Massive €4 Million Pair of Imperial Bronze Bixie at Printemps Asiatique Paris 2025

Bonjour Paris! (Well… by now, it’s more like au revoir, Paris)

In early June, I was finally able to return to one of my favourite cities in the world - Paris. It had been two years since my last visit, and once again, the trip was timed to coincide with the Printemps Asiatique Paris festivities.

As many of you know, the international Asian art auction calendar kicks off every year in September and wraps up in June. This circuit primarily focuses on Chinese art and antiques, with specialty sales from the Himalayan region, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea also included. (Islamic art, for reference, has its own 'week' in London, typically in November and May.)

The cycle tends to repeat like clockwork, with a few shifts along the way (particularly around the ever-changing Hong Kong sale dates). Here's how the general flow of the Asian art circuit looks:

• New York – Mid-September & Mid-March

• London – Early November & Early May

• Hong Kong – Late November & Late May

• Paris – Early December & Early June

• Beijing – Mid-December & Mid-June

  
  

This is what industry insiders often refer to as the Asian art 'circuit' or 'tour.' We tend to see the same familiar faces at each stop, though attending every destination can be a logistical challenge, especially with the constantly shifting Hong Kong dates. (rumour has the autumn Hong Kong auction dates changing again!)

My previous Paris visit was in June 2023, which also had many highlights, especially at the Pagoda, as well as the big houses like Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams. Several regional French auction houses also held smaller Asian art sales worth checking out.

This time, I spent eight days in Paris, soaking up the atmosphere, art, and (of course) the wine. I visited every major auction preview, explored several museums, and enjoyed more than a few evenings in cafés. It was a perfect blend of work, culture, and leisure.

Image 1a. One of the main attractions during Printemps Asiatique Paris was a visit to the famous Pagoda. The Pagoda was the home and gallery to renowned dealer Ching Tsai Loo 盧芹齋 (1880-1957). Known as simply C. T. Loo, he was one of the preeminent and most controversial dealers of Chinese art during the first half of the 20th Century. C. T. Loo was based mostly in Paris, but also had galleries in New York, London, Shanghai and Beijing.

The space now hosts specialty events including the Printemps Asiatique Art Fair. This fair has grown over the past few years to now showcase over twenty international dealers of Chinese, Japanese, Himalayan and Indian art, spanning over 3,000 years of Asian art history.

Image 1b. A view of the top floor of the Pagoda with Japanese artwork from the Brussels gallery Greg Baker Asian Art. They were showcasing mostly Japanese Buddhist sculptures and large painted folding screens.

Image 1c. Here I am viewing a well-carved Chinese 18th Century shadow agate snuff bottle depicting a rooster offered by Clare Chu Asian Art at the Pagoda. The painted coffer ceiling and windows within this space is very magical.

Image 2a. At the Asian art auctions held during Printemps Asiatique Paris, a strong presence of Chinese artworks was seen at major houses including Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams.

Christie’s presented a remarkable selection in their Art d’Asie sale, with one of the standout highlights being a Chinese blue and white porcelain 'dragon' stem bowl with Xuande mark and of the period (1424–1435).

According to the Christie's catalogue, the provenance of this Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) stem bowl traces back to an important French noble family prior to 1900. These types of stem bowls are highly sought after in today’s market due to their bold design, featuring fierce cobalt-blue dragons flying above soft blue cloud scrolls. The refined painting quality and the rare stemmed form make pieces like this especially prized by both private collectors and institutions.

Despite some condition issues, notably three hairline cracks, the bowl still drew significant interest. While it carried a conservative auction estimate of EUR 300/500,000, its desirability pushed the final price to EUR 882,000 (approximately CAD 1.45 million), including the buyer’s premium

Image 2b. The interior of the dragon stem bowl and the six-character reign mark 大明宣德年製 daming Xuande nianzhi which translates to 'made during the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty'.

Image 2c. Detail of the deeply-hollowed foot rim of the dragon stem bowl.

Image 3. Another rare piece at the Christie's Art d'Asie sale was this Chinese cloisonné enamel teapot and cover dated to the 18th/19th Century. It contains the pleasant design of swimming ducks in a lotus pond.

When compared to other cloisonné enamel wares of the 18th Century, the colour palette is very unusual, particularly the white ground, and use of yellow and pink pigments. There are only two other examples of this teapot, one in the Beijing Palace Museum and one that sold at Christie's New York in 2021 for USD 150,000 (approximately CAD 210,000).

This present cloisonné enamel teapot had an estimate of EUR 20/30,000 and realised with buyer's premium EUR 138,600 (approximately CAD 230,000).

Image 4. There were many choice Himalayan art sculptures on display at Christie's Paris, and one of the most stunning was a large Tibetan 15th Century gilt bronze figure of a seated Maitreya.

Maitreya is known as the Buddha of the Future and is often depicted sitting on a throne chair. This particular figure is important because of its large size (40.6 cm high!) and the fact it can be traced to the revered workshop of Sonam Gyaltsen. The figure has a wonderful overall casting with numerous intricate details.

