The Priceless Ming Jar Used as an Umbrella Stand | Christie's
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ค. 2016
- This magnificent and very rare large blue and white ‘Dragon’ jar was once used as an umbrella stand.
After a team of Christie's specialists looked at the jar, they realised they were handling an incredibly important piece of Chinese porcelain from the Ming Dynasty.
In this video, Chi Fan Tsang, a specialist in Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, discusses the details that make this piece so special, including the significance of the five-clawed dragon, and the cross mark on the base of the vessel.
The dragon jar sold in 2016 for HK$158,040,000 / $20,447,642 as part of the '30 Years: The Sale' auction on 30 May in Hong Kong.
Find out more: www.christies.com/features/Dis...
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“That’s a nice umbrella stand”
“ThAnks it’s 8th century”
😯
Ha!!
didnt he said made during the reign of someone 1426 to 1435? so 15th century, not 8th?
Still d*mned nice
18th but I thought the same thing
@@dragonworrior9726 15th
And the owner never saw her umbrella stand again.
She's never had a better one!
😂 Yeah. Note the condescending nature of the museum staff. They probably hate the former owner who used it for holding umbrellas more than if it were smashed into a thousand pieces.
@@chopin65 i think the owner's now too rich to care what the museum staff think lol
And she never has to look at the price of petrol at the bowser
she was scamed?
Waoh, it's absolutely flawless. The "paint" look so fresh and vibrant. Hard to believe that piece has survived in perfect condition for nearly 600 years.
0:53 you can't see the flow? anyway still very valuable because of it's age.
also the coloration is clearly faded
This item was used as an umbrella stand indoors, so it is protected from the sun's damaging UV radiation. UV is one of the main causes for paint degradation.
@@bangscutterit's safe to assume that a jar would be kept inside a house even if it wasn't just used as an umbrella stand , but anyway the blue on the jar is not just blue paint, it's cobalt blue from cobalt oxide that doesn't degrade that easily.
@@bangscutter
It would have only been used as an umbrella holder for 50yrs at most, even it it was 100yrs there’s still 500yrs where who knows ?
My country Australia is only 200yrs old, well you know what I mean - since it was colonised, and this is 400years older 🤯
So still in great condition considering.
Dying father: I'm going to give my first son my 2 stores, my second son my house, and an umbrella stand for my third son.
Third son, evertime he thrusts an umbrella into it mutters: "I HATE YOU DAD, YOU NEVER LOVED ME!"
@@lockedandloadedsigns4424 awww, and now he knows that he's the favorite son
@@oliviaaurellias so satan?
@@h00db01i what?
That third one is the luckiest, seeing how that sold for 20mil dollars
It sold for $20 million USD. Talk about an expensive umbrella stand.
Shane TA shit
Wow. It is beautiful, though.
@@MM-Iconoclast $20 million is far more beautiful and a umbrella stand from K mart is fine with me...LOL
Ridiculous
How may people would that feed, I wonder?
Best I can do is 10$, and I'm taking a huge risk here.
you are the best....
I gotta frame it, and ancient Chinese emperors don't just come in here everyday.
I'm sorry but I think I'm gonna continue using it as an umbrella stand
Anhahahahhahahaha
just make sure you keep Chumlee away from it Rick..
It would be hilarious if the emporer had used it as an umbrella stand as well. Back to its original purpose.
Yes. XD
It’s probably a spit jar
A vessel is meant to be holding something. I hope this only added to the auction price. It's umbrella-rated.
Lol
ha
Forget how much it’s worth, let’s appreciate how beautiful the workmanship is
the title was cut off on my screen so it read "priceless ming jar used as an umbrella" i was wondering how that would work.....
Well, rather as more of a hat...
Helmet? 🤔
Lol ok this made me snort laugh
Ha ha
Sameeeee the reason i clicked the vid cuz i was hella confused lolzzzz
"The copyists don't see the base, or what you can't see in the catalogue". They do now.
make me a couple, please !
They still didn't know the insides.
They mean simple copies not forgeries.
I made a copy on my printer. Wonder how much that's worth. Millions I suppose.
