Landscape Painting Album by Qi Baishi, sold at the price of RMB 194 million yuan, set a record at this auction.

The Special Auction for “Grand View: Chinese Paintings Highlight” of China Guardian 2011 Autumn Auction, achieved great attention, started at 8 pm on 13th November, in Beijing. After competitive price bidding lasting more than 2 hours, the turnover of this auction reached 1.073 billion.

Among all the auction items, Landscape Painting Album by Qi Baishi, sold at the price of RMB 194 million yuan, set record at this auction. Then, Wang Kui’s Landscape Inspired by Tang Poems collected in Shih-ch'u Pao-chi was sold at the price of RMB 126.5 million yuan and this was the second time when it was sold over than RMB 100 million yuan. It set a new record for Wang Kui’s works. In addition, the auction price of Fu Baoshi’s Song of a Pipa Player (sold at the price of RMB 82.8 million yuan) and Huang Binhong’s Mind Travelling among Mountains (sold at the price of RMB 52.9 million yuan) set the auction record for the artists.

Landscape Painting Album by Qi Baishi in 1931, created for Wen Susong who was a famous stone inscription rubbing connoisseurs and collectors, has 12 Ks, with each K 34.5×35 cm. This album was sold at the price of RMB 5.17 million yuan at 1994 China Guardian Autumn Auction and set record for Chinese calligraphy and painting works at the time. It set record again at this autumn auction. When the auctioneer announced the price of RMB 110 million yuan, several collectors responded. After the buyers’ competition at the auction and by the phone, it was sold at the price of RMB 194 million yuan ultimately.

Wang Kui’s Landscape Inspired by Tang Poems handscroll, painting the scenery of regions south of the Yangtze River, descript in Continuation of Shih-ch'u Pao-chi, belonged to ancient collection of the Palaces of the Qing Dynasty first and was owned by common households afterwards. It has been preserved quite perfectly and was one of his works with most elaborate quality. Ultimately it was sold at the price of RMB 126.5 million yuan, setting an auction price record for Wan Kui’s works.

Besides, at this auction, Lu Yanshao’s Spring River and Cloudy Mountain; Seven-Character Couplet in Running Script was sold at the price of RMB 41.4 million yuan. Zhang Daqian’s Landscape after Song Master and Peony was sold at the price of RMB 40.25 million yuan and RMB 33.925 million yuan respectively. All the works including Fu Shan’s calligraphy in cursive script On Scholarly Pursuits: Biography of Three Masters in Taiyuan was auctioned at the price of RMB 32.775 million yuan. Farewell Poems and Landscapes Album by Qiu Ying, Wen Zhengming, Xie Shichen, Wen Jia, Peng Nian, Zhou Tianqiu and other artists, Ren Yi’s Five Pairs of Birds, Fu Baoshi’s Fu Baoshi’s Evening Rain, Xu Beihong’s Double Vul Tures and Beauty Standing Alone were auctioned at the price of RMB 32.2 million yuan.

Before this auction, the Special Auction for the Classical Furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties was held at the night of November 12. This is a special auction for classical furniture at which the number of the auction item is the largest, the variety is the most complete, the quality is the best and the grade is the highest world widely till now. The auction is strongly popular and the turnover of this special auction reached RMB 230 million yuan.

“Zitan Throne Chair with Lotus and Longevity Decoration of Qianlong Period in the Qing Dynasty”, royal furniture in the Qing Dynasty which was purchased by Zhongshan Chamber of Commerce, Japan from Prince Gong Mansion in the last century was sold at the price of RMB 57.50 million yuan. This set the highest price. Another piece of Zitan precious royal furniture of the Qing Imperial Palace – “Zitan Imperial Table with Dragon Decoration” was sold to its new owner at the price of RMB 55.2 million yuan. “Pair of Large Huanghuali Compound Cabinets of late Ming/early Qing Period” collected by The Museum of Classical Furniture, California, the US, was sold at the price of RMB 29.90 million yuan.