A few weeks ago a very important Asian antique was purchased at the Sunbury Antiques Market, Kempton Park.

Held on the second and last Tuesday of each month at Kempton Park Racecourse since 1979, Sunbury Antique Market has become one of the UK’s best and most popular antiques venues. Up to seven hundred stallholders may attend on any market day. Two indoor areas beneath the stands hold up to three hundred and fifty tables laden with vintage and antique objects of all kinds. While outside a very large area can hold another three hundred and fifty cars and vans spilling out their wares onto tables and the ground. For one lucky guy a recent trip to Kempton turned out better than winning the lottery.

Amongst the bric-a-brac he found an Asian antique treasure, a Chinese vase of great beauty, rarity and value. The vase, a large example of Chinese Qing period, Beijing enamel work, bearing the sealmark of the Qinglong Emperor (1736 – 1795) and of the period, is 15inches(38cm) high. The square section baluster body, with metal ring handles, is enameled all over with a floral decoration on a blue ground and four painted panels containing European landscape scenes, including buildings and figures. The vase is in good condition, considering the fragility of the enamel, but there is a small amount of superficial damage, currently being restored by an expert.

Purchased for £25.00 ($35.00) by a well-known Portobello Road oriental antiques dealer, who says he would like to remain anonymous, although almost everyone in London already seems to know his name, the vase was provisionally valued by one of the major salerooms at £40,000 – £60,000. However, a quick scan through recent auction results would suggest at least one more zero could safely be added to that valuation.

The purchaser deserves his good luck; he is a Kempton stalwart who has rarely missed a market, even attending on the morning of his son’s birth. When I visited him in Portobello Road an endless stream of dealers made reference to his good luck. Some, jokingly, asked to borrow money while others, those who consider themselves “big dealers”, gave sage advice.

Advice though is unnecessary. The lucky purchaser has rarely sold a good Asian antique in his dealing career, selling only damaged and restored pieces or insignificant objects. He has squirreled away every interesting or important work of art or piece of porcelain he ever bought and he already has his pension assured. This vase is just the icing on the cake for him.

Considering the rocketing prices in the salerooms for rare Chinese antique art, in particular Imperial or “mark and period” pieces, he may want to think about holding on to the vase for a few years, even lending it to a museum, to enhance it’s provenance, before selling it. There have been some startling prices achieved in recent sales, for enameled pieces not nearly so rare as this vase, particularly when it’s size is considered and although it does not bear the gilding that the Chinese seem to like so much, it is a very impressive object and should make top money.

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Category: Travel
Keywords: asian,asian antiques,oriental,chinese antiques,qing,qinglong,beijing enamel,chinese qinglong,