A Beginner’s Guide to Chinese Snuff Bottles

Posted on July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 by Ashley Innes

Snuff bottles are one of the most distinctive and varied forms of Chinese art. While they are not typically the first medium that comes to mind when collectors think of Chinese antiques, they are an exciting area of collecting and play an important role in Chinese art history. In this article, we’ll explore a handful of the most popular types of snuff bottles.

Imperial origins

While snuff bottles themselves are Chinese, an integral part of their history is European. Before the invention of snuff bottles as we know them today, tobacco was introduced to China during the late Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) through contact with European traders and missionaries. By the early Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), snuff had become fashionable at court, and the Chinese snuff bottle emerged as a distinct art form, influenced in part by earlier European snuff-taking traditions. Over time, snuff bottle designs became increasingly intricate and the range of materials more varied, culminating in an artistic height during the eighteenth century. Snuff bottles are often created in traditional rounded forms, but sometimes take on more creative shapes.

Snuff bottles are a perfect entry point to Chinese art collecting for novice collectors, with portability, availability on the auction and retail markets, frequently accessible price points, and a fascinating history. The market is not solely in the three-to-low-four-figure range, with Imperial or more unique and finely crafted bottles fetching auction results rivaling those of larger Chinese art forms. What sets snuff bottles apart from other Chinese antiques is the wide breadth in form, encompassing nearly every existing Chinese medium, excluding textiles and furniture. Some examples of snuff bottle types include porcelain, lacquer, cloisonné, jade, painting, calligraphy, and glass, among others. In Western art terminology today, snuff bottles are categorized as “decorative art”, as they originally served a utilitarian purpose, but snuff bottles have also historically been considered inherent standalone art objects. The distinctions of “fine art” vs “decorative art” do not exist in China in the same way; therefore, when working with snuff bottles, it is more productive to view snuff bottles as a unique marriage of cultures and uses.

Porcelain

Porcelain snuff bottles comprise a large portion of snuff bottles available in today’s market. Within this broad category, porcelain snuff bottles can be subcategorized into many further groups, mirroring those of larger porcelain items, with blue-and-white snuff bottles among the most popular. Blue-and-white snuff bottles are painted with precision and painstaking detail, reflecting the styles, shapes, themes, and technology of their larger blue-and-white porcelain counterparts. For example, many snuff bottles are in the shape of meiping vases, a popular shape for larger wares across Dynastic China. Such an example includes a blue-and-white snuff bottle decorated with dragons and in the shape of a meiping vase, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong for 25,000 HKD (2,410 GBP) in 2020. Snuff bottles are often accompanied by small bases in the shape of porcelain plates. Other common blue-and-white snuff bottle themes include landscapes, young boys, and various themes found in larger wares.

Aside from blue-and-white snuff bottles, other common porcelain types include famille verte, famille rose, or red-and-whites. Sometimes, as with larger wares, a bottle can include both blue and red on white, such as this dragon snuff bottle sold at Christie’s Hong Kong for 35,280 Euros (30,557 GBP). As the result nearly tripled the preauction estimate, this is a fine example of market demand for the genre.

Lacquer

Lacquer snuff bottles are another popular category. As with their larger counterparts, their value is affected by factors including size, age, whether they are Imperial, quality of craftsmanship, condition, provenance, and literature / exhibition history. For example, this lacquer snuff bottle depicting an outdoor scene of two women sold at Christie’s New York earlier this year for $10,160 (7,675 GBP), exceeding the preauction estimate of $4,000 – $6,000. The bottle likely performed so well because it is Imperial and shows strong provenance and exhibition history.

Glass

Glass snuff bottles, perhaps more than any other category, demonstrate a wide stylistic variety worthy of their own article. They can be painted from the inside or outside, be monochrome or polychrome, come in creative or traditional shapes or textures, and were created across different periods. Some popular themes include landscapes, garden scenes, or figurative scenes. A particularly creative example is an Imperial bottle in the shape of a fish, displaying a Qianlong mark on the underside, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2023 for 330,200 HKD (31,818 GBP).