Rick from Pawn Stars said, "I'll give you $30 and I'm taking all the risk here....it's going to sit and take up space in my shop".
F*ck that Pawn Star show! It's just low-balling everyone! I rather sell on Ebay than to Rick!
“I know the expert told you this priceless artifact may sell for 20 million dollars, but that doesn’t mean there’s a market for old pots. I could sell 10 fake football jerseys before this thing.”
You're not kidding. I stopped watching that show when their naked greed became too offensive. I mean, people with millions of dollars paying a nickel on the dollar for treasured heirlooms. Sheesh.
@@bretthess6376 : I hate pawnshops and 2nd-hand dealers! They buy in at dirt cheap prices from people and later sell for huge profits!! That's why I only sell on my own on Ebay, Carousell, Gumtree, etc...
@@Adam-de8jm : Usual excuse dealer will give to buy in at dirt cheap price!
That man busted out that flawless Mandarin/Cantonese like it was absolutely nothing.
宣xuan1德年制
Can confirm. I noticed the first character sounded a bit strange, was more s, where to me that would be an sh type sound. Not tht it matters. but ya them tones, nice!
like a champ
@@Gillfor 宣 is more s than sh, for a foreigner he pronounced it well
@@uchihasasuke7436 isn't it more Xuan rather than Suan.
600 years old and not a chip missing??? This is a beautiful piece of creative human hands!!! Stunning and priceless!!!
👀 wowww thats like winning the lottery
And you lost the ticket😂
The lady had the jar taken off her
But they got nothing in return
😯😯
Lol no money offered
Soooo....is no one gonna acknowledge that the owner just got her umbrella holder stolen?
Not if they were smart and held a deposit to send it to them. That, and no reputable authenticator or dealer would risk being called a thief and lose business.
@@scottwpilgrim what other business would they need after selling this one item? Lol.
The owner's great grandparents also probably got it by stealing it during western occupation of China. It's just karma that it got stolen again.
@@anastasiaye4064 ha, good point. That's probably true.
its not like they didnt get the money for selling it
What I find the most amazing is that it didn't break in the first 100 years already. There must have been no kids around.
Thanks to one-child policy.
@ it's biting them back in the ass though, they're having population problem now
@@notanicenamebutlovesrockan9265 thanks god 🤣
It must be a fake or a fake story
@@tomyuan7973 \
Really, everyone knows the Chinese only make cheap trash meant to break.
Last year I bought a new hammer (made in China) at the flea market and it broke on the first nail, right in the middle of the handle .....true story.
C'mon, people !!
.
The quality of the craftsmanship must be amazing if it survived that long as an umbrella holder. The painting is amazing as well, glad they found it before it was too late
0:40 just
Let me call a buddy of mine hes an expert in chinese porcelain
jullian kirby “let me call a buddy of mine, get him down here. He’s en expert in Ming Jars used as umbrella stands, he’ll be able to tell me a little more about what it’s worth.”
Jajaja 🤣
lol used to like the show
Lmao
jullian kirby 🤣😂🤣😂🤣
My Ikea umbrella stand: "dont look at me like this"
Me: "you make me sick"
😂😂😂
Plot twist: It was holding an umbrella from the Han dynasty worth even more that they threw out.
Noooooo 😭
Lol
True story. No umbrellas from that era are known to have survived.
Rick from Pawn Stars: "I'll give you $650 for it."
"Mmmm it's having to store it taking up room waiting for a buyer. I think $400 is the best I can do"
@Cris Catasus by ripping you off not "a lot less"
@Cris Catasus your trying to be nice, oh ok, that's nice of you cheers
Well I gotta clean it up , takes up floor space, gonna re sell for $650 so all I can do is 40 bucks
$650? Try like $12...
I’m more impressed how the doors close and vanish at the end 👀
Me too!! So cool!!
Christie's, they run a smooth operation :)
Science
Hahahaaaaaa im so glad im not the only one who thought of this hahahahaha thank you!!!