The provenance of the sculpture is also notable for its many owners including the journalist Christian Roll, Krefeld, Germany (1915-2007) who purchased it in Hong Kong circa 1980. This Maitreya figure was also published and exhibited numerous times over the past 30 years.

This gilt bronze figure of Maitreya ended up selling for EUR 478,000 (approximately CAD 780,000) including buyer's premium against an estimate of EUR 400/600,000.

Image 5a. Just down the street from Christie’s was the new Sotheby’s Paris gallery, and where one of the most anticipated highlights of the season was on view - the cover lot, a rare Chinese gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara from the 11th–12th century.

This remarkable sculpture represents a rare form of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddhist deity of compassion, and originates from the mysterious Dali Kingdom in Yunnan province during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). When the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) later conquered China, most traces of the Dali Kingdom's unique civilization were erased except for their deeply spiritual religious artifacts.

The Dali people were devout Buddhists, known for worshipping their own esoteric interpretations of popular Chinese Buddhist deities. These localized beliefs were beautifully expressed in their religious art.

This particular figure of Avalokiteshvara is especially striking for its unusual ‘noble posture’, and features multiple stacked heads and numerous arms, each holding symbolic relics used for spiritual salvation. Estimated at EUR 250/350,000, the sculpture ultimately achieved a strong result of EUR 508,000 (approximately CAD 830,000), underscoring its rarity and appeal.

Image 5b. The reverse of this rare gilt bronze Buddhist figure of Avalokiteshvara from the Dali Kingdom.

Image 6a. Sotheby's Paris also featured many interesting Chinese porcelain pieces. In particular was this blue and white 'dragon' tianqiuping vase with Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795).

These 18th Century tianqiuping 天球瓶 (heavenly sphere) vases have been extremely popular in the market the past few years because of their Imperial connections. This example is no different with its depiction of large winged-dragons soaring over a background of lotus blooms and scrolling vine. Along the base is a band of crashing ocean waves.

The condition of this tianqiuping vase was compromised as the neck was broken and reassembled. But yet this vase still realized EUR 698,500 (approximately CAD 1.14 million) despite a very conservative estimate of EUR 80/120,000.

Image 6b. The (upside-down) reign mark of this winged-dragon tianqiuping vase which reads 大清乾隆年製 daqing Qianlong nianzhi and translates to 'made during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty'.

Image 7a. And finally, at Sotheby’s Paris was a particularly fascinating and exceptionally rare Ming Dynasty porcelain drinking vessel, a wucai 'dragon and phoenix' winecup with Longqing mark and of the period (1567-1572).

As many collectors know, Longqing is one of the shortest reigns in the Ming period, and as such, very few porcelain pieces were produced during those brief six years, making any surviving examples exceedingly rare.

This delicate and visually striking cup is decorated in the wucai 五彩 (five-colour) enameling style. On one side, a blue dragon flies dynamically, on the other, a green phoenix is depicted in flight, all surrounded by intricate scrolling vines. The combination of vibrant enamels, balance in composition, and historical significance makes this a truly special object.

The winecup also boasts a distinguished provenance, including:

• By repute, from the Collection of the Akaboshi Clan

• Shoan Komori (1901–1989)

• Kojiro Ishiguro (1916–1992), Tokyo

• Tokyo Art Club Auction, Tokyo, 8 April 2023

• Lyan Arts, Tokyo

• Marchant, London

  
  

In addition, the cup was in perfect condition, which is exceedingly rare for works from this period. According to Sotheby’s, no other example of this exact type is known to have survived. Estimated at EUR 150/200,000, this winecup attracted strong competition and ultimately sold for EUR 330,200 (approximately CAD 540,000).

Image 7b. The reign mark of this exceptionally rare dragon cup within a double square that reads 大明隆慶年製 daming Longqing nianzhi and translates to 'made during the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty'.

Image 8a. One of the most talked-about moments of this year's Printemps Asiatique Paris took place at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr, where a pair of monumental Chinese bronze bixie from the Qianlong period (1736-1795) emerged as a significant highlight of the season.

Bixie are mythical creatures with the body and head of a lion, winged front limbs, and a single horn atop their heads. They have appeared in Chinese art and architecture since the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Traditionally believed to ward off evil and attract good fortune, these auspicious animals were often placed at the entrances of important buildings, from private homes and palaces to temples, shrines and tombs, serving both spiritual and protective functions in accordance with feng shui principles.

What set this present pair apart was not only their extraordinary scale but also their idealized, regal posture, suggesting a rare and possibly unique interpretation intended for an Imperial setting. Their commanding presence and stylized features distinguish them from more typical representations of bixie, pointing to an elite commission during the height of Qing dynasty artistic patronage.

Formerly in the Collection of Rudolf Münemann (1908–1982), these impressive bronzes were conservatively estimated at EUR 300/500,000. However, after intense international bidding, the pair ultimately realized a staggering EUR 4,065,600 (approximately CAD 6.64 million).