Whereas Contemporary snuff bottles of other materials predominantly consist of reproductions of antique styles, Contemporary glass snuff bottles are sometimes made in more modern styles. For example, Contemporary glass snuff bottles can be painted to display prominent figures. As Contemporary snuff bottles are no longer associated with snuff itself, the line between the Western categories of “fine art” and “decorative art” becomes blurred, since the original utilitarian purpose has now vanished. This further demonstrates the inapplicability of Western terminology in Asian art contexts.

Snuff Bottle Collecting Today

I was remiss not to include more categories this article, given the abundant and vibrant world of snuff bottles, but this introduction should hopefully suffice to pique further exploration, as there are many opportunities on both sides of the pond to view and handle them. Snuff bottle collecting has been most popular in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with a sometimes concentrated but dedicated market of enthusiasts active today. Snuff bottles appear in most major museum collections of Chinese art and are regularly offered at auction houses working with Chinese art and with specialist private dealers. Susan Page Snuff Bottles is the premier London-based dealer for snuff bottles and participates in Asian Art in London each autumn, where attendees may view snuff bottles in person. Additionally, the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society is an invaluable educational resource for collectors of all experience levels, academics, and enthusiasts.

Regardless of your favorite type of Chinese art, Chinese snuff bottles offer something for everyone!

Can AI Value Your Collection? The Reality Behind the Technology

Posted on July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 by Ashley Innes and Alastair Meiklejon

Artificial intelligence is already changing the way we research, work and communicate, but what does it mean for valuations?

In this webinar, Asian Art Specialist Ashley Innes & Senior Valuer Alastair Meiklejon explores how AI can support the valuation process, where its limitations lie, and why professional judgement remains essential.

Ashley discusses the risks of relying on AI for object identification, comparable research and valuation conclusions, as well as the ethical issues around client privacy, image editing and accountability.

The session also looks at the useful role AI can play when used carefully, particularly as a research and report-writing tool.

A practical discussion for collectors, insurers, brokers and anyone interested in how technology is affecting the valuation world.

Summer 2026 Must-See Exhibitions

Posted on May 6, 2026May 7, 2026 by Liz Bailey, Stephanie Connell, Jonathan Horwich, David Dallas, Ashley Innes and Jenny Serra

With the appearance of summer there are an array of fantastic exhibitions and displays of artwork, sculpture, ceramics, and jewellery across the UK. Fortunately, our team of nationwide specialists are here to pick out their selections for this year’s calendar:

Jonathan Horwich – Modern & Contemporary Art Specialist

Cecily Brown: Picture Making
Serpentine Gallery
Running until 6th September

“I recommend this exhibition. Cecily Brown is a truly great painter and her work is little known beyond those of us already involved in the art world. Amazingly for such a major artist this is her first London show and is a must see …. It’s already open and runs over the summer into early September.”

LIz Bailey – Jewellery & Watches Specialist

Grima at the Tomasso Gallery
Tomasso Gallery, London
From 11th – 20th June

“I’m really looking forward to this year’s instalment of the Grima exhibition at the Tomasso Gallery. In what will be its fourth year, this week-long showcase of Andrew Grima’s work, including jewellery and watches from his iconic ‘About Time’ collection for Omega, and contemporary Grima Jewellery pieces is one of the best opportunities to see such a breadth of his work together. For our review of the 2025 edition of this special annual exhibition, take a look at our article here.

London Watch Week
Various locations, London
3rd-6th June 2026

“For those with a passion for horology, London Watch Week has you covered. Last year included events hosted by Bonhams, Pragnell, Oris, plus dedicated days to celebrate independents, and vintage wristwatches – organised by Lucy Cheesewright, Justin Hast and Tom Exton – this carefully curated event will cover numerous facets of the watch world.”

London Watch Fair
The Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow
14th June 2026

“If the Watch Week wasn’t enough, the London Watch Fair takes place just over a week later on 14th June and provides visitors with the chance to see (and buy!) vintage watches from some of the best dealers in the business. With seventy traders lined up for this specialist fair, this is a fantastic opportunity to see rare models, discover new collecting niches and make connections with dealers.”