“This monumental dragon jar comes from a private French family collection. It was passed by descent through the family to the current owner, a distinguished Swiss lady. The jar was in the collection of her grandmother, Mrs. M. Legrand (1883- 1978), who lived most of her life in Paris but was originally from Northern France. Mrs. Legrand had herself inherited the jar in 1926. The jar was passed to Mrs. Legrand’s son (the current owner’s uncle - 1908-1997) and appears in an inventory of 1981. It was inherited by the current owner from her uncle, following the latter’s death in 1997. In the present owner’s home the jar until recently stood in the hall and held walking sticks. For this latter use, the jar was protected by a fitted metal liner, which can clearly be seen in a contemporary photograph.”
Curious, I wonder how something made for the emperor of China centuries ago ended up being in the possession of a French family
The jar must have had gone through quite a journey
Given the above information, it it logical that the French owners knew it was valuable, but didn’t know it’s true value.
@@yuenhai The vase was one of the items looted by the French Army when they attacked, looted and burned down the Summer Palace, Yuan Ming Yuan in Beijing in the 18th century.
Huang ZB indeed indeed. That across my mind too. In fact, a lot of Chinese treasures still inside French mansion, castle and chateau yet to be discovered. They all looted from burned summer palace.
@@yuenhai they stole it. duh. Th
when you realize your grandmas house is filled with all kinds of art like this....
Where does your gandma live? I want to offer her my humble service, carrying her shopping bags back to home.
Good luck! Lol
15th century made in China vs made in China today
dajk jk same shit
traditional Chinese Arts and Crafts made today still can fetch millions.
又一个傻逼看袁腾飞瞎逼逼历史的。
That's what people once said about stuff that was "made in Japan."
+obsidianstatue Arhh lan pa😂
As long its traditional and hand made it is till not from reproduction company
I wonder just how many items have been either used casually or scrapped because the owner didn't know just quite what it was they owned
Iroden My cousin bought a 7x5ft rug at a GoodWill in Tucson for 3 dollars. He got it appraised by an expert, and it was worth 10 thousand dollars. 👀 So it does happen.
On one hand there's this intangible value such as historic significance, aesthetics and on the other the true physical value and practical function. One can argue that the owner knows exactly what it is, but perhaps not exactly what it's worth.
I trusted not many case like this , because the real factor are not many imperial porcelains around , specially like that jar with perfect condition , even a hundred year ago, still need to pay not a small amount to get, not for a average level family to owned.
Contrast that with the question, how many people are sitting on items they believe to be worth $$thousands$$ that are actually worth about $1.
But I mean these Items were daily objects that people put importance on.
About 12 years ago, I was visiting with a neighboring Farmer.
Like most farm houses, the farmers tend to put nice looking rocks around their homes, barns etc.
Not necessarily because they like the rocks, but because rocks tear up your equipment and are routinely picked from farm fields.
On that particular day, talking about rocks, as I am a major rockhound, I noticed a strange black "rock" near their front door.
I instantly recognized the regmaglypts upon the surface of this fairly large iron/nickel meteorite that had been sitting out by the front door since their great grandfather built the farm house in 1867.
It came out of the field behind their house.
In searching the headlands as rocks are always put there after removal from the fields, we found several others in the five to fifty pound range.
Over the following years, I have found over four hundred more specimens using my metal detector in that field and others along the northwest running strewn field.
The meteorite by their front door sold in the high six figure range.
They still have the other bigger meteorites that were on the headlands.
Treasure is where you find it!
It's so amazing that something like this has survived for so long.
Beautiful object; but what I find more beautiful than the vase, is the beautiful diction of the lady who is speaking. I could listen to her all day and never tire of hearing her voice.
I literally came to the comments just now, to see if anyone else had already posted about the lady's speech. It hits just right, it's amazing.
Amazing that it survived thru all these years. Love artifacts...so interesting regardless of what culture
I could listen to this lady talk all day. Her voice and accent is soo soothing...
A great work of art and artistry indeed.
Fantastic object, really nice of you, Marco, to show this lovely piece to us, good work there! Really impressive jar!
Wow. All of a sudden the clay ashtray I made in 1984 doesn't look so pretty anymore.
