Chinese Imperial Art Works to Be Auctioned in HK

Some fascinating art works from Chinese royal families in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) will be present on the Christie's Spring Auction on April 30, 2000, according to Christie's Hong Kong Thursday.

The highlight of the Spring auction will be two bronze heads of the monkey and the ox, both of which were among the set of spring foundation depicting the twelve animals of the zodiac used to be in Yuanmingyuan in Beijing.

The head of the monkey and the ox is estimated to be sold at 3. 8 million HK dollars (487,179 U.S. dollars) to 4.5 million HK dollars (576,923 U.S. dollars) each, said the auctioneer. The two foundation heads used to locate in front of the Haiyantang (Hall of the Calm Sea) in Yuanmingyuan that was built at the command of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) in the Qing Dynasty. The set of foundation with animals heads and human bodies would spout at the corresponding hours of the day and spout in unison at midday in spectacular fashion.

The Yuanmingyuan was looted and burned by the Anglo-French troops in 1860 with many of the precious art works lost. To date, only seven of 12 foundation heads were found out. Christie's Imperial Sale in April will also present a collection of superb Qing Imperial porcelains made in the reign of Emperor Qianlong.

The most important piece is a double gourd flask of the Qianlong period. The work is estimated to be sold at 12 million HK dollars (1.53 million U.S. dollars).

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