The countless pieces of Chinese cultural work that were looted during various assaults on China were returned to the mainland on 9 October at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. More than 30 pieces of ceramics and art work were featured at the auction. Many of these were snatched by the European traders during the raiding of China at the time of incursion.
The major highlight of the sale was the 6-cm (2.4-inch) ‘Tai Shang Huang Di’ White Jade Seal, which was designed in 1796 to mark the repudiation of fifth emperor of Manchu Qing Dynasty i.e. Emporer Qianlong. The Jade Seal is been retrieved around 150 years after it was stolen from the Summer Palace outside Beijing during the period of Second Opium War. Beating the previous sales-record of White Seal, this sold was sold to an anonymous mainland collector for $5.92 million. The sale was scheduled on a day following the sale of atypical, flawless blue diamond that fetched $7.98 million, making it the world’s most expensive gemstone per carat ever mentioned in the history of auction.
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