The Ming Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup, regarded as a "divine product" by the collectors, once again proved its legend through capital. Yesterday at noon, the Ming Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup from the Meiyintang Collection, which was auctioned in the special session of important Chinese porcelain and handicrafts in the spring auction of Sotheby's Hong Kong, was sold for HK$281.24 million after eight bids. Qiu Guoshi, vice chairman of Sotheby's Asia and international director of Chinese porcelain and handicrafts, told reporters that the transaction price broke the world auction record for Chinese porcelain. The buyer was Liu Yiqian, a Shanghai collector who had bought the "Gongfu Tie".
On the last day of the spring auction of Sotheby's Hong Kong, a special auction of important Chinese porcelain and handicrafts was held. There were many highlights from the morning. Among them, the "Northern Song Dynasty Ding Kiln Large Bowl from Clark's Old Collection" from the collection of Goro Sakamoto was estimated at HK$60 million and was eventually won by an Asian collector for HK$146.8 million. The most anticipated Ming Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup was auctioned at around 12:20 noon. This chicken cup is estimated at HK$200 million to HK$300 million, making it the most expensive ancient Chinese porcelain item currently auctioned.
The reporter saw at the scene that the chicken cup started at HK$160 million, and the competition at the scene was not very fierce, from HK$160 million to HK$170 million, and then to HK$180 million... The final bid was between the buyer in the venue and the telephone commission of Sotheby's Asia CEO Cheng Shoukang. After eight bids, it was sold for HK$281.24 million.
In the press release after the auction, Sotheby's Asia Vice Chairman and International Director of Chinese Porcelain and Crafts Qiu Guoshi told reporters that the buyer was Shanghai collector Liu Yiqian, and it will be collected by the Shanghai Long Museum. The transaction of HK$281.24 million also broke the world auction record for Chinese porcelain. "Every time the chicken cup is auctioned at an auction, the price of Chinese porcelain will be repositioned. "The reporter learned that in 2010, the enamel colored "Auspicious and Abundant" revolving vase of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty was sold for about 550 million yuan, setting a new record in the auction of Chinese porcelain, but the Chinese buyer did not pay afterwards.
It is reasonable to say that the Chicken Cup is cute. It is only 8.2 cm in diameter and only the size of a palm when placed in the hand. But on this small object, a rooster and a hen are painted with chicks foraging. For this reason, the Chicken Cup is a small wine cup decorated with a picture of a hen and chicks.
Speaking of the picture of hen and chicks, it was popular in the Song Dynasty, but it was first painted on porcelain in the Chenghua period. Because the Chicken Cup is colorful and bright, and the painting is straightforward and lovely, it is called a divine product by the industry. Since the Ming Dynasty, the Chicken Cup has been regarded as priceless. According to Qiu Guoshi, in addition to the Chenghua Chicken Cup auctioned this time, there are only three other pieces in the world that are private collections, and the others are hidden in world-famous museums such as the National Palace Museum in Taipei and the British Museum in London.
