Coinciding with Sotheby’s introduction of Premium Puerh Tea auction, we are delighted to present our first tea-themed online auction (8-16 December 2021), exploring the evolution of tea drinking culture and its subsequent influence on the development of utilitarian teawares from the Tang to the Qing dynasties.

In the Tang dynasty, tea was traditionally boiled and served as a soup with condiments. The popularisation of tea appreciation reached its pinnacle in the Song dynasty, when it was appreciated as a ceremony amongst the literati society. This was revolutionised in the Ming dynasty when the Hongwu Emperor banned the production of compressed tea cakes, and loose-leaf brewing subsequently paved the way to the development of a new range of tea vessels.

This auction presents an array of tea wares from the Tang dynasty through to the Qing dynasty, an important chapter marking the transformation of tea drinking customs and techniques from ancient to modern China.

民間俗語有云：「水為茶之母，器為茶之父」。古代茶器，自唐代烹煮、宋代點茶、以至明清沖泡的文化演變中，因時制宜，與時俱進。備茶、貯茶、烹茶、飲茶使用的各種器具，均具有不同時代特徵。適逢蘇富比即將舉行普洱茶拍賣，瓷器部藉此推出首場以茶為主題的網上專場「甘茗廻香 – 中國歷代茶器的演變」（2021年12月8至16日），以中國歷代飲茶習慣為背景，見證古代茶具隨歷史蛻變的面貌。

For assistance with bidding and registration, please contact:

enquiries@sothebys.com

+852 2524 8121

For all sale enquiries please contact:

Vivian Tong | Vivian.Tong@sothebys.com | +852 2822 9027

Deputy Director, Head of Mid-Season Sales, Chinese Works of Art

Please note that as of August 1st 2020, Overhead Premium, a fee payable by all auction buyers in our global salesrooms and online sales, will be charged at 1% of the hammer price plus any applicable local taxes. It is an allocation of the overhead costs relating to our facilities, property handling and other administrative expenses. This fee and our Buyer’s Premium rates exclude local taxes and any applicable artist’s resale right.

從2020年8月1日起，蘇富比的全球拍賣及所有網上拍賣將加收營運附加費。本費用將按落槌價的1%及加上任何適用地方稅項收取；本費用將用於營運支出，以及維持在競爭激烈的藝術市場中，提供優質服務及豐富經驗所需的高昂成本。本費用與買家酬金不包括地方稅項及任何適用之藝術家轉售權費用。