Some of the earliest pottery has been discovered in China, dating
back to 9000 BC, and ceramic goods from the region can be traced back to
the dynasties under which they were created. In fact, the first
porcelain is believed to have been created under the Han dynasty from
202 BC to 220 AD. As China’s history is rich with beautiful ceramic art,
it’s no surprise that the most expensive vases in the world are
Chinese.
Ming dynasty vase – over US $10 million
The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644. That era in Chinese
history saw the creation of a startling amount of carved lacquerwares,
glazed porcelain wares, embroidered silks and works of art in a variety
of other materials. The Empire of the Great Ming also produced a great
number of forgeries designed to part unsuspecting purchasers from their
wealth. This was such a problem, in fact, that guides were printed to
help detect such forgery. We can be sure, then, that this vase is quite
authentic.
Hailing from the time of Hongwu, the founder of the Ming dynasty, the expensive vase was most recently purchased at auction by Steve Wynn. The Las Vegas casino owner and insatiable art collector is often criticized by the art community for paying high prices for second-rate pieces, but this purchase is certainly an exception. The 14th century vase is decorated in copper red scrolling flowers and is, well preserved as it is, quite rare.
Mr. Wynn purchased the expensive vase at the Christie’s Imperial Sale in Hong Kong for 78,520,000 Hong Kong dollars. Rather than keep it locked away in his private collection, however, he returned the vase to China by donating it to a Macau museum.
Qianlong vase – over US $80 million
The Qing dynasty succeeded the Ming dynasty and ruled China until
1911. The Qianlong Emperor became the fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty
in 1736 and, during his time in power, imperial supervisor Tang Ying
authored an illustrated memoir called “Twenty Illustrations of the Manufacture of Porcelain.”
This 18th-century porcelain vase was inherited by a mother and son who, if reports are to be believed, have gone into hiding due to the £12 million in taxes they will be expected to pay after the vase, only expected to sell for £1.2 million, reached an amazing £53 million at auction.
The buyer was a wealthy Chinese industrialist and collector of antiquities.
Ming dynasty vase – over US $10 million
Hailing from the time of Hongwu, the founder of the Ming dynasty, the expensive vase was most recently purchased at auction by Steve Wynn. The Las Vegas casino owner and insatiable art collector is often criticized by the art community for paying high prices for second-rate pieces, but this purchase is certainly an exception. The 14th century vase is decorated in copper red scrolling flowers and is, well preserved as it is, quite rare.
Mr. Wynn purchased the expensive vase at the Christie’s Imperial Sale in Hong Kong for 78,520,000 Hong Kong dollars. Rather than keep it locked away in his private collection, however, he returned the vase to China by donating it to a Macau museum.
Qianlong vase – over US $80 million
This 18th-century porcelain vase was inherited by a mother and son who, if reports are to be believed, have gone into hiding due to the £12 million in taxes they will be expected to pay after the vase, only expected to sell for £1.2 million, reached an amazing £53 million at auction.
The buyer was a wealthy Chinese industrialist and collector of antiquities.
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