A YELLOW JADE CARVING OF A RECUMBENT GOOSE

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PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE GERARD ARNHOLD (1918-2010) (LOTS 214-233)I first met Gerard Arnhold in 1967 when I was 21 and had just started at Spink & Son, the distinguished dealers and crown medalists in London. He careered through the Spink galleries like a small tornado, looking at a variety of Asian works of art, firing off questions, and occasionally allowing a thoughtful smile to cross his face. From then on, he became a constant in my life with his indefatigable energy, curiosity and need to collect antiques. Gerard was a collector of works of art on a major scale and, in the process, he also collected people from all walks of life whom he would introduce to one another, whether or not they had anything in common. Born in Dresden in 1918, the grandson of Georg Arnhold, a banker celebrated for his philanthropy, Gerard studied in Dresden and Switzerland. As conditions in 1930s Germany worsened, the Arnhold family left and in 1937 Gerard began his studies at King’s College, Cambridge. He spoke with happiness of his time there and was proud of his British passport and that he served in the British Army from 1940. However, his commitment to Dresden was unwavering and he and his family often visited after reunification. He was a great supporter of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, and also supported the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen and the Völkerkundemuseum, among other projects in the city. Settling in Brazil in 1953, Gerard ran a successful business but philanthropy was always an important part of his life – he gave to museums, zoos, nature preservation schemes and music projects, including the Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland. He was, however, always on the move and would suddenly appear in my office as if he had never left, asking what treasures we had that he could buy. If I happened to be out he would leave provocative notes on my desk, letting me know that he was off to visit other dealers and auction houses. Gerard was described as difficult by some of his family, friends and curators, but I preferred to think of him as challenging, and whatever scrapes or situations he found himself in, he seemed able to extricate himself with his innate, subtle and rather seductive charm. Often impatient, I remember on one visit to Brazil, his knocking loudly on my bedroom door at six in the morning asking if I was awake and how soon could we start checking and listing his jades! His home was a mass of paintings and works of art, many of which were purchased in the twenty years after the war, but he never stopped collecting. His huge collections of Chinese and Asian art were scattered all over the apartment, in particular his study and gallery room. It is often said of people that their like will not come again, and in Gerard’s case it is true. His need to explore and acquire works of art on such a scale is unlikely to be seen again, and his deep curiosity and his background meant that conversations with him were the best of history lessons. His personal taste survives in his collection of paintings and works of art, many of which are now to be seen in museums and private collections around the world. Roger Keverne

A YELLOW JADE CARVING OF A RECUMBENT GOOSE

18TH CENTURY

Details

A YELLOW JADE CARVING OF A RECUMBENT GOOSE
18TH CENTURY
The bird is shown in recumbent position looking over its back while holding a sprig of millet in its beak. Two young are by its side. The stone is of a yellowish green tone with a dark brown inclusion.
3 in. (8 cm.) long

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

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