Oriental Porcelain and Works of Art

Pair by pair, they stand there, mighty carved stone figures, lions and elephants, horses and camels, along with all sorts of strange hybrids. Closest to the tombs, the animals are succeeded by priests: profound downward-facing facial features testify that they are men who have renounced the world."

These words are from Ingeborg Wikander's book "Five Years in China" (published exactly 100 years ago), as she ascends the foot of the Purple Mountain with devotion. China had long been a country with which Sweden conducted trade, and a country whose mystique we usually observed with astonishment from afar. The fascination remains. And it's hardly a new revelation in the auction world that Oriental, particularly Chinese, craftsmanship is highly sought after. Therefore, it is exciting to be able to participate in such a comprehensive and thematically cohesive auction presented by Crafoord Auktioner in Lund. Here, a thousand years of porcelain and earthenware are encompassed, as well as works in both wood and metal. The variety is extensive, ranging from plates, bowls, and vases with underglaze blue decoration to monochrome brushstrokes, and even a few volumes of literature on the subject.

An oval vase in Robin's egg glaze stands out from the crowd. Another highlight is a wood-carved Buddha figure - over half a meter tall (!) - with traces of original painting. Also worth noting are the lots featuring sang de boeuf-glazed vases from the Qing Dynasty. But these are just a few examples from the theme of Oriental porcelain and craftsmanship!