A ruby-ground falangcai bowl made during the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722) fetched HK$74 million ($9.5 million) at the Sotheby's spring sales auction in Hong Kong on April 8, setting a world auction record for Kangxi porcelain.
Falangcai ceramic pieces of the Kangxi period are of great rarity and magnificence, because they were produced under the close scrutiny of the emperor himself.
The now sold imperial bowl features a lotus pool scene and bears a blue enamel mark of Kangxi yuzhi, literally meaning made by the emperor's order. It was among the first ceramic pieces to which craftsmen applied the newly introduced Western enamel technique. The bowl showcases perfect mastery of the method, and the design is the only one of its kind.
The bowl came from the collection of Hong Kong connoisseur Alice Cheng, and was sold to William Chak, the Hong Kong Chinese ceramics dealer.
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