According to CNN, the auction lasted about 20 minutes, revolving around 10 collectors around the world and the final victory went to an Asian private collector. The results have just been announced and Sotheby's is the auction organizer.
According to Sotheby's, the price of 12.5 million USD has made the pair of carp vases the most expensive Chinese artwork of the year. This is also the first complete pair of ancient vases with lids to be auctioned.
Sotheby's added that the two vases have been kept in the collection of a German family for at least a century. The owners brought them to safety before their homes were destroyed by the wars during World War II.
The pair of porcelain vases were made under the reign of Emperor Jiaving, from 1522 to 1566. Sotheby's believes that the vases have shown progress in the field of porcelain production. The exterior is decorated by artisans with paintings of carp swimming in a pond filled with lotus and other plants.
The auctioneer said that the carp image represents freedom, escaping from bondages and this is an important part of the Taoist ideology pursued by Emperor Jiaving. They are also considered a symbol of happiness, freedom from worries and harmony with nature.
According to Mr. Nicolas Chow - Chairman of Chinese Artworks at Sotheby's Asia branch, the incredible prices in the Chinese ceramic market have appeared since the country's economy began to grow strongly in the 1990s.
Mr. Chow continued to share that ceramics have always had an important position in Chinese culture because they were developed thousands of years ago. No country in the world can compare ceramic production technology with China.
Sotheby's is one of the largest and oldest art auction houses in the world, headquartered in New York (USA). Founded in 1744 in London, Sotheby's initially specialized in book auctions, but later expanded to many other fields such as art, jewelry, antiques, wine and other valuable items.
