It is reported that a set of Chinese erotic carvings associated with the court of the Qianlong emperor is estimated by auctioneers to sell for as much as $1.9 million at a London sale in May.

The London-based auction house said that the 18th-century ivory scenes of couples enjoying amorous pursuits in palace gardens, will be offered by Bonhams at its May 12 sale of Chinese artworks and carrying a low approximate of 1.29 million.

The reliefs are mounted on 8 leaves made of Zitan wood, a prized, slow-growing timber whose use in China was controlled by the palace workshops. The 12-inch panels are hinged like books, allocating the carvings to be viewed at the discretion of the owner.

A senior specialist at Bonhams, Asaph Hyman said that he has never sold anything like this before. He said that Zitan wood was very expensive in the 18th century and it was generally reserved for items made for the Imperial court. Hymann said it is possible that they could have been made for the emperor, though they can’t prove it.

In an interview he said that the quality and size of Bonhams’s carvings are equivalent to a set of 12 similar leaves in the Qing court collection at the Palace Museum, Beijing, China.

In November last year, a Qianlong-dynasty vase sold for a record $83.5 million to a Chinese buyer at a Bainbridges auction in Ruislip, an area in Northwest London.

A 24 meter (79 foot) scroll showing the Qianlong emperor reviewing his troops has been estimated to get between $6.9 million and $8.26 million by the Toulouse, France-based auction house, Labarbe.

In an interview, auctioneer Marc Labarbe said that he expected it to sell for a record price for a Chinese piece in France.

**********************************************

The Views and Opinions Expressed by the author are his or her opinions only and do not necessarily reflect those of this Web-Site or its agents, affiliates, officers, directors, staff, or contractors. The author at the time of this article did not own any shares or receive any consideration financial or otherwise from any company or person mentioned or referred to in the article.