Asian Art

Thornhill Stem Cup Sells for £3.6 million

9 May 2016

Grace Tu

Rare Ming Xuande porcelain achieves landmark result in Hong Kong

A rare Ming dynasty Xuande (1426 to 1435) blue and white stem cup from the celebrated Thornhill Collection sold for HK$41,560,000 (approximately £3.6 million) in Lyon & Turnbull and Freeman's 2016 Chinese Works of Art auction in Hong Kong.

The remarkable result remains one of the most significant sales of Chinese ceramics handled by Lyon & Turnbull and demonstrates the enduring international demand for exceptional imperial porcelain with outstanding provenance.

Why is the Thornhill Stem Cup important?

The Ming Xuande period is widely regarded as one of the great eras of Chinese porcelain production. Pieces bearing the Xuande mark are celebrated for their exceptional craftsmanship, refined blue and white decoration and rarity, with the finest examples now held in major museum collections around the world.

The Thornhill Stem Cup is an outstanding example of this tradition. Virtually unseen outside museum collections, it attracted international attention throughout a carefully planned exhibition tour before its successful sale during Hong Kong's prestigious Asian Art Week.

Our Asian Art Department

Find out more about our Asian Art department, specialists and sales.

“The Ming Xuande (1426-35) mark and period blue and white Stem Cup is a rare masterpiece and is virtually unseen outside museum collections. This is a great result, bringing the sale to Hong Kong has proved to be the right decision for both Lyon & Turnbull and our partner Freeman’s and we are thrilled that Staffordshire University now have funds to properly carry out the wishes of Ernest Thornhill.”

Lee Young, Head of Asian Art at Lyon & Turnbull

A global journey to auction

The Stem Cup formed the centrepiece of a specially curated sale of Chinese Works of Art presented by Lyon & Turnbull in partnership with our sister auction house, Freeman's of Philadelphia.

Its journey to Hong Kong began with its first public exhibition in almost twenty years during Asian Art in London in November 2015. The cup was subsequently exhibited in Philadelphia and New York before travelling to Hong Kong, giving collectors around the world the opportunity to view this remarkable work before the auction.

Following a lengthy bidding battle, the Stem Cup achieved HK$41,560,000 (£3.6 million), confirming Hong Kong as the ideal international marketplace for a work of such rarity and importance.

The Thornhill Collection

The Stem Cup was the most valuable object within the Thornhill Collection, a group of 270 Chinese works of art bequeathed to Staffordshire University following the death of collector Ernest Thornhill in 1944.

A London pharmacist with a lifelong passion for Oriental ceramics, Thornhill assembled an important collection spanning many centuries of Chinese ceramic production. During the Second World War the collection was transferred to Staffordshire for safekeeping and remained largely unseen for many years.

Following its rediscovery, Staffordshire University appointed Lyon & Turnbull to sell the Stem Cup, enabling funds to be raised for a permanent home for the remainder of the collection on its Stoke-on-Trent campus. The new Ceramic Education and Research Facility fulfilled Thornhill's wish that future generations should be able to study and enjoy the collection.

"This is a fabulous result for the University of Staffordshire, it will allow us to care for and display the Thornhill Collection for future generations to enjoy. The funds raised will allow the remaining pieces of Chinese Oriental Ceramics to be curated, conserved and enjoyed in a new Ceramic Education and Research Facility. This is something Ernest Thornhill always hoped for and I am pleased that we will now be able to make his dream come true.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University, Rosy Crehan

The market for exceptional Chinese ceramics

Museum-quality Chinese porcelain continues to attract strong international interest, particularly imperial wares from celebrated periods such as the Ming Xuande reign. Rarity, condition, provenance and historical importance all play a significant role in determining value, with outstanding examples often competing at the highest levels of the global auction market.

While works of this calibre are exceptionally rare, Lyon & Turnbull's Asian Art specialists regularly discover important Chinese ceramics, jade, bronzes and works of art in private collections across the UK and internationally.

Do you own Chinese ceramics or art?

Chinese porcelain continues to emerge from private collections, family inheritances and long-held collections. Whether you own a single piece or an extensive group of Chinese works of art, our specialists can advise on its age, significance and current auction value.

Request an Auction Estimate

Request a free, confidential auction valuation to discover whether your Chinese ceramics, jade or Asian works of art could benefit from exposure to Lyon & Turnbull's international audience of collectors.

Department