Dear Friends
Welcome to our June Newsletter.
On a personal level May delivered up some gorgeous weather just perfect for boating around our coastal waters, we enjoyed multiple trips to the Isle of Wight for lunches, dinners and picnics afloat, whilst anchored in some of the scenic bays, the resident seals were spotted basking in Newtown creek. It has been an absolute joy for all involved and great fun for the granddaughters, including Ryans daughter Liana who particularly enjoyed acting as skipper once she found her sea legs. We really are lucky to live in such beautiful surroundings.
On a business footing May delivered up Asian art period in London which included many high profile auction sales, mostly Chinese themed as is often the case. However, I did spend one very long day in the city meeting clients and viewing a wonderful collection of Japanese art from a distinguished gentleman’s estate, this was followed by a delicious lunch in a dear friend’s gallery, a most enjoyable, informative, and rewarding day. After a 5am start and almost seven hours of driving I was very pleased to be home that evening walking Ted on the beach and breathing some fresh sea air once again.
The month got off to a flying start with two fine quality trinket boxes going out to a new client in the middle east. I had previously purchased and subsequently sold the Ando box that originally stemmed from a Channel Islands collection, I am glad to have now found it a new resting place alongside the charming solid silver box depicting ducks in a waterside setting.
Another object to leave this month, on this occasion to join a UK collection of animalia bronzes, was this super quality monkey okimono by Genryusai Seiya, this primate was of larger scale, higher quality and quite amusing with the infant by his side.
China was the destination for the next sale of the month, this most fascinating pair of mixed metal vases depicted Manchurian cranes in flight against the setting and rising sun, depending on which vase you viewed, though unsigned the quality and in particular the damascened necks pointed to an artist such as Inoue of Kyoto.
Thank you to all of the above clients and a special welcome to the new members that have signed up this month.
Much like buses, you don’t see one for a long time then along comes two at once, remarkably I sold the lovely shibuichi dragon Tanto to a long standing client from the far East, this particular tanto arrived from the same USA collection as the huge o-tanto Wakizashi that I sold last month, it’s funny how these things pan out, many thanks to that client for returning once again.
Other notable items to find new homes were the Cloisonne enamel tray by Namikawa Sosuke and the super quality pair of cloisonne enamel vases, undoubtably manufactured by the Hayashi Kodenji studios.
Sincere thanks to this month’s new and existing clients, the demand had certainly surpassed all expectations going into the traditional Spring Asian art period.
At the time of writing this newsletter, Friday 24th, I am preparing for a week touring the beautiful Emerald isles to see what market fresh goodies I can unearth, with calls already in the diary I am very much looking forward to my visit, I may even have time for a pint or two of the old black stuff along the way.
For this month’s exclusive featured item, I am pleased to offer this diminutive pair of Plique a Jour vases direct from the USA collection and with a previous Sotheby’s provenance. This scarce little pair of vases are artist signed by arguably the leading Meiji Period exponent of the Plique a Jour technique, Hattori Tadasaburo.
Click the image for further details.
Best wishes
Steve