3rd Nov, 2023 10:00
Asian Art
59
A pair of Chinese blue and white bowls
Lots 59-100: A Single Owner Collection
Born in Norfolk in 1873, Edmund Bruce Ball (1873-1944) had a long and illustrious career in the field of engineering.
Starting employment as an engineering apprentice in Thetford, he went on to study further at the Manchester School of Technology, achieving many academic awards along the way. After holding several senior and managerial positions in the UK, he took his first overseas appointment, residing in Italy from 1905. In 1908, Bruce Ball headed for China to take on the position of engineer and commercial agent for Messrs Samuel McGregor & Co. of Shanghai, a role which led to him travelling throughout the Far East and Siberia representing the interests of several British firms. He found the experience fascinating and unlike anything he had encountered before, no doubt fuelling his passion for collecting Asian Art.
At the end of the First World War, Bruce Ball took up the position of managing director at Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd. in Kilmarnock, Scotland, a role he held for more than a quarter of a century and where he was considered with high regard, not only for his professional expertise, but also for the efforts he made in improving the overall welfare of his employees. By the end of his life, he was a recognised authority in the field of hydraulic engineering and had received many professional honours and accolades.
A pair of Chinese blue and white bowls,
Daoguang (1821-1850), the rounded sides rising from a circular foot, the interior painted with fruiting branches of peaches, pomegranates and finger citrons, the exterior with shou characters among sprigs of lotus flowers, a four-character Baoshanzhai zhi (Studio for Treasuring Goodness) studio mark to base,
12.9cm diameter (2)
Provenance: The Collection of Mr Edmund Bruce Ball (1873-1944), and thence by descent.
清道光 青花三多纹碗 《宝善斋制》青花楷书款 一对
Take advantage of our Sworders Delivery Service. Please see 'Shipping estimate' below.
From the collection of Mr Edmund Bruce Ball (1873-1944)
Born in Norfolk in 1873, Edmund Bruce Ball had a long and illustrious career in the field of engineering.
Starting employment as an engineering apprentice in Thetford, he went on to study further at the Manchester School of Technology, achieving many academic awards along the way. After holding several senior and managerial positions in the UK, he took his first overseas appointment, residing in Italy from 1905. In 1908, Bruce Ball headed for China to take on the position of engineer and commercial agent for Messrs Samuel McGregor & Co. of Shanghai, a role which led to him travelling throughout the Far East and Siberia representing the interests of several British firms. He found the experience fascinating and unlike anything he had encountered before, no doubt fuelling his passion for collecting Asian Art.
At the end of the First World War, Bruce Ball took up the position of managing director at Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd. in Kilmarnock, Scotland, a role he held for more than a quarter of a century and where he was considered with high regard, not only for his professional expertise, but also for the efforts he made in improving the overall welfare of his employees. By the end of his life, he was a recognised authority in the field of hydraulic engineering and had received many professional honours and accolades.
Sold for £14,500
Condition Report
No obvious faults.
IN PERSON
To bid in person at auction for the first time please register for a bidding paddle in advance by filling out and submitting a registration form at our front desk. When registering in person we require photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence.
ABSENTEE BIDDING
If you cannot attend the auction in person we can bid on your behalf. You can leave an absentee bid on our website.
The amount you bid should be your maximum bid. We will bid up to that limit for you, and remember you may end up paying less than your limit, depending on other bidding on the day.
You can leave an absentee bid up to half an hour before the start of any sale. Please note when we receive two or more absentee bids for the same amount, the first bid received will be the one taken.
LEAVE COMMISSION BIDS ONLINE
If you would like to leave a commission bid on our website you can do so up until 30 minutes before the sale starts. Leaving a commission bid through sworder.co.uk is free for all registered clients. Thereafter you may register bank card details under your account in order to bid live. Click here to register an account.
BID LIVE ON sworder.co.uk
You can bid live at our auctions from the comfort of your home or office using bidding platform Sworders Live. It is easy to register and you can watch the auction live as it happens. A 'Bid Live' button will appear on the auction on our website homepage when a sale is live; simply click the button to sign in or register with your card details. There is no additional charge for this service.
For further instructions on registering to bid live, please click here.
TELEPHONE BIDDING
If you would like to bid by telephone please contact our team prior to the auction with your details of the lots you are interested in and your full name, address, telephone number(s) and email address. Once our team have entered your bid request you will receive an email confirmation. We will contact you during the sale and one of our team will bid live with you over the phone.
Please note that we normally offer this service for lots with an estimate of £500 or higher and all telephone bid requests must be received by close of business the day before the auction.
Auction: Asian Art, 3rd Nov, 2023
Viewing
London Viewing
Viewing will be held at our London Gallery, Sworders Fine Art, 15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ as follows:
Friday 27 October, 10am - 4pm
Saturday 28 October, 10am - 1pm
Sunday 29 October, 10am - 1pm
Monday 30 October, 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 31 October, 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 1 November, 10am - 4pm
Thursday 2 November, 10am - 4pm
All lots are, however, extensively illustrated and carry detailed condition reports - see 'Condition report' at the foot of each lot description.
The auction will take place at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE.
Please select the shipping destination;
Buying a pre-loved, antique, or vintage item not only provides you with unique style and value for money but it also helps to reduce landfill, and the annual emissions of an antique or vintage piece can be as little as one sixteenth of those of its new equivalent!
Sworders is proud to be supporting the work of Antiques are Green - the movement that was founded in 2009 to promote “a greener future created from the past”. Read their fascinating carbon footprint study of a Georgian chest of drawers versus a modern equivalent here
Request A Valuation
Here at Sworders, we are happy to offer a free online valuation service. Please fill out the form and press the 'Submit' button below.
To help us with your valuation please attach clear photographs of the item where possible. You can submit up to 5.
Approximate dimensions are also useful. Expect to hear from the appropriate valuer as soon as possible.