Image 9a. And finally! One of the most exciting works on view at Bonhams was the extraordinary 'Elsa Peretti Brushwasher' - a large Chinese mallow-shaped Ge ware brushwasher dating from the Song/Yuan Dynasty (960–1368).

Over recent months, this remarkable ceramic toured international cities including New York and Hong Kong, generating considerable anticipation. Hailed as one of the most important Chinese ceramics to appear on the market in recent memory, it belonged to the late Elsa Peretti (1940–2021), the legendary jewelry designer, who acquired the piece in 2005. Its sale was in support of the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, which continues her philanthropic legacy.

The brushwasher originates from the celebrated Ge kilns, one of the 'Five Great Kilns' of the Song Dynasty, renowned for their ethereal glaze effects. What distinguishes Ge ware is its subtly greyish body, covered with a glaze that is deliberately crackled. The surface features a striking network of large black 'iron wire' crackles, interwoven with finer 'gold thread' crackles - a signature aesthetic that has captivated connoisseurs for centuries.

Surviving examples of this quality and size are exceedingly rare, with most already held in major museum collections around the world. As such, its appearance at auction was a significant event for collectors and scholars alike.

With an estimate of EUR 1.2/1.5 million, the brushwasher achieved a final price of EUR 1,379,400 (approximately CAD 2.25 million).

Image 9b. The base of the 'Elsa Peretti Brushwasher'.

Image 9c. A photo of Elsa Peretti holding onto a large crystal ball at Bonhams.

Image 10. And what’s a trip to Paris without a stop at the Guimet Museum? The Musée national des arts asiatiques aka Guimet is without question one of the most important international museums dedicated entirely to Asian art.

On my way there, I gave in to my inner tourist and made a small detour to the Place du Trocadéro, where I caught a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. Sometimes, even amidst a focused Asian art trip, it’s good to pause and appreciate the iconic beauty of Paris.

Image 11a. Here is the front entrance to the Guimet Museum. The museum was founded in 1889 and houses one of the most important collections of Southeast Asian, South Asian, Himalayan, Chinese, Korean and Japanese art in the world. They display many iconic treasures that are easily recognizable by Asian art collectors, connoisseurs and admirers.

Image 11b. One of the most recognized pieces in the Guimet's collection is the life-size figure of a sancai glazed luohan from the Liao Dynasty (907–1125). Founded in the early 20th Century south of Beijing in Hebei, these extraordinary figures are part of one of the most important groups of Chinese sculptures ever discovered.

Originally believed to be part of a set of sixteen or eighteen luohans (Buddhist ascetics), only ten survive today. They are now housed in major museums including the Guimet, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and Toronto’s own Royal Ontario Museum.

Viewing this particular Luohan at the Guimet has always been a personal highlight. Its powerful presence, expressive detail, and sancai glaze (a technique using three-colour glazes) make it an unforgettable encounter. Maybe one day, all the surviving figures might be reunited in a single exhibition!

Image 11c. Here is the endearing and much-liked Chinese bronze elephant-form drinking vessel from the Shang Dynasty (BCE 1600-1046) at the Guimet. In addition to is large size, it has a very stylized look, and the body is covered in archaistic bronze designs. Ceremonial wine can be poured into the elephant's back, and then the liquid is dispensed out of its trunk.

Image 11d. Also at the Guimet is one of their most famous Chinese Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) porcelain pieces - an outsanding famille rose 'millefleur' vase with Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795).

This vase would have been one of the top pieces produced for the Qianlong court with its sturdy shape and densely packed design of myriad beautifully executed multicoloured florals.

Image 11e. And finally at the Guimet Museum is the absolutely massive and breathtaking bronze fragmentary sculpture of the Hindu deity and supreme lord Vishnu reclining, from the 11th Century Angkor Period (802-1431), on loan from the National Museum of Cambodia.

This figure is part of incredible exhibition ‘Angkor Royal Bronzes - Art of the Divine’ that is featured on the basement level. This particular sculpture really fits well with the other Khmer Kingdom figures and architectural fragments at the museum! (The exhibition will be on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in the Fall).

Image 12. During my eight days in Paris I also ate my fair share of fantastic meals. One of them was at the famous Flottes Paris, a brasserie close the Louvre Museum. This traditional establishment is known for their seafood platters which is exactly what I was looking for.

Being extremely hungry after having survived a day of museum visits, I ordered their large platter for myself. The platter included four types of French oysters (belon, gillardeau, fines and pleine mer), 1/2 a lobster, 1/2 a crab, three langoustines, pink shrimp and whelk.

Thank you for reading this post and hope you all have a wonderful summer! I'm just about to head off to Vancouver for 2.5 weeks to work on my next Asian art online sale with Heffel. Hopefully I'll be able to take a couple of weeks off in August before embarking on my next big trip that will take me (again) to San Francisco, Hong Kong and Tokyo. I'll return to Toronto in early September just before heading off to Asia Week New York. Please follow me on my Instagram feed @anthonywuart for more current updates!