Chinese vases relationship again from the sixteenth century promote for nearly £10m after being in the identical household for over 100 years and escaping Second World War bombing raids
A pair of Chinese vases that have been in the same family for over 100 years and escaped Second World War bombing raids have sold in London for a staggering £9.7m.
The matching pair of Ming dynasty Chinese ‘fish jars’ were made in the 16th century for the imperial court of Emperor Jiajing.
They are brilliantly decorated with flying fish which, 500 years ago, were symbols of a happy and carefree life.
It is not known how or when, but the twin 18ins tall vases ended up being owned by a German family.
They were kept in the family living room of their home in the town of Wiesbaden, near Frankfurt.
A pair of Chinese vases that have been in the same family for over 100 years and escaped Second World War bombing raids have sold in London for a staggering £9.7m
The jars in-situ in 1926. The matching pair of Ming dynasty Chinese ‘fish jars’ were made in the 16th century for the imperial court of Emperor Jiajing
During the Second World War the family moved their art and antique collection, including the vases, into safe storage.
It proved a wise move as the property was later flattened by RAF bombing raids.
After the house was rebuilt the vases were brought out of storage and put on display again.
They were recently rediscovered by the family and their survival over the past 500 years is said to be ‘nothing short of miraculous’.
Only one other pair of Jiajing fish vases with their covers intact is known to exist and they are in a museum in Paris.
Only three single jars in private hands have retained their lids.
The German examples were sent to auctioneers Sotheby’s in London where they were put into its Asian art sale.
They had a pre-sale estimate of £600,000 but the sale attracted a multitude of bidders.
Six interested parties were still in the running when the bidding reached £7m.
The hammer eventually fell on £8.3m after a 20 minute bidding battle.
The vases are brilliantly decorated with flying fish which, 500 years ago, were symbols of a happy and carefree life.
With fees added on the winning bidder, an Asian private collector, paid £9.7m for the vases.
A spokesperson for Sotheby’s said: ‘The jars are the only complete pair ever to have appeared at auction.
‘They are extraordinarily rare. They came to the market from a German family collection, where they had remained for about a century, if not longer.
‘Their survival is nothing short of miraculous, as the jars were removed to safety during the Second World War, before the family home in Wiesbaden was destroyed.
‘The bidding for them soared over their £1 million high estimate, to sell for £9.6m.
‘We are delighted with the outcome.’
Fish jars made during the Jiajing Emperors reign between 1522 to 1566 were the result of a major breakthrough in the possibilities of porcelain production, when the craftsmen in the Imperial kilns attained new heights.
It is said the kilns had never achieved anything approaching the grandeur of the fish jars produced during this period.
Ceramics were commissioned on an unprecedented scale to decorate imperial buildings and palaces.