Ashley Innes – Asian Art Specialist

The Bayeux Tapestry

The British Museum, London
September 2026-July 2027

“To say the upcoming Bayeux exhibition at the British Museum will be a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition would be an understatement – the Bayeux Tapestry hasn’t gone on tour since the Napoleonic era! This will be the first time it has visited the UK since its creation nearly a thousand years ago, so reserve your tickets promptly when they go on sale in July for the September opening.”

Stephanie Connell – Senior Valuer & Collectors Specialist

Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration
Clerkenwell, London
Opening 5 June 2026

“While not an exhibition I am really excited to visit the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration which officially opens in London this June. Illustration art is one of my greatest passions, so I am fascinated to see the programme of exhibitions in this unique dedicated space.”

May Morris: Crafting a Legacy

Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool
25th April – 1st November

“This exhibition is a celebration of the wide-ranging creative output of Arts and Crafts designer and maker, May Morris, the younger daughter of William Morris. A vibrant display of embroideries, wallpapers, watercolour designs, costume and jewellery will showcase her many talents.”

David Dallas – Old Master Specialist

Gwen John: Strange Beauties

National Museum Cardiff
Until 28th June

‘It was a joy and a revelation to go to the Gwen John Exhibition at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales in Cardiff, last week. The drawings are almost entirely from their own collection, which numbers more than 900 works, purchased from the artist’s nephew’s estate in 1976. The oils are borrowed from all over the globe. There are only 158 known. One observation I made after looking closely at so many tiny drawings, was that Gwen spent most of her time painting these portraits and still lifes in a small studio. There is little sense of space or depth in these drawings so, despite feeling “more at home in the country than in the town”, her landscapes are strangely ambiguous. She can’t cope with or describe the great outdoors. It isn’t intimate enough.”

Elizabeth 1, Queen & Court
Philip Mould & Company
14th May – 10th July

“This exhibition will include the earliest surviving life-size, full length portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, together with rarely seen works of some of the key figures from her close circle of courtiers and confidantes. This ‘cast’ of Elizabethan portraiture, rarely exhibited, will show a rare glimpse of how portraiture was used as a tool of power in the 16th century.”

Richard Fattorini – Rare Books & Manuscripts, Historical Photographs and Maps Consultant Specialist

Firsts London 2026 – London’s Rare Book Fair

Saatchi Gallery, King’s Road, London
14th – 17th May

“Firsts London is one of the world’s most popular and high-profile rare book events. Whether you’re a collector looking for the next masterpiece to add to your library, or a bibliophile who loves browsing second-hand classics, Firsts London is the event for you. Discover titles by distinguished authors, ephemera from celebrity readers and manuscripts from history’s great moments, all in the heart of Chelsea.
Are you new to the world of rare books, or just want an expert guide to the fair? Firsts’ selection of talks and tours are a great way to learn more about book collecting and make the most of your visit. From deep-dives into revolutions in printing, to perspectives on careers in the book trade, these free events are a chance to meet experts and learn some of the secrets of the trade.”

Photo London 2026
London Olympia
14 to 17 May 2026

“Photo London is the UK’s leading international fair for photography and image-based art. Each year it brings together the world’s most acclaimed photographers, galleries and curators alongside a new generation of emerging talent.”

The Other Photography Fair

London Olympia
16 May 2026

“The Other Photography Fair showcases photography in its many forms, with a special focus on vintage works from the 19th and 20th centuries. Supported by Vintage Photo Fairs Europe and sponsored by the Chiswick Auctions Fine Photographs Department, the fair gathers leading international dealers, collectors, and specialists under one roof.
Alongside historic photographs, visitors will find photobooks, rare cameras, and live wet plate collodion and cyanotype workshops, bringing early photographic processes to life.”

