SACRED TO PROFANE:

5000 years of Asian Art from a Private Collection

5000 years of Asian Art – The works of art in this private, London-based collection of Chinese, Southeast Asian and Japanese works of art have been assembled over a period of thirty years. They show perfectly the joys of owning early and later Asian art and the many hours of enjoyment the collector had in putting together this group. The works of art range from a Chinese hardstone bi-disc that dates back to the Liangzhu culture, circa 3000 BC, via examples of Chinese porcelain and woodwork, jade and rock crystal carvings, textiles and export silver to Japanese ceramics, cloisonné enamel, lacquer and contemporary paintings.

The two main criteria in assembling the collection were that all objects should have a level of quality and be in good condition. The fact that these criteria were strictly adhered to in all cases is reflected in the works of art on offer. The timeless, ‘modern’ look of many of the pieces ensures they will fit in almost any interior. All the works of art in this catalogue will be on view at our new premises in Pimlico: 6 Guildhouse Street, London SW1V 1JE.

Given the seriousness of the pandemic we find ourselves in and mindful of the fact that many people unfortunately do not have the opportunity to travel and see with their own eyes works of art in “the flesh” before they decide to buy, we will be happy to send you individual pieces on a “buy or return” basis. We completely understand that, in many cases, a work of art needs to be seen by a prospective buyer before acquisition.m Therefore, if you are seriously interested in one of the works of art on offer, please do get in touch with us and we will take care of individual shipping arrangements.

I am very grateful to Peter Keenan for the impeccable design of this catalogue, Richard Valencia for the photography, Richard Harris for the colour separation and correction, Daniel Stevens for the conservation and restoration of objects and to Susie Macmillan for so ably assisting me in general.

We hope you will enjoy this catalogue and its contents.
Ben Janssens London, October 2020