Adam’s sells Chinese God of War sculpture once owned by Franz Joseph of Austria

After the success of Adam’s of St Stephen’s Green’s inaugural Asian Art sale in June 2021 which realised in excess of €1.3 million, the auction house will hold a curated sale of 440 lots on Tuesday, November 23rd.

It will be split into four categories: Arts of China and Himalaya; Asian Painters; Arts of Japan and Korea; and Arts of Vietnam and southeast Asia – the highlights were previewed at the recent Asian Art in London exhibition.

Founded in 1998, Asian Art in London brings together dealers, auction houses, museums and societies as a centre for excellence and expertise, and Adam's was the only Irish house represented. The house is also a member of Asian Art in Paris, where its first sale was previewed by curator Thibault Duval, head of Adam's Asian Art department.

As you might expect from an oriental sale, there are numerous lots of jade featured, from animal figurines and two-handled cups to a wonderful jewelled silver and jade “Three Friends of Winter” magnifying glass (lot 38, €500-€800). Also in there is a large grey jade “Double Peach” scroll weight. From a French collection and weighing almost a kilogramme, the piece dates from the Qing dynasty, and the peach signifies the second month of the lunar calendar, which symbolises marriage, spring, justice and Daoist immortality (longevity) “thereby conveying a wish for a long-lasting life”, according to the catalogue notes (lot 26, €6,000-€8,000).

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One of the most interesting lots from the Chinese section is a monumental sculpture of the God of War (Guandi). Extending to a metre in height, the piece was once owned by emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph, who gifted the sculpture to his confidante, the renowned Austrian actress Katharina Schratt.

Opinions are divided on whether their relationship was platonic, but their friendship endured 34 years and was encouraged by his wife Elisabeth. In addition to paying off her gambling debts, the emperor gave Schratt two mansions in Vienna.

The sculpture, from a French collection, was once part of a pair, which were offered to Franz Joseph by a Maharajah, and this lot comes with much documentation in French and German dating from the 1940s, including letters, invoices, custom papers and a picture of the second sculpture – which would have made the pair (lot 102, €30,000-€50,000).

From Japan – with almost 200 lots – is a large collection of wood brick prints by renowned artists such as Hiroshige, Utamaro and Tokoyuni that feature some erotic subjects and tattooed characters priced between €100 and €5,000. Fifty lots represent the Vietnamese offering, the highlight of which is a "major silk painting" by world-celebrated artist Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) and thought to be part of a series executed in the early 1950s.

The catalogue compares it to one sold at Christie's in Hong Kong in July 2021, which achieved HKD525,000 (€58,162) (lot 229, €30,000-€50,000). As one of the highlights of the sale and a beautifully conducted work, it portrays a lady in a blue scarf and graces the catalogue cover. adams.ie