BEIJING.- China Guardian Auction Co., Ltd, the leading Chinese auction house based on sales volume,hosted its 30th Quarterly Auction on June 16-18, 2012, in Beijing, and was well received by thousands of bidders. Favored items sold for up to thirty times the estimated price.

Highlights include:

Chinese Painting and Calligraphy
A series of precious lots previously collected by Zhang E, a renowned Chinese cartoonist and former Deputy Curator for the National Art Museum of China, were among the most popular items for sale. Works included Character and Landscape, a calligraphy by Fu Baoshi (1904-1965) and Chen Banding (1876-1970), which sold at 2.47 million yuan (388,778 US dollars), thirty times its estimated price. Landscape by Fu Baoshi sold at 2.07 million yuan (325,818 US dollars), twenty-five times its estimated price. In addition, Orchid and Bamboo by Pan Tianshou (1886-1971) sold at 1.84 million yuan (289,616 US dollars); Landscape by Guan Shanyue (1912-2000) sold at 425,500 yuan (66,973 US dollars); and Hibiscus, a calligraphy by Xie Zhiliu (1910-1997) sold at 402,500 yuan (63,353 US dollars).

Works by Li Keran (1907-1989) also achieved high sales. Most of his pieces presented in this auction focused on traditional Chinese imagery, such as young shepherd and their herd. Boy and Cattle (lot 241), known for its skillful composition and simple lines, sold at 2.127 million yuan (334,789 US dollars); Boy and Cattle (lot 242) sold at 1.84 million yuan (289,616 US dollars); and Boy and Cattle (lot 62) sold at 1.55 million yuan (243,970 US dollars).

The outstanding Paintings by Masters session, which was first added to the auctions by China Guardian in 2011, has been recognized by bidders for offering important works from international overseas collections. This year, Camellia, a painting by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) topped the list and sold at 2.645 million yuan (416,323 US dollars). The painting was presented to the Russian artist Victor Michailocich Oreshnikov when he was visiting China in 1953 and 1954. Landscape, a painting gifted by the artist Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) to Huang Zhongxiang, a military official in the Kuomintang, sold at 2.645 million yuan (416,323 US dollars).

Landscape by Lu Yanshao (1909-1993) drew heavily from the poems of the poet Du Fu from the Tang Dynasty. The lot, noted for its precise vigor and stark contrast, brought in 1.38 million yuan (217,212 US dollars); Character and Landscape, produced by Fu Baoshi in 1960, created classic Chinese imagery in which two scholars were engaged in cheerful talks before an expansive river, and sold for 1.265 million yuan (199,111 US dollars).

In addition, Character and Landscape produced by Yu Fei'An (1889-1959) sold at 862,500 yuan (135,757 US dollars); and Landscape, a painting by Wu Hufan (1894-1968) sold at 782,000 yuan (123,086 US dollars). Landscape, a painting by Song May-ling (1897-2003), was accompanied by a preface from the artist’s husband, Chiang Kai-shek, a political military leader of 20th century China, and sold at 230,000 yuan (36,202 US dollars). Boy and Cattle, Calligraphy produced by Fan Zeng (b.1938) in 1983 sold at 1.955 million yuan (307,717 US dollars); and Landscape by Dong Shouping (1904-1997) sold at 1.83 million yuan (288,042 US dollars).

In the Contemporary Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy sessions, 240 pieces were presented. Zhongkui the Demon Queller, produced by Fan Zeng in 1980, sold at 1.38 million yuan (288,042 US dollars); Landscape by Zhang Ding (1917-2010) sold at 747,500 yuan (117,656 US dollars); and the painting Girls by Zhou Sicong (1939-1996) sold at 690,000 yuan (108,606 US dollars).

Highlights in the Ancient Pieces session included Landscape by Wang Hui (1632-1717), which sold at 2.645 million yuan (416,323 US dollars); Calligraphy by He Shaoji (1799-1873), offered by his estate, sold at 1.058 million yuan (166,529 US dollars). In addition, Landscape by Shi Tao (1642-1707) sold at 1.265 million yuan (199,111 US dollars).

Porcelain, Furniture and Works of Art
In the Porcelain and Works of Art session on June 16th, a doucai bowl featuring Taoist patterns and produced during the Yongzheng Period of the Qing Dynasty, was auctioned at 828,000 yuan (130,327 US dollars). The item was noted for its perfect balance of brightness and vigor of colors.

A blue and white stem bowl produced during the Ming Dynasty depicted fifteen children on its surface, which contrasted to even numbers often utilized in traditional techniques, and sold for 690,000 yuan (108,606 US dollars). Additionally, three lots from the Qing Dynasty included a green-glazed vase of the Dao Guang Period, which sold at 345,000 yuan (54,303 US dollars); a blue-glazed vase of the Qianlong Period, which sold at 253,000 yuan (39,822 US dollars); and a white jade pendant and a celadon jade pendant, which sold for 230,000 yuan (36,202 US dollars) collectively.

In the Porcelain session, a sancai dish produced in the Kangxi Period sold at 805,000 yuan (126,707 US dollars). The dish was known for the blessing connotation of its patterns, which featured pomegranates, representing a multitude of children; peaches, presenting longevity; and citrus, signifying wealth. Also, a red-glazed vase of the Daoguang Period sold at 230,000 yuan (36,202 US dollars); a blue and white brush-pot of the Kangxi Period sold at 207,000 yuan (32,581 US dollars); and a famille-rose vase of the Guangxu Period sold at 184,000 yuan (28,961 US dollars).

Among the fifty Buddha figures in the 30th Quarterly Auction, highlights included a bronze figure of Buddha of the Qianlong Period, which sold at 552,000 yuan (86,884 US dollars); and a bronze figure of Kwan-yin from the Ming Dynasty which sold at 517,500 yuan (81,454 US dollars). Additionally, a Japanese iron teapot (lot 4520) and two fine silver teapots (lots 4506 and 4552) sold at 287,500 yuan (45,252 US dollars), 101,200 yuan (15,928 US dollars), and 89,700 yuan (14,118 US dollars), respectively.

This year, the Classical Furniture session offered about fifty pieces of ancient furniture and most of them were without reserved prices, to broaden its accessibility to the public. The session sales totaled 2.8 million yuan (440,720 US dollars).

The highlights included a hongmu bed, hongmu kang table, and a pair of stands, which sold at 368,000 yuan (57,923 US dollars); a complete set of hongmu furniture produced during the Republic of China, which sold at 253,000 yuan (39,822 US dollars); and a yumu bed created during the late Ming Dynasty for 241,500 yuan (38,012 US dollars). A hutaomu table accompanied by eight hutaomu chairs sold for 207,000 yuan (32,581 US dollars); and a renaissance style cabinet sold for 101,200 yuan (15,928 US dollars).

Chinese Oil Paintings
The College Era-Excellent Artworks of Chinese Art Colleges session attracted a large number of young university teachers this year, with more than 500 arts and comprehensive colleges applying for the session. China Guardian selected over 200 lots from the 20,000 entrants, to showcase the styles and the high standards of rising Chinese artists, which brought in 1.6 million yuan (251,840 US dollars).

Among the highlights were Slightly Bright by Zhang Ben, which sold at 94,300 yuan (14,842 US dollars); closely followed by I Am Still Here No.2 by Zhang Fei; and Hometown Memories: Morning Rain by Li Baiming. In addition, Liu Junliang's Tears in the Water No.2 and Zhang Jieshuai's The Other Side of the Mountain each sold for 59,800 yuan (9,412 US dollars).