NEW YORK, 2 February 2018 – Sotheby’s is honored to announce the addition of Inspired: Chinese Art from the Collection of Gerson and Judith Leiber to its Asia Week New York sale series. Built over the course of seven decades and totaling nearly 100 works of art, the collection is a testament to the Leiber’s artistic background and vision. Ahead of the dedicated auction on 20 March, the public is invited to view the collection as a whole when doors to the public exhibition open on 15 March.

Gerson & Judith Leiber commented: “From our very first purchase from a small antiques shop in Budapest in the 1940s to our personal exhibition of Chinese Art at our East Hampton museum in 2008, our lives and our work have been inspired by Chinese Art. We’ve delighted in the art form’s intricate designs and beautiful motifs for the past seventy years, and we hope that these works of art will bring similar joy.”

Angela McAteer, Head of Sotheby’s Chinese Works of Art Department, New York, noted: “Colorful, whimsical and vibrant, Mr. and Mrs. Leiber’s unique aesthetics shine through in their personal collection of Chinese art. We are honored to present their curated selection of Chinese Art, carefully purchased over numerous decades from reputable dealers from across Europe and America, alongside other masterpieces during Asia Week New York”.

GERSON & JUDITH LEIBER
Following a fortuitous meeting on the streets of Budapest, Hungary in the 1940s, Gerson and Judith Leiber married and moved to New York in pursuit of art and fashion. Establishing themselves in New York City, the Leibers began taking steps to make their dreams a reality, he by studying at the Art Students League, and she by taking jobs at fashion houses, including one led by esteemed fashion designer, Nettie Rosenstein.

By the mid-1960s, Mr. and Mrs. Leiber made it official. As the founder of her eponymous handbag company, Judith Leiber elevated the minaudière to an iconic fashion accessory. Her elegant handbags, which resemble works of art, are enjoyed by prominent figures in fashion, art, and politics. A highly-regarded artist, Gerson Leiber’s paintings, etchings and drawings are featured in museums and galleries around the world, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
An Impressive and Large Pair of Famille-Rose ‘Soldier’ Vases and Covers from the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period leads the group (estimate $250/350,000). Notable for their size and design, the present example is of the highest quality. Measuring 52 ¼ inches in height, the baluster vases feature ruby-red scrollwork and iron-red and gilt-blossoms against blue-cloud background; a proud pheasant, painted in brilliant enamels, perches on rockwork while gazing at his mate in a fenced garden of peonies, magnolias and prunus. The soldier vases, complete with their original covers, have been in several illustrious collections including that of the present owners, the Rt. Hon The Lord Hargadale of Islay and the Fonthill Collection, formed by Alfred Morrison in the mid-late 19th century.

Dated Ming Dynasty, Wanli Period, the Rare Blue and White Qilin-Form Censer is a beautiful example of China’s mastery of pottery (estimate $60/80,000). Taking the form of a qilin – a legendary and mythological creature, symbolizing benevolence, longevity and felicity – the present work would have been difficult to successfully mold and fire, due to its intricate features and large size. A closely related example, also decorated with a leafy scroll, can be seen in the Zwinger Museum in Dresden, Germany.

A ‘Cizhou’ Tiger-Form Pillow from the Jin Dynasty is a beautiful illustration of Gerson & Judith Leiber’s adoration of animals (estimate $12/15,000). Vibrantly painted in black and russet-orange, with a slip of white reserved for the head, the present form is a rare example of the form. While most Jin Dynasty pillows of this type were modeled with a white slip-covered and outlined headrest, the present example features the headrest as a continuation of the beast’s back. This unique style served as the direct model for one of Mrs. Leiber’s Tiger minaudière handbags.