandstone figures representing the Eighteen Lohan, each engaged in activity, commanded $13,200. A few minutes later, Lot 201, a large Chinese ivory Emperor and Empress, each seated on a throne with a backdrop of openwork carved screens, went off at $7,800.

Lot 200 sold for $13,200

Lot 203, a carved ivory fossil tusk portraying hippos coming out of the water sold for $9,000. Lot 206, a carved fossil ivory group of horses went for $8,400. Lot 208, an ivory eagle perched on a wood tree trunk, with wings outstretched saw $6,000.

Lot 203 sold for $9,000

Lot 266, an ivory okimono of acrobats deftly rendered to show a girl balancing on a stick on a man’s shoulder found its price at $6,000. Lot 270, a tall ivory Guanyin wearing a Buddha headdress and standing on a lotus leaf more than doubled its expected high to fetch $5,100. Lot 269, a carved female figure in very elaborate clothing with inset coral and hardstone ‘jewels’ also more than doubled its high estimate to bring $4200.

Lot 266 sold for $6,000

In the sword category, Lot 220, the Japanese Meiji Period samurai dagger by Gassan Sadakazu, in a storage scabbard, commanded $4,800. Lot 224, a Yasukuni Shrine Sword with stone textured hilt, made by the last shrine smith Kotani Yasunori (1909 -2003), and its scabbard made $3,600. Lot 223, a Bungo Takeda School long sword in a fine wooden scabbard brought $3,300.

Lot 220 sold for $4,800

When the much-awaited paintings by post-Impressionist painter Pierre Sicard (French 1900-1980) came to the floor, bidders played it close to the vest. As a result, several realized excellent values. Lot 300, ”Queen of the Desert,” shown in 1954 at an exhibit at the Ambassador Hotel, brought $3,000. Lot 299, “Yellow Acacia and Bel Air,” from the same exhibition, commanded $1600.

Lot 300 sold for $3,000

As the auction wound down exotic items from Western cultures sustained buyer interest. Lot 328, an antique Russian enamel Easter egg with a Madonna and child interior captured a collector’s fancy at $5,100. Lot 334, a sapphire and diamond butterfly brooch sparkled at $6,000 while Lot 335, a jadeite and diamond ladies ring seemed a bargain at $3,000. Lot 337, a jadeite Guanyin pendant set with diamond baguettes brought $3,600.

Lot 328 sold for $3,000

Finally, several unusual items – each as different as the cultures they represented – closed the sale on a high note. Lot 198, a pair of Tang Dynasty pottery female polo players caught in mid-jump brought $7,200. Lot 381, a Carved Tibetan Human skull commanded $6,000. Meanwhile, Lot 339, a Zuni pottery jug of bottle form, slip painted with geometric forms and birds, showed its strength in an unusual display of animated bidding. Exceeding the catalog’s conservative $1200 estimate, the jug soared to $7,800.

Lot 381 sold for $6,000

I.M. Chait Gallery/Auctioneers is scheduled to hold their next Asian and International Fine Art sale on July 22, 2007. I.M. Chait Gallery/Auctioneers is located at 9330 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, California, 90210. For more information on this auction, future sales, consignments or to order a catalogue, please call (310) 285-0182, toll free (800) 775-5020 or email us.