Collecting Asian works of art is a tradition in Europe that stretches back hundreds of years. The minimalist and serene aesthetic that has long thrived in China, Japan, and Korea was completely foreign to the European eye. The fascination in the West for these countries’ art and culture has grown stronger and stronger over time, particularly for Buddhist art, Japanese lacquerware, woodblock prints, Korean ceramics, and not least Chinese porcelain. The trade in Chinese porcelain is ancient and appears to have reached a significant level already during the first centuries of the Common Era. At that time, exports were mainly directed toward Southeast and West Asia as well as Japan, gradually expanding over the centuries. It wasn’t until the 16th century that the trade in Chinese porcelain to Europe truly took off. This “white gold” was often exchanged for raw materials and luxury goods that were not available in China.

The current auction is a tribute to Asian decorative art, its wide variety, and often high quality. The auction begins with a selection of porcelain items painted in famille rose and polychrome enamels, followed by elegant wares from the Song dynasty and later, elegantly glazed in monochrome colours such as celadon, oxblood, flambé, apple-green, and clair-de-lune. The auction continues with classic export porcelain in underglaze-blue and famille rose, which was brought back to Sweden by the East Indiamen during the 18th century. Also included is a range of Japanese items in cloisonné, silver, porcelain, lacquer, and “boro” textiles, which in recent years have attracted considerable attention. We conclude the auction with around thirty items from the collection of Herbert Küttim.

Welcome to Stockholms Auktionsverk Magasin 5!