A rare mid-19th century painted map of Beijing gives an insight not only into the complex structure of the Qing capital but also documents the different living quarters of members of the Imperial family and some of the most important temples and shrines scattered across Beijing (estimate: €8,000-12,000). Illustrating the spatial distribution of the Eight Banners (ba qi), an elite class of families with special privileges, responsibilities and military obligations central to the defence of the Qing dynasty. It is a very rare example of only a handful of similar maps known to exist, all in museum collections in China, Japan, Canada and England. 

Continuing the military theme is a very rare if not unique carved lacquer and iron saddle dated to the early part of the Ming dynasty (estimate: €60,000-80,000). In its construction and use of materials, the saddle was inspired or made by highly skilled artisans familiar with Tibetan iron workmanship and Chinese lacquer techniques. The sumptuous and highly auspicious carved black lacquer design of stags, deer and gibbons in an arcadian setting is highly unusual and conveys the great wealth, taste and refinement of its original owner. 

An Imperial album illustrating the Dharani Sutra from an English private collection is another testimony to the appreciation of the Qing emperor’s reverence for Buddhism (estimate: €50,000-80,000). Beautifully painted representations of Bodhisattvas and Buddha are finely and colourfully rendered, the accompanying texts written in gold on a vibrant blue silk representative of other 18th century Imperial albums similarly executed. 

An Imperial, yellow-ground green-enamelled ‘dragon’ vase made in the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty was also made to grace the Imperial quarters of the Qianlong emperor (estimate: €120,000-150,000). It comes from the collection of John Dearman Birchill (1828-1897), a wealthy English clothing manufacturer with a passion for Chinese porcelain which he displayed in his mansion Bowden Hall in Gloucestershire.

A selection of Nepalese, Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist bronzes and thangkas from various European private collections, is led by a rare and very large gilt-bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni (estimate: €200,000-300,000). Finely cast in separate parts joined together, this large and extremely heavy figure embodies the finest quality works made in the tradition of the Newari artists working in the Kathmandu Valley in the 17th century.  The sale also includes a very rare documentary polychromed clay portrait figure of the 28th Sakya throne holder Ngawang Sonam Wangchuk (1638-1685) from the Michael Henss Collection (estimate €:80,000-120,000). Consecrated with a piece of the monastic robe worn by Sakya Pandita, the fourth of the five founders of the Sakya Order, this important figure, made between 1685 and 1687, is inscribed and memorializes the head of the Sakya monastery.

Finally, two paintings by icons of 20th century Chinese painting round off the sale. A wonderfully coloured painting of amaranths by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) is dedicated to Dr. Oskar Paul Trautmann (1877-1950), German ambassador to China in Nanjing between 1935 and 1938 (estimate: €60,000-80,000). A pioneer in collecting and promoting modern Chinese artists at a time when they were unknown in Europe, Dr. Trautmann befriended many of the artists he collected while living in China and working on a peace treaty between China and Japan. The second painting from a French family collection is by Lin Fengmian (1900-1991) and was included in an important exhibition on Chinese artists working in Paris, held at the Musée Cernuschi in Paris in 2011 (estimate: €100,000-150,000). It was acquired directly from the artist and has remained in the family by descent.