😁👌
Give it a few hundred years
@@biancagazzingan Gotta gift it to an emperor, first.
I’ve seen some comments saying that the owner had the vase stolen from her or that she wasn’t paid - that’s just not the case. She was asked to send her vase for inspection and appraisal to Christie’s ( which is not a museum btw, it’s a world renowned auction house). They told her the actual time period and value of the piece, and as the owner she had full day over whether they could sell it or not. Auction houses take a percentage for commission, but she would’ve made off with the majority of the sale, which she did when it sold for 20 million. It wasn’t some pull the wool over her eyes and make off like bandits situation.
Incredible artistry for something that old to look brand new.
Imagine the journey this jar has made. From China, around 1600 AD, to some residence, to be casually used as if it were bought at Walmart.
Immortality is real
Xuande emperor hiding in the 21st century: "oh that? You wouldn't want that, it's worthless, just an old umbrella stand. Why don't we move to another room?"
There's stuff in landfills right now that is literally worth over a million dollars if you just picked it up, cleaned it off and took it to an expert. That's crazy to think about.
I know 2 brothers from Peckham that had a solid silver pocket marine timekeeper that they used to use as an egg timer. It sold for £6.2 million.
Note the way they slyly avoiding talking about buying the vase, Because they most likely didnt pay her shit for it.
I was about to say
They don't buy it from her, they offer to auction it for her. She gets the sale value and they keep the auction fees
That's not how auction houses operate. They auction things for other people and make money off the fees. This vase sold for well over $20 million and the previous owner, a "distinguished Swiss lady" would have gotten most of that.
They didn't talk about it in the video because they're the sort of people who think talk of money is improper or whatever. This ain't Antiques Roadshow! 😁
Noooo a british museum stealing things? Unheard of.
"Grandson comes over bumps into it and shatters to pieces"
OOPS !!! Sorry Nana !!!
Grandson disappears. Forever.
‘Oh don’t worry sweetheart! It’s only 200 years old and just holding my umbrellas! It’s not like it’s from the Ming Dynasty or worth $20 Million! LOL’
"That was a 1000 years old!" "Thank God, I thought it was a new one"
@@dzonbrodi514 omg hahaha
Absolutely magnificent. I love blue and white porcelains.
They got the idea from persia
@@sew_gal7340
Nope. The idea was actually from modern day Iraq during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century.
Everyone's focusing on the value and the fact that it was an umbrella stand. What I can't get over is that someone SHIPPED this anywhere. What a responsibility!
They have people for that, being a world leading auction room and all. Sometimes they'll send a person to the item to personally transport it back through all the stages of travel too. If the value justifies it.
Thankfully this amazing Ming piece was not damaged during its years as an umbrella stand.
The detail is incredible. What a find!
I’m a Chinese native speaker and the way that host pronounced the word 宣德 sounded like “garlic”... I was so confused about what emperor reigned in the Ming dynasty was called “Garlic” lmao
Chinese languages are too hard
Hahahaha
Lol blame your language.
Both Chinese and Western language are weird. They not speaks what it's written and write what it is spoken.
Why you guys can't be normal?
I mean, for example, when you say "are", it is "A-RE". NOT "AWR".
AND PLEASE SPELL "R" IN THE RIGHT WAY. "R" IS "R". NOT "AWR" (like how west people does) OR SOMETHING BETWEEN "L/R" (like East Asians does)
DBT so only your language is the ”right” way?
@@DBT1007 There is over 50 languages in the west mate, Might wanna be little more specific. I think you are referring to "English, Mandarin and Cantonese"
not the same but my mother used an incredible Roseville Dogwood planter as a rock jar for years! I'd be home looking at it hoping nothing happened to it before I got it. It's high on a mounted cabinet in MY house now!!!! that is a beautiful Ming vase! ( umbrella stand!)I LOVE pottery
Funny that the owners thought it was just an 18thC decorative piece, which in itself would have been worth a lot of money still.
How did Marco hear about it and what motivated him to have it sent to London? The owner thought it was a much newer object so someone must have seen it and known enough about Chinese porcelains to know that it could be much more.
