THE man who named a chain of restaurants after himself and brought international acclaim to Chinese cuisine is back in the headlines, this time in his role as art collector extraordinaire.
Tomorrow and Thursday, Sotheby's New York will offer a unique collection of glass and jewellery from the 1920s and 30s formed by Michael Chow, owner of the famous eateries in London, New York and Los Angeles known as Mr Chow.
The sale, which has created intense interest, will make history, says Hong Kong-based Vivian Chow, youngest sibling in the family which includes not only Michael, but well-known actress Tsai Chin.
''Michael is the first-ever Chinese to have a single-name catalogue on a non-Chinese subject with a major auction house,'' Ms Chow said yesterday.
''A couple of other prominent overseas Chinese collectors have also had own-name catalogues, but not for Western works.'' Described by Sotheby's as ''an accomplished artist and designer'' in his own right, Chow's most eagerly awaited offering is ''an exceptional collection'' of works by French glass artist Maurice Marinot (1882-1960).
Though highly regarded in their day, Marinot's exquisite creations became increasingly confined to a limited circle because of their extreme rarity. Undeterred, Chow gradually built up a superb collection.
It represents not only every aspect of Marinot's work, ranging from his early figurative and floral designs to the dense, fascinating vessels and bottles of his later years - a prime example is a jar and cover, featuring fine air bubbles resembling caviar, that is valued between US$20,000 and US$30,000 (about HK$155,000 to HK$230,000) - but is the largest selection ever offered for sale.