Jenny Serra - Marketing Manager

Fired Legacies: The Ceramic World of Rich Miller
Watts Gallery, Godalming, Surrey
Opening 5 June 2026

“As a novice potter and fan of the Channel 4 show, The Great Pottery Throwdown, I am looking forward to seeing Rich Miller’s first exhibition at Watts Gallery. The exhibition delves into his own heritage and an exploration of British colonial history, and unearths the narratives of trade, labour and identity that have shaped contemporary British society.”

The Art World This Spring: 2026’s Must-See Exhibitions

Posted on March 31, 2026April 2, 2026 by Liz Bailey, Stephanie Connell, Jonathan Horwich and Ashley Innes

With the appearance of spring there are an array of fantastic exhibitions and displays of artwork, sculpture, ceramics, and jewellery across the UK. Fortunately, our team of nationwide specialists are here to pick out their selections for this year’s calendar:

Stephanie Connell – Senior Valuer & Collectibles Specialist

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style
The Kings Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
From 10th April until 18th October

2026 marks what would have been the 100th birthday of two of modern histories most iconic women – Queen Elizabeth II and Marilyn Monroe – to mark this there are two individual exhibitions opening in celebration of their lives. Firstly, Queen Elizabeth II : Her Life in Style opens in April at the Kings Gallery – I am excited to see highlights from her wardrobe and how fashion created her enduring image.

Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait
National Portrait Gallery.
From 4th June until 6th September

The second, Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait will bring together photograph and works inspired by Marilyn. She is one of the most recognisable figures of the 20th century but works depicting her are varied from when she was a teen model to later more poignant images.

Ashley Innes – Asian Art Specialist

Hawai’i: a Kingdom Crossing Oceans
British Museum, London
From 15th January until 25th May 2026

“Hawai’i: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans at the British Museum is not to be missed! Exhibitions about Hawaii are very rare in the UK, so this is a golden opportunity to learn about the complex historical relationship between the two countries and Hawaii’s rich culture.”

Liz Bailey – Jewellery, Silver & Watches Specialist

National Trust Jewellery on Display
Nationwide, National Trust Properties.

I was amazed and delighted last year when my local National Trust property, Calke Abbey, announced that they would be putting their previously unseen jewellery collection on display. This incredible selection of jewels are reflective of the Harpur-Crewe family’s history of exploration in Ancient Egypt, and high society lifestyle – with bespoke Egyptian Revival pieces made by Collingwood & Son, set with Egyptian agate beads gathered by Vauncy Harpur Crewe in 1870, and a sensational red topaz and aquamarine brooch purchased in 1836. A collection well worth seeing, and indeed many more at properties throughout the UK – Killerton House in Devon has a ‘History off the Hanger’, and further pieces on display at Erddig in Wrexham, Sissinghurst in Kent, Wallington in Northumberland, Tyntesfield in North Somerset, Belton House in Lincolnshire, and many properties across the UK.

Made in Ancient Egypt
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Running until 12th April 2026

The Fitzwilliam Museum are displaying a fantastic selection of Ancient Egyptian artefacts until April, including ceramics, sculpture, and yes- jewellery. This exhibition is the first to explore Ancient Egypt through the lives of its craftspeople- with many objects never before displayed in the UK.

Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse
The National Gallery, Room 1
Running until 31st May

Another exhibition I am keen to see, which strays into our paintings specialists’ territory, is the George Stubbs exhibition at The National Gallery. Showcasing two of Stubbs’ most monumental works, of Scrub and Whistlejacket – two of the first life-size portraits to depict horses without a human presence in British History.

Jonathan Horwich – Modern and Contemporary Art Specialist

Winston Churchill: The Painter
The Wallace Collection.
From 23rd May – 29th November

My recommendation is an upcoming exhibition at the Wallace Collection, dedicated to Winston Churchill’s paintings. In painting, Churchill found a respite from public pressures and a source of joy that spanned his lifetime. Displaying 50 of his works together, with just under half from private collections, this exhibition is the most comprehensive display of his work to date.

