Qing vase fetches record $44.9m at auction

A rare hexagonal vase from the Qing dynasty was sold for more than $44 million, one of two world records set at an antique auction yesterday.

The vase, from the Qianlong period (1736-1795), fetched $44.9 million at Sotheby's Auction of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in Hong Kong, setting an auction record for Qing porcelain.

It was sold to London dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi on behalf of a private collector.

The previous record for Qing porcelain was a ruby-ground rose vase from the same period which sold for $41.5 million in October.

Nicholas Chow Kuo-shih, head of Sotheby's Chinese ceramics and works of art department, said the hexagonal vase was of utmost rarity. 'The vase is an incredible tour de force in the ceramic medium. It attracted bidding from around the world including the UK, mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong,' he said.

Another record was set for a Beijing oval enamel golden pheasant box dating back to the period of Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722). It fetched $19.7 million.