The most amazing thing is that it survived for that long, without getting broken
The funny thing is I bought a Chinese looking ceramic tall cylindrical vase at a local chain store for guess what? use as an umbrella stand. I would like to think I would have noticed the quality and fineness of this object - and I do have a "nicer" commercial porcelain on a bookshelf - but yeah that might imply my first impulse like her would have been to use it as an umbrella stand. 😆
Amazing that it lasted so long without getting broken beyond repair or thrown out
When do things like this get forgotten about. It could only have gotten stolen. But still handled carefully over the centuries.
Something nice to have for a whole lot of rainy days.
Stunning & fascinating!!
I have a plumb shaped vase, with 5 sometimes 4 and sometimes three clawed dragons, all chasing the sun amongst the clouds. There is a typeset, handmade sticker on the base that reads "from Canton". I think it may be another collector's [stamp] sticker. Someday, I'll get a friend to take me over to Skinners, for First Tuesdays, for an appraisal.
im interested to know, how did this turn out?
As he says, "This is the beauty of Chinese art, unless you have a little understanding if it you can walk past it and not realize that it's something incredibly important. " Ino what he means, my dog leaves an 'incredibly important work of art on the ground" every time I take him for a walk.
The vase is gorgeous
Crazy TH-cam brought me here randomly in 2021 for some reason. My goodness, that is beautiful
Ceramics Specialist- "Your umbrella stand is actually a vase during the 8th Century! It's a priceless piece of history! We'd love to give you a very generous amount for your donation-"
Owner- "That sounds great and all but my floors are getting wet so um, I'd like my umbrella stand back."
Ceramics Specialist- "I understand. I will get it back to you by this week. Thank you for letting us see it."
*hangs up*
*dials assistant*
Ceramics Expert- " Fire up the kiln...I'm working on an...umbrella stand."
Gorgeous
I agree,she's not bad looking for an older woman.
Yes it is.
Did no one in the house notice the exquisite level of detail & the distinct blue/white Ming pattern?!
曾志芬小姐的講解水平一流。應該點讚。
My left ear loved this
imagine surviving all these years, just to be used as an umbrella stand
I paid $89 for a 1975 repro. Love it and so do my umbrellas! Some day it will sell for $200 or more.
Definitely gorgeous!
I love how the 1st guys states that an 18th century jar is just a decorative object.
Ill continue using this as an umbrella stand, it looks like it can hold alot!
It is in such good condition - amazing
That is incredibly beautiful
The Asian lady saying “catalog” in that accent made everything else worth it
Made me feel poor hearing her say catalog
May I ask you, why the way she said it, is special? I don’t quite understand it.
Normal way of saying it in the UK.
@@hege1316 people not from the UK or Imperial territories like the way the posh/Stereotypical/aristocratic British accent sounds.
The question is, how did the owner came into possession of that artefact?
Their great grandparents probably got a stolen artifact from when Europeans invaded and occupied China. One of the many palaces raided and destroyed was the Summer palace. Until now China has many priceless artefacts stolen during that time that are still missing, some displayed in western museums like other colonized countries and some hiding in private possessions.
It’s probably stolen from China during opium war consider it is a royal property.
@@underhorse5367 exactly
History
@@underhorse5367 orrrrr antique stores? I buy from antique stores all the time and those kinds of pots are pretty common. I doubt a precious heirloom would be used as an umbrella stand.
Omg it’s absolutely exquisite!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Beautiful
Have you guys ever dropped and broken one of your ceramic pieces?!
Since they are still alive, i would assume no
It'll get taken out of their meager paychecks.
Such things are usually insured.
Shawn more I think
You mean in the last month?
The experts: ahh yes, an exquisite piece of art from the ming dinasty, from the reign of the swanda emperor. No doubt is a unique piece of history for generations to appreciate...
The owner: so... can i get my uMbr3lla 5tAnd back pLeAse
The owner decided to sell it
it looks brand new. amazing
Beautiful !
I have also heard of a Ming bowl being used for feeding the dog.
The dog is worthy.
or a cat :)
IS it from Tuesday Morning?