Samurai and Beyond at the British Museum

Posted on March 4, 2026March 5, 2026 by Ashley Innes

I recently had the thrill of attending the preview evening of the British Museum’s newest exhibition Samurai, which explores Samurai culture from its Japanese origins through its international influences today.

The term “Samurai” refers to feudal Japan’s warrior elite class, which emerged in the late Heian period and rose to political dominance in the Kamakura period. One might have expected the British Museum’s Samurai exhibition to just be an assemblage of armors, but Samurai was unlike any exhibition I had ever seen on the topic, placing unusual emphases on Samurai activities outside the battlefield, depictions of Samurai in other Japanese art forms, art produced by Samurai, women in the Samurai sphere, and perhaps the most shocking – Star Wars memorabilia! From a market perspective, Samurai are worth collectors’ attention, as they attract wide interest. Although dedicated Samurai auctions are rare, an example is Sotheby’s 2021 Samurai auction, which saw multiple lots selling in the 200,000 – 400,000 GBP range.

Although not the focus of the exhibition, the Samurai armor displays were striking and shed light on fashions and practicalities for different types of Samurai across Japanese periods. One such example featured armor for a fifteenth-century archer, who would have worn ōyoroi armor, which was angular and loose to allow the wearer ample space to draw his bow. This piece includes approximately 2,000 scales of lacquered iron or leather to enhance the practicality for the wearer. Samurai armor can perform well at auction, especially the more complete the piece is (such as this armor set from the 2021 Sotheby’s Samurai auction, which sold for 378,000 GBP), although individual elements such as helmets (such as this helmet from the same auction, which sold for 52,920 GBP) have a strong market as well. Weapons such as swords are also of market interest.

Instead of merely displaying armor, the exhibition did a spectacular job of immersing visitors into the world of the Samurai, demonstrating that these warriors were not isolated, but fit within broader Japanese culture. Samurai included a plethora of examples of Samurai depicted in art. Many of these were japan woodblock prints, which consistently enjoy a strong market, especially for famous nineteenth-century artists such as Hiroshige or Hokusai. Samurai were not always warriors fighting in battle; sometimes they carried out far more mundane administrative tasks, such as tax collection or land management or protective roles such as policing, firefighting, and security. Katsushika Hokusai, who is best known for the Great Wave, also frequently depicted Edo scenes of everyday life, such as this print of land surveyors

For Japanese art collectors, factors such as condition and edition size make a considerable difference to value. The artist and recognizability also play an important role; for example, a Hokusai Great Wave print sold at Sotheby’s last November for a record-breaking 21,725,000 HKD (2,124,000 GBP).

Since its opening, the Samurai exhibition has been praised for its ample curation about Samurai women, who have historically been excluded from discussions about Samurai, as the stereotypical Samurai image is of a warrior. The exhibition remedies this omission, as women comprised half of the Samurai class and therefore made significant contributions to many areas of life. I felt that the exhibition really did women justice in this regard, as the curation did not treat them as a mere afterthought only mentioned sporadically, but they instead were featured in multiple parts of the exhibition. My favorite object was a bright red jacket and hood belonging to a female firefighter from Edo Castle. Unfortunately, this type of textile is so niche that I’m unaware of any existing auction history for it, but now that I’ve seen one, I personally will be keeping my eyes peeled…

A real and completely unexpected treat near the end of the exhibition was one of Darth Vader’s original costumes as seen in Star Wars. The costume design for this character was inspired by Samurai warrior armor, which is especially noticeable in the helmet, which resembles a Samurai helmet. While this is obviously not categorized as a Japanese Samurai object, it is worth mentioning that the collector interest for Star Wars memorabilia is substantial. While Darth Vader costume props have sold well in the past, just last year, Darth Vader’s lightsaber broke the record for the most expensive Star Wars prop, selling at Propstore Auction for $3,654,000. Star Wars lightsabers are linked to traditional Samurai swords.

If visiting the Samurai exhibition, be sure to allow sufficient time to see everything, as the sheer volume of objects makes this an exhibition not to skim through. The Samurai exhibition is on through 4 May (perhaps this date has something to do with Star Wars?) and, in addition to the British Museum’s upcoming Bayeux exhibition, is bound to be one of London’s top exhibitions for 2026!

