At the 2012 ARTS OF PACIFIC ASIA SHOW in New York IMEPRIAL ORIENTAL ART ((www.imperialorientalart.com) owner Mustafa Hassan will have on view several outstanding examples of Chinese porcelain masterworks to offer visitors to this important art show.
Among the highlights to be shown at the IMPERIAL ORIENTAL ART stand is a Rare Ru-type Meiping with Qianlong seal mark of the period (1736-1795) that Hassan says, “Is possibly one of two known in the world, the other one being in the Palace Museum. It was in an East Coast private collection for nearly seventy years, having been acquired at Sotheby’s Parke Bernet in 1944.” The 10.5 inch high Meiping is unusually beautiful, as well as rare, and is being offered at $550,000.
A second featured art work is a Large Blanc De Chine Figure of a Standing Guanyin dating to the 17th Century, 18.5 inches high, with an original storage box designed for it. Hassan says, “This Blanc de Chine was in a private Pennsylvania collection for more than 100 years, and is well priced at $150,000.”
A third show stopper, according to Hassan, “Is an Extremely Rare and Magnificent Group of Famille Rose most likely commissioned for a western missionary during the 18th century. It depicts an Immortal “Shoulao,” or God of Longevity, shown holding a Large Peach. It is accompanied by a Famille Rose Servant Holding a Tray. It dates to the Qianlong period (1780-1790) and is l5 inches. This rare work’s provenance is a private collection in Boston and it is well worth the $125,000 price.”
IMPERIAL ORIENTAL ART has been one of the most respected sources for important porcelain and Oriental works of art for nearly two decades, with clients that include top museums and private collectors. Hassan has earned a reputation among Far East clients for his knowledge, quality and generosity.
At last year’s Arts of Pacific Asia Show the gallery sold 21 art works in the first 20 minutes of the Opening Night, breaking a show record. Hassan says, “This fair attracts some very sophisticated art buyers who know not to pass up a truly exceptional find when they see it.”
At his Madison Avenue gallery on the Upper East Side Hassan offers a wide range of oriental art for seasoned and new collectors including Blue and White, Monochrome and Doucai, Famille Rose and Chinese Export, Famille Vert and Wucai, plus Chinese works of art and glass.
Hassan says, “It’s my pleasure to introduce new collectors to the beauty of these Oriental art masterpieces, and to work with long time clients to build the most significant private collections.”
When Mustafa Hassan arrived in New York in 1981, after three years at university studying business in his native Egypt, he had no idea that his life’s work and passion would involve a specialty in Oriental art and porcelain.
Hassan says his career was sparked by an early opportunity, in 1982, to work at Christie’s in New York. Soon Hassan impressed colleagues with his gracious personality, hard work and passion for learning as much as he could about rare works of art. His eye developed as he handled thousands of objects at the New York auction rooms, and he won mentors among some of the most well known Oriental art specialists then at Christie’s including Anthony Durham, Sebastian Izzard and Theow H. Tow, now Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Americas and Asia. They were generous sharing their knowledge with Hassan, and they helped him develop his talents.
Today, IMPERIAL ORIENTAL ART offers important porcelain works of art from the most acclaimed Chinese dynasties which Hassan says “Generally have been kept in private homes for decades and are being offered on the market for the first time now.”
Hassan has enjoyed some notoriety in his career for finding important objects in unexpected places. While at Christie’s he spotted a rare object at a client’s home that eventually sold for $1.5 million US dollars at auction in Hong Kong. “It took me two weeks to persuade the client to let me have our experts authenticate the piece; he just did not believe it could be that valuable as he had paid just $265. for it! This story made headlines in Hong Kong newspapers.”
In 1998 he saw an unusual vase estimated at just $3000 in a European auction catalog. It reminded him of one he’d studied in the Walters Collection book. “The mark was difficult to read, but I discovered that the glaze was so rare it had existed only in the 18th century.” The dealers viewing the catalog were not familiar with the work but with the new information Hassan was able to buy the piece and subsequently sell it to a very famous American collector for well over six figures.
Hassan says his early exposure to so many different kinds of Oriental art has sharpened his eye. His first sale at Christie’s was of objects from the Korean Ceramics Collection of Robert Moore. He says there were not a lot of Korean clients at Christie’s then. He was successful assisting the late Florida dealers Helen and Jerry McGee who were his first customers and became close personal friends. “They had great faith in my ability and predicted that I would become a trusted dealer in Chinese ceramics.”
“Interest in Chinese works of art has grown tremendously since I entered the field,” he says. “There are many mainland China buyers today who were not active when I began. They have a great interest in acquiring important, particularly Imperial, objects. I also enjoy working with new collectors who value pieces they can enjoy now and share with their families in their homes. While really rare pieces of Oriental art command significant prices, a beginning collector can still acquire noteworthy examples for relatively modest amounts, I see many opportunities in a market like this.”
IMPERIAL ORIENTAL ART is a featured exhibitor at major antiques shows in New York, Palm Beach, and Chicago.
IF YOU GO IMPERIAL ORIENTAL ART at ARTS OF PACIFIC ASIA SHOW
March 20 – 25
at The Market Suites 7W
7 West 34th Street at Fifth Avenue
opposite the Empire State Building
Preview Tuesday, March 20 6-10pm ($100.)
Then 11-7 Wed – Sat, Sun from 11-5 ($20.)
and at
IMPERIAL ORIENTAL ART
790 Madison Avenue at 66th Street
New York NY 10065
212 717 5383 www.imperialorientalart.com