Literally jaw dropping
kept waiting for them to drop it
It must be incredibly well made to withstand so much trauma over the years.
Indeed it was - this dragon jar sold for HK$158,040,000 / $20,447,642 in 30 Years: The Sale on 30 May in Hong Kong. in 30 years what ?
The auction event was titled "30 Years: The Sale".
Comma missing... caught me too.
If you'd have clicked on the link you'd have found out that it meant
"To mark the 30th anniversary of Christie’s in Asia, "
It is a stunning jar 🐲
wonderful and great piece!
I don’t even have an umbrella stand...
Do you have an umbrella?
SHOCKING that someone was using this to hold umbrellas!!!!!??? Very happy that it has found a great new home at Christie's on display!!!! :)
Susan Spaulding y
becky domain exactly I don’t think she realized how stupid she sounded
I don't know about shocking but I'd have used it for a vase. I have several Ming pieces and I used many of them for practical purposes not just as decoration. I have one lovely 29 inch tall Ming vase I use to hold umbrellas and walking sticks. I suppose the vase is worth more than the contents but one walking stick that is in it was hand carved by a very famous author who gave it to my great, great, great grandmother who served him dinner on many occasions. I value that more than the vase. My little round Ming covered box I use to hold mints in my bedroom. It's on my night stand next to me right now. When a friend of mine from China came to visit I served her dinner on a Ming plate. She could hardly eat her hands were shaking. She told me it was the most amazing dinner she ever ate. The shocking thing is that objects of beauty are not used to bring joy to people.
…..it’s not on display. Christie’s is an auction house not a museum. It was sold to a private collector.
Very much enjoyed this video.
I would love to know the story of how it ended up as an umbrella stand, was probably in some junk shop for £20 and they had absolutely no idea
it was stolen from the summer palace
@@my2l
Just as well, it would have been destroyed in the cultural revolution otherwise.
Or are we not allowed to talk about the cultural vandalism that took place in China by the Chinese themselves?
Only about nasty Europeans taking stuff.
@@my2l
Who cares? It’s just history. All great civilizations rise and fall.
Ming dynasty was defeated by Flash Gordon in the 80's
😄 Stop it!! 😂🤣☠
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣thanks that made me giggle!
Hard to find those cartoons.
Yes. That is why all the jars predate fatal encounter with Flash. Zero jars after that : )
FLASH....!!!
So Beautiful
I would have liked to hear more about the owner. How did she come to have this "umbrella" stand?
And how much she paid for it....
Probably eBay.
@@pblw4276
She inherited it from family
It would be interesting to hear the story of its journey over the 600 years since it was made. How did it end up as an umbrella stand?
It is very likely to be looted item when the British troop attacked Beijing Summer Palace.
We dont have an understanding of it because they burned it all to the ground about 45 years ago.... The freshness and finish of this piece for its age is kind of mind blowing...
I wonder if the Chinese government has been in touch with Christie's. I worked in China for 10 years and know this is exactly the kind of artwork that Beijing would demand be returned because it "belongs" to China.
Because whoever got it from Chinese imperial court must have obtained it "legitimately".
calforrai : Still more legitimate than breaking artefacts. Looking at you, cultural revolution.
the west plundered so many artifacts from China, so much that Jackie Chan even made a movie on it
Though as I understand it, if items hadn’t been plundered, they might have been destroyed by the cultural revolution. It’s a complicated issue that anthropology discusses and argues about constantly. Perhaps a super wealthy Chinese person bought this vase?
Ok. Next question.
So where did the person using it as an umbrella stand get it?
2nd comment: Yes, this umbrella stand is outstanding once you hear what the experts say about it; namely, the heads of the dragons being on the shoulder of the piece and about the five claws being made only for the imperial family. Ming era pieces are known for blue and white (from what I read), but, frankly, I have seen pieces far more appealing than this one, which is just big, in my opinion. I personally would prefer something more visually appealing, even if it is a much newer piece. I wonder what this "umbrella stand" finally sold for (don't think I heard that), if anyone knows. Please read my comment below.
unsolicited
Sold for $20 million dollars