To arrange valuation of your collection, call us on 01883 722736 or email us at [email protected].

Lunar New Year: Year of the Fire Horse

Posted on February 11, 2026February 11, 2026 by Ashley Innes

新年快乐! It’s that time of year again – Lunar New Year is right around the corner! At Doerr Dallas, we wish you all a healthy and prosperous year for 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse (丙午), which falls on 17 February this year.

Lunar New Year is the largest festival in China and is widely celebrated throughout East and parts of Southeast Asia. The horse is one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac and fire is one of five zodiac elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). This means that while the Year of the Horse falls every twelve years, the Year of the Fire Horse only occurs once every sixty (the last one was in 1966 and the next one won’t be until 2086!). Last year was the Year of the Wood Snake and the previous year was the Year of the Wood Dragon. People born in the Year of the Fire Horse are characterized as independent, courageous, and charismatic.

After the dragon, which is easily the most represented animal in Chinese art from the zodiac, the horse is the next most popular animal to appear across Chinese visual media. The horse is timeless and always in style when it comes to Chinese antiques and Contemporary art, regardless of whether the work was intended for domestic use or destined for the export market. The types of Chinese art featuring horses are too numerous to discuss in detail here (including ceramics, sculpture, paintings, textiles, jade, etc), so in the spirit of this being the Year of the Fire Horse, let’s explore objects that have been through the firing process!

Han Horses

In ancient Chinese cultures, royalty and the upper classes were buried with valuable items believed to guide them through the afterlife. Horses symbolized social status, military power, and connections with foreign cultures, such as the Roman Empire. The Han and Qin Dynasties were some of the most popular periods for the practice of including burial objects to help the deceased into the afterlife. In the second century BCE, Central Asian horses were introduced to China, which were much more desirable than local breeds.

Han burial horses are characterized by their large eyes, open mouths, upright ears, clipped manes, knotted tails, and a distinct S-shaped head and neck. These horses were often painted and glazed. Sometimes a separate saddle can be attached to the horse, while other times it is drawn or incised ono the body. Models shown in movement (such as this horse sold at Bonhams in 2022 for $35,312.50) are typically more valuable than horses depicted still. Most are terracotta, but occasionally high-quality bronzes appear at auction and in museum collections and are higher value, such as this horse at Sotheby’s that sold for 945,000 HKD in 2022 or this horse on display at Compton Verney in Warwickshire.

Tang Horse Figurines

When one thinks of horses in Chinese art, Tang burial figurines are often the first to come to mind. The Tang Dynasty (690 – 705 CE), while short, was one of China’s cultural golden ages. Continuing from the Han tradition of burying horses with the deceased to assist in the afterlife, Tang horses are sancai wares, meaning lead-glazed earthenware with “three colors”. The most common colors are brown, green, and cream, but in practice these figurines can also feature blue, black, or other colors. Tang funerary horses were typically shown standing still or with one front leg raised.

Tang sancai horses are included in most major museum collections of Chinese art and prominently appear on the market. Their abundance is a double-edged-sword; these horses can be a more accessible entry point for aspiring collectors, but the market is more competitive, so only those with scientific authentication (such as the Oxford TL test) or exceptional size, quality of craftsmanship, provenance, or condition stand out (such as this Sotheby’s lot in 2021 selling for 414,300 GBP).

Tang horses can appear standalone or with accompanying human figures. Some of my favorite Tang horses feature court ladies as riders, which exemplify the relative freedoms that noblewomen enjoyed in China during this period. These works periodically appear at auction (such as this Bonhams lot in 2024 selling for $10,240 and this Bonhams lot in 2024 selling for $7,040). One of the finest museum examples is on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris, featuring a terracotta group of female polo players.

Horses on Porcelain Snuff Bottles

While horses feature prominently throughout Chinese porcelain, I would be remiss not to at least briefly mention snuff bottles in this discussion, as they can be an accessible entry point for novice Chinese art collectors. Porcelain is merely one of many forms of snuff bottles to feature horses (such as lacquer, jade, glass, etc) and has been included in this discussion of the Year of the Fire Horse because porcelain is kiln fired. An example is this Qing red-and-white snuff bottle, which sold at Sotheby’s last year for $635. However, some snuff bottles come at a higher price bracket, such as this bottle selling at Sotheby’s in 2019 for 112,500 HKD.

Wherever you fall on the Chinese zodiac, we hope you enjoy the horses you encounter this year in all of China’s art forms!

To arrange an asian art valuation call us on 01883 722736 or email us at [email protected].

Aphrodite’s Treasures: Antiques from the Greek Island of Kythira

Posted on December 4, 2025December 4, 2025 by Ashley Innes

In early September, I had the opportunity to visit the Greek island of Kythira (sometimes spelled Cythera or Kythera), about a 45-minute flight or six-hour ferry ride from Athens. Kythira is located between Crete and the mainland, making it an important trade center from Greek antiquity up through the 19th century. While there are many interesting historical aspects to Kythira, its greatest claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

Today, Kythira is typically overlooked by international tourists, serving instead as a well-kept secret holiday spot for mainland Greeks. Despite its reputation as a beach destination, Kythira is an archaeology enthusiast’s delight, with plenty of Venetian ruins and several museums to explore. My favorites were the Venetian ruin Castle Chora (which was understandably devoid of art) and the Kythira Archaeological Museum.

The Kythira Archaeological Museum

The Kythira Archaeological Museum is home to both archaeological objects and works of art. When I visited, I was impressed by the detailed level of curation (especially for a small museum), the variety of media, the interactive video displays, and the braille coverage and tactile pottery exhibit, which reproduced ancient vessels for visitors to explore themselves. The exhibition spans Kythira’s history from the 9th millennium BCE through the Roman Empire, highlighting Kythira’s various roles in agriculture, trade, and military activity in various periods.

Greek Sculpture

The museum’s key object is the Lion of Kythira, a large stone sculpture of a seated lion from the 6th century BCE. The Lion of Kythira was discovered in the 19th century near Kastri and likely would have served as a funerary guardian or votive offering. As Kythira was a popular stop on various trade routes, many items discovered in Kythira are from elsewhere; this lion is possibly from Palaiokastro on the island of Crete. The Lion of Kythira now enjoys the stability of a permanent home at the Kythira Archaeological Museum, but experienced a turbulent century of looting and earthquakes after its 19th-century discovery.

The market for ancient Greek sculpture is tightly regulated, as these items are not allowed to be removed from Greece, so the strongest markets are in the US, UK, and France. For collectors interested in this field, provenance is of the utmost importance. There are no direct comparable sculptures for the Lion of Kythira on the market (especially of this size and condition), but there are Greek or Cypriot lions and other similar sculptures from this period available, such as this 6th century BCE Cypriot lion head or this 6th century BCE head of a kouros from the Greek Islands or Sicily.

A Hygieia Sculpture and the Spread of Greek Fashion

The Kythira Archaeological Museum displays an abundance of funerary objects and other artifacts from the Ionian Islands from as early as the 9^th millennium BCE, giving insight into the ebb and flow of life on the island, which was much busier during some periods and possibly completely deserted at others. The greatest interest for the earlier objects remains in Greece; the international market is not as strong for this type of ceramics as it is for later Greek pottery. The greatest market interest remains in the later Greek and Roman items, of which the museum had plenty, including an impressive coin collection. There were many later Greek and Roman items to choose from, but one of my favorites was a simpler Hellenistic sculpture of a female torso draped in robes. Made in or near Athens in the late 4th–early 3rd century BCE, it likely represents Hygieia, the goddess of health.

