921/​224

A Chinese gilt bronze Guanyin seated in dhyanasana with hands joined in a meditative pose, dressed in heavy robes and a mantle covering head and shoulders all with borders richly engraved with flowers and leaves, she wears a detailed pectoral necklace and earrings, on top of her head under the mantle is Amitabha Buddha. With wooden stand. Ming 1368–1644. Weight c. 13.1 kg. H. 48 cm.

Provenance: Kristian (“Kristen”) Peter Albertsen (1894–1977) and subsequently family. Kristen was born in Marstal on the Danish island Ærø and worked for “Store Nordiske”, the Great Nordic communications company from 1912. He was stationed in London and Petrograd, but moved to Asia in 1917. He worked for Great Nordic in Shanghai, Nagasaki and Chefoo. On the 11 of july 1918 he was attached to the Chinese Imperial Telegraph Administration. In his time with the company, Kristen worked as a superintendent with the reestablishment of the telegraphline in Mongolia, to ensure the line could be set up again between Peking and Kyakhta (Russia), after damage to the telegraphline. His, and many Chinese and Mongolian people's work to restablish the line went on in the years 1921 to 1923. Kristen was in Urga (Ulan Bator) when the Baron von Ungern-Sternberg took the city on the 3rd of february 1921, initiating a violent period dominated by warlords, crime and great political unrest. Kristen returned to Great Nordic on the 1st of may 1927, where he was appointed telegraph manager of Peking two years later. He settled there with his wife Karen Jørgesen (married 1923). She returned to Denmark with their, at the time, two children in march 1932. Kristen finished up his work in China before returning to Denmark in 1933.

Photo: From the house in Peking

Additional Remarks

The submission of bids on this lot number requires the prior registration of a valid debit/credit card, presentation of photo ID and the payment of a deposit of 25,000 DKK on request. Registration of debit/credit card, photo ID and deposit is due no later than Friday 7 June.

Please contact Bruun Rasmussen regarding this via email: bids@bruun-rasmussen.dk or tel.: +45 8818 1013.

Auction
Category
Estimate

200,000–300,000 DKK

Sold

Price realised

450,000 DKK