Buckman collection in spotlight at London auction
Updated: 2016-11-14 07:39
By Ming Liu(China Daily)
|
||||||||
Bernard Buckman visits China as a personal guest of Vice-Premier Wang Zhen in 1979. Photos provided to China Daily |
The prominent auction houses Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams may have all hosted sales during Asian Art in London - an annual 10-day extravaganza ended on Saturday in the British capital - but there is a small auction house that's set to make a big splash among the heavyweights.
On Monday, Chiswick Auctions will host a sale featuring the entire collection of Bernard Buckman, a key figure in Sino-British trade relations during the second half of the 20th century.
Buckman traveled to China multiple times - most notably in 1979 as a personal guest of Vice-Premier Wang Zhen - and the Englishman's 120-strong collection reflects someone who was both an enterprising businessman and keen patron of the arts. It also offers a window into China during a time when it was just opening up to the world.
"Buckman went to China every year from 1953 and more frequently after around 1962," says Lazarus Halstead, Chiswick Auction's head of Asian art.
"He was communicating with top government officials. No (other) Westerner had that level of access."
Buckman's collection runs the gamut from snuff bottles, jades and scholarly items to paintings and furniture, with price estimates starting from around $120 and going to $36,000.
- Online shopping frenzy sparks trash concern
- Is it a thing? 10 odd jobs where you can make good money
- Message on a bottle: Mineral water company launches drive to find missing children
- Snow leopards caught on camera
- A foreigner's guide to Singles Day shopping spree
- China jails 49 for catastrophic Tianjin warehouse blasts
- Americans want to change presidential election system
- UK business calls for exclusive visa system for post-Brexit London
- Australia poised to sign refugee deal with United States: media
- Philippines' Duterte says he is against 2014 defense pact with US
- S.Africa wants to work with US in promoting peace: Zuma
- Trump's victory on global pages
- Alibaba breaks sales record on Singles Day
- Ten photos from around China: Nov 4-10
- Snow storm hits Xinjiang
- Clinton concedes election, urges open mind on Trump
- Places to enjoy golden gingko tree leaves
- Taobao village gets ready for shopping spree on 11/11
- Overhead bridge rotated in East China's Shandong
- The 75th anniversary of Red Square parade celebrated
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
Authorities hot on trail of missing cultural relics
China's property investment further accelerates
Polar bear gets shopping mall reprieve
A wish called Wanda flies into Hollywood
No environmental shortcuts
US election rhetoric unlikely to foreshadow future US-China relations
'Zero Hunger Run' held in Rome
Trump outlines anti-terror plan, proposing extreme vetting for immigrants
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |