Chinese Vase Valued at $500 Sells at Auction for $812,000 | artnet News (2024)

FAQs

Chinese Vase Valued at $500 Sells at Auction for $812,000 | artnet News? ›

Chinese Vase Valued at $500 Sells at Online Auction for $812,000. The owners of the cloissoné piece, which had a missing lid and some wear and tear, did not believe it was worth much.

Genuine Chinese cloisonné pieces should exhibit fine craftsmanship, even enamelwork, vibrant colours, and signs of age such as wear, patina, and previous restorations. Provenance, or the documented history of a piece, is also crucial in determining its authenticity and value.

A Chinese vase discovered during a house clearance in London sold for a record $69 million (43 million pounds) at auction, a world record for a piece of Asian art. Video courtesy of Reuters.

The world's most expensive vase is worth about $50 million in USD. That's about $392 million in Hong Kong dollars. Because of the value and elegance of Chinese porcelain, this high-value piece is one of the most beautiful in the world.

$1,900 Chinese vase sells for $9 million as bidders mistake it for 200-year-old artefact. An “ordinary” Chinese vase put up for auction in France and valued at €2,000 ($1,900) was sold for almost €9.12m ($9 million) after fiercely competitive bidding by buyers who were convinced it was a rare 18th-century artefact.

Things You Should Know

Examine the shape, color, glaze, and reign mark on the vase. If they all date to the same dynasty or era, the vase is likely authentic. Look for signs of genuine aging like tiny rust spots, glaze contractions, or yellowing crackles. The glaze and paint should be intact.

Other factors that can help in dating antique Chinese cloisonné include the design and subject matter of the piece, as well as any marks or inscriptions that may be present. It also helps to compare designs with lacquerware and porcelain of the period as they often share very similar decorative motifs.

How do you know if a vase is valuable? Look for a mark on the bottom of the vase. Marks may reflect the name of the company that made the vase, as well as the name of its designer. When the vase has a company name and an artist's name, it may be worth more than if it simply has a company name.

A signed Ming vase by a celebrated craftsman dramatically affected its price, such was their reputation as the most highly-skilled artisans of their age. In the same way in Europe at the time, paintings signed by the most famous Renaissance artists commanded a far higher premium than those that were not.

Auction houses are a popular place to try and sell niche items, including Chinese antique pottery. Sellers will often find the prices are the highest at these auctions, however when you consider the large commissions charged the prices may not be much higher than other methods.

How much is a 600 year old Ming vase worth? ›

Hauled to auction in a cardboard box... the 600-year-old Ming 'moonflask' worth £1MILLION. A Chinese vase that was taken to an auction house by a 79-year-old pensioner in a cardboard box has stunned experts when they realised it was from the early Ming period - and worth £1million.

In summary, when attempting to identify antique Chinese vases as authentic there are eight major factors to consider: shape, colours, decoration, foot, glaze, porcelain, ageing and Chinese vase markings on the base.

Tianqiuping vases have fetched high prices in the past. In 2018, a vase long held in storage at Tulsa's Philbrook Museum of Art sold for $14 million at Christie's in Hong Kong. It was initially valued at $9 million.

“The main things that determine the value of a piece are the market for that type of piece, its condition, and the provenance,” Paloympis explains. The first two criteria seem obvious, but a work's provenance—the record of its past ownership—holds an exceptional importance in the world of Chinese ceramics.

Leading the list was Dr. Alice Cheng's once record-setting 18th-century imperial bowl, which sold for HK$198 million (US$25.25 million) during Sotheby's 50th-anniversary spring sale series in Hong Kong.

Generally speaking, the value of a cloisonné piece is influenced by the market demand for the item, as well as its aesthetic and historical significance. If you're interested in determining the value of a specific cloisonné item, chat with an expert, such as an antique dealer or appraiser.