Imperial collection: more than 6,000 lots to be auctioned

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China's auction season has kicked off, with all major houses holding their events this month. The country's premier auction house Guardian will open next week.

First up for the ancient Chinese art category are four calligraphy works and paintings which were recorded in the Shi Qu Bao Ji, the catalog from the Qing Dynasty.

Wide shot of Zhao Mengfu's painting and calligraphy /Photo from Guardian Auction

Close-up of Zhao Mengfu's painting and calligraphy /Photo from Guardian Auction

Shi Qu Bao Ji catalogs artworks collected by the royal court during that imperial period.

Painting by Zhou Wenju from Five dynasties /Photo from Guardian Auction

Most of the works recorded in the book are stored at the Beijing and Taipei Palace Museum, while only three hundred pieces of the collection are owned by private collectors.

This is a rare opportunity for collectors as these four items are set to go under the hammer at the auction.

Work by Qing Dynasty painter Qian Weicheng /CGTN Photo

Meanwhile, there are many masterpieces on offer in the contemporary ink painting category.

There are ten works by Fu Baoshi, and several works by Xu Beihong, including this one with the drawing of three horses and a lion.

There are also works by Li Keran, Huang Binhong, and Qi Baishi. All of them are ink-painting masters.

Guardian auction is continuing its momentum this season, with 6,000 lots which ranging over seven categories. This vibrancy is also in accordance with the world auction market, which took a turn for the better two years ago after the global economic slowdown in 2008.

Over in the ancient book category, a book series printed during the Song dynasty almost a thousand years ago, and kept by Kuomintang general Cao Kun, is the top highlight.

A set of rare books from Song Dynasty /Photo from Guardian Auction

Song Hao, manager of the department of Ancient Books of Guardian Auction, said that the series "has been secretly kept during its thousand-year history, not seen in any records. And it is one of a kind. 51 books of this collection combined with four separate books in the museums are what we only have of this book."

There's also a royal vase from the Qianlong's reign and a royal bowl from Yongzheng's reign in the Chinese porcelain category, both from the Qing Dynasty.

Royal bowl from Yongzheng’s reign /CGTN Photo

Other categories and items include ancient furniture, a Chinese zither, seals, and signed photos of celebrities.

Hu Yanyan, CEO of Guardian Auction, said, “The market has grown steadily in recent years. Every year attention accumulates in some of our segments. And every year we have pieces sold at sky-high prices."

Other things worth mentioning are new collectors continuing to spring up – around 30 percent are new collectors every year. And many buyers are not only buying these pieces to make money, but for appreciating and collecting valuable art.

The preview of Chinese oil paintings was held earlier on Sunday.

For the first time ever, this segment was held separately, outside the main venue, and instead at the Guardian's newly built Art Center.

Over 200 pieces are up for grabs, and experts say Xu Beihong's "Yu Gong Moves Away the Mountains" is expected to be at the top of this year's auction.