Christie’s 2025 Autumn Auctions: Hong Kong Asian Art Week

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Following the announcement of the two single-owner sales, The Au Bak Ling Collection Volume II, and The Ai Lian Tang Collection – Imperial Scholar’s Objects, Christie’s is proud to present Important Chinese and Asian Works of Art, a meticulously curated selection of over 130 exceptional lots from distinguished collections worldwide, each with superb provenance. Highlights include a diverse array of Chinese and Asian works of art, ranging from archaic bronzes, imperial ceramics, Buddhist sculptures and classical furniture, to Joseon dynasty porcelains, underscoring the breadth of Asian artistic traditions. This live auction will take place on 30 October 2025, during Hong Kong Asian Art Week.

Leading the sale is a magnificent and extremely rare Ding carved ‘peony’ vase from Sir Alan Barlow’s collection. The body of this exquisite vase is finely carved with two peony sprays, with stems and foliage extending gracefully toward one another, and the vase is covered in a creamy-white glaze. It is not only refined and exceptionally rare, but was also formerly included in several important Chinese ceramics collections in both Britain and Hong Kong.

A further highlight includes an extremely rare and fine moulded celadon-glazed floral-form dish (upper right image). Extant Ming dynasty celadon wares are exceptionally rare, and those bearing a Xuande mark are even more so. During the early Ming dynasty, Jingdezhen began producing celadon wares in emulation of Longquan celadon. The glaze tones vary, and the most prized and sought-after type is a pale, translucent glaze resembling bamboo, developed during the Yongle period. The present lot belongs to this latter group and is likely to be unique within the recent market for its type, with other comparable examples residing in the collections of the Palace museums.

Other highlights of the sale include an extremely rare gilt-decorated turquoise-ground famille rose facetted pear-shaped ‘floral’ vase (image on the left below), which is a fine representation of the skill of the enamel painters at the Imperial kilns during the Qianlong period. The main flowers depicted in the medallions are chrysanthemum, symbolising longevity, and peonies, representing prosperity. The overall design is flanked by a pair of handles in the form of bats, each holding a lingzhi fungus of immortality in its mouth, imbued with wishes for health and prosperity. The decoration represents abundant auspicious wishes, making it an appropriate gift for a birthday. Also featured is an extremely rare important blue and white porcelain jar with chrysanthemum scrolls from the Joseon dynasty, Korea (image on the right below). This beautiful jar belongs to a small group of surviving early Joseon porcelains; its shape and style of decoration conform perfectly to those of famous fifteenth-century examples in Korean and Japanese collections. Though strongly influenced by Chinese porcelains from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, this jar shows marked differences and demonstrates the beginning of a distinct Korean style in blue-and-white porcelain, providing extraordinary insights into the development of a clearly defined Korean taste in porcelain wares.

During the preview, Christie’s Hong Kong will host a special exhibition Celestial Form, Earthly Radiance – Chinese Jade from the Angela and Kin Bon Chua Collection, showcasing a refined selection of Qing dynasty jade carvings from the Hong Kong collectors Angela and Kin Bon Chua amassed over the last thirty-five years. Featuring figural sculptures, landscape boulders, and elegant vessels carved from flawless jadeite and nephrite, the exhibition celebrates the harmony between material purity and masterful craftsmanship. This collection offers a unique glimpse into the imperial legacy and cultural symbolism of jade in Chinese art.

Auction Previews
Taipei | 18 – 19 October
Hong Kong | 23 – 29 October

Live Auction
The Henderson, Hong Kong | 30 October 2025