Chinese Vases in Great Demand

The Irish Times recently ran an article about the high collector demand of Chinese vases. The article lists several recent record prices, and how some regional auction houses are selling vases with great success.  The article states there is so much interest the Sotehby's office in Dublin will soon be hosting a Chinese art valuation day, the goal of course is to secure more Chinese art.

The Irish Times article is short, so I will take the liberty of posting the complete text.

This week, a pair of Chinese vases sold for a record €170,000 at auction in Co Laois – and Sotheby’s announced plans to hold a Chinese Valuation Day in Dublin in June

SOTHEBY’S has announced that it is holding a Chinese valuation day in its Dublin office in June. The news follows this week’s sale at auction in Co Laois of a pair of Chinese vases, below, for €170,000 – over 14 times their estimate.

The famille rose vases, dating from the reign of the Daoguang Emperor, had been estimated at €8,000-€12,000 but after intense bidding at Sheppard’s, in Durrow, Co Laois, went to a collector in China. The vases had been bought 10 years ago for just “a few hundred quid” in a Dublin antiques shop.

On the same day, at Bonhams in London, a pair of Qianlong Emperor teapots made £1.3 million (€1.48m). Their estimate was £20,000-£30,000 (€22,860 -€34,293).

Sotheby’s will hold its Chinese Valuation Day – by appointment only – at its Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 office on Monday June 13th.

Robert Bradlow, director and Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, who will be over from London said: “Essentially we are looking for Chinese-taste pieces that have recently become highly sought-after in the global market as the Chinese economy has been racing ahead.

“The Chinese are now keen to buy back many of the pieces that were sold/taken from China during the latter part of the 19th and early 20th century that have found their way to Europe”.