Asian Art Highlights at Dallas Auction Gallery

On September 25th, Dallas Auction Gallery (DAG) in Dallas, Texas will be featuring their Fine & Decorative Art Auction. This auction contains over 365 lots of American and European paintings and decorative art.

Included in the DAG sale are 131 lots of important Asian art from China and the Himalayan regionswith major highlights in the categories of Buddhist sculptures and Chinese jade carvings, porcelain, furniture and paintings. 

Lot 212, Important large Chinese Ming Tibetan gilt bronze; Estimate $120,000-$150,000

The feature lot 212, is a large Chinese-Tibetan gilt bronze seated figure of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. With a height of 13 ¾ inches high, this large Buddhist sculpture is listed as dating to the 16th/17th Century.

The attractive Buddha is seated on a double lotus pedestal with a serene expression and downcast eyes - he is in deep contemplation. His left hand is in the gesture of meditation while the right hand points down to the earth as a witness to his enlightenment.

Buddhist bronzes seldom appear in this large size, making this example fairly rare. In addition, the figure wears ‘patchwork’ monastic robes, as opposed to the typical cloth attire. This detail symbolizes the historical Buddha’s commitment to a life of poverty to achieve his enlightenment. This impressive example of Buddhist sculpture carries an estimate of $120,000-$150,000.

Lot 267, Chinese Qing Qianlong Imperial carved white jade; Estimate $50,000-$60,000

Another highlight at DAG is lot 267, Chinese Carved White Jade Elephant. Estimated at $50,000-$60,000, this expertly designed carving is dated to the Qianlong Period (1736-1795). It features a caparisoned elephant with enduring wrinkles and folds in its throughout. His back is surmounted by a double gourd vase flanked by the Daoist twins, the Hehe Erxian, 和合二仙.

In addition to its white tone, which is one of the most desirable colors for jade connoisseurs and collectors, this carving has very auspicious symbolism. Elephants in Chinese culture represent the desire for a ‘peaceful existence’ while the Hehe Erxianrepresent ‘harmony in union’. This fantastic carving was consigned by an Important Private Collection of Texas. 

Lot 251, Chinese Qing carved Zitan garden stool; Estimate $45,000-$50,000

Next at DAG is lot 251, a Chinese Zitan carved garden stool. The form is extremely elegant and pays homage to imperial furniture of the 18th Century. The top is of beautiful foliate shape and the shoulders contain relief carvings of longevity ruyi 如意 fungus.

The importance of this stool is in the material itself. Zitan 紫檀 or purple sandalwood, is an extremely rare and slow growing hardwood species that was popular forimperial households. They are known for its density and immaculate graining which when examined closely have the appearance of metallic threads. This stool has an estimate $45,000-$50,000.

Lot 235, Chinese Qing Kangxi Imperial peach blossom; Estimate $10,000-$12,000

Finally at DAG is lot 235, a Chinese peachbloom glazed brushwasher with a six-character da Qing Kangxi nianzhi 大清康熙年製 mark to the base. This translates to ‘made in the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty’.

This brushwasher would have been part of a set of eight scholar vessels known as the badama 八大碼 (the eight great numbers), which are extremely sought after by collectors in today’s market. Due to its temperamental nature, the copper red used to create the peachbloom glaze is extremely difficult to control, making it one of the most attractive colors on Chinese porcelain.

This brushwasher was published in ‘Elegance of the Qing Court: Reflections of a Dynasty Through Its Art’ (2008) by the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, NB and features an estimate of $10,000-$12,000. 

Click here to view the full catalog of Dallas Auction Gallery’s sale on September 25th.

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