Hygieia caught my attention due to the styling of her robes, a tradition that originated in Greece. As an Asian art specialist, I immediately recognized this is as the Graeco-Roman style that would eventually reach India and appear in Gandharan coins and sculptures of the Buddha, which would be the Buddha’s first andromorphic representation (you can read more about this in my recent article on Gandharan friezes). Later, a version of these robes would reach China via the Silk Road (you can read about an example of this in my recent article on North American museums). Collectors interested in this style of robes do not have to search far, as it is prevalent in the artistic heritage so many cultures (and yet presents itself uniquely in each). This statue of Hygieia is not the flashiest object at the museum, but it is an important reminder of the timelessness of Greek fashion and the longevity of influence, even many centuries later and halfway across the world.

If you ever find yourself in Kythira, take a break from the beach and enjoy the rich history and material culture the island has to offer!

To arrange a valuation of your Asian Art or other collection, call us on 01883 722736 or email us at [email protected].

This Year’s Asian Art Highlights at Frieze

Posted on October 30, 2025October 30, 2025 by Ashley Innes

Highlights at Frieze

As an Asian art specialist living in London, each year I attend Frieze Masters and Frieze London to gauge current Asian art market trends. There have been many shifts over the past five years, due to a combination of post-pandemic markets, an increasing demand for non-Western art forms, and even AI’s impact on the availability of art market information (with varying levels of accuracy, as is discussed in my recent article here). There was a wealth of Asian art available at both fairs this year, so I have selected a handful of highlights from each.

Frieze Masters

Frieze Masters has traditionally prioritized artworks that are antique through Modern (i.e. not Contemporary), but the past few years have seen more flexibility in this area. This year, Contemporary Japanese ceramics and other decorative arts took the spotlight. Joost van den Bergh Gallery is known for its antique Indian art, but has also displayed Contemporary Japanese art at recent fairs. This gallery included Japanese ceramics at Frieze Masters this year, with three celadon crackle wares by ceramicist Nakashima Hiroshi (1941-2018). Nakashima Hiroshi was best known for his celadon wares with a Guan-inspired crackle glaze. Most of his celadons are a pale blue, which made the green vase on display (asking price: 8,500 GBP) at Frieze Masters stand out. Guan/Ge crackle wares originated in Song Dynasty China, but spread throughout East Asia and are now popular globally. Nakashima’s ceramics artfully balance East Asian tradition with delicate and masterful Contemporary Japanese craftsmanship, often taking on shapes that would not have been found in Dynastic China. Thomsen Gallery, which is known for its Japanese lacquer, bamboo, ceramics, and folding screens, was the other main Japanese highlight at Frieze Masters.

I would be remiss to cover Frieze Masters without mentioning an antique object. I was delighted to come across an Epirus embroidery at Moshe Tabibnia Gallery, which is known for its Asian textiles. Epirus textiles are not strictly considered Asian art, but rather more of a hybrid category associated with the Ionian and northwestern Greek regions under Ottoman rule. For this reason, they are often grouped together with other Asian art objects. Epirus textiles are easily identifiable by their vibrant reds, blues, and greens against a neutral background. Common motifs include parrots, vases, and flowers, which are found here. This textile was already sold by the time I viewed it, but similar textiles are often sold on the London market for roughly 5,000 GBP – 15,000 GBP, depending on size, level of craftsmanship, and condition.

Frieze London

Of the Asian art selections available at Frieze London (which only features Contemporary art) this year, Korean paintings were the predominant recurring theme. Over the past few years, I have seen works by Contemporary Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun (1935 – ) displayed at both Frieze Masters and Frieze London. Ha Chong-Hyun is a leading artist of the Korean Dansaekhwa (monochrome) movement. While I didn’t come across any at the former this year, at least three galleries (Kukje Gallery, Tina Kim Gallery, and Almine Rech) featured his paintings at Frieze London. The artist’s oil on hemp cloth paintings are instantly recognizable for his technique of pushing paint from the back of the hemp cloth material so that it seeps through to the front, creating a distinct, three-dimensional surface, often in rectangular shapes. While the prices were not publicized, this artist is considered blue-chip with a very stable market. Last year, his auction results averaged approximately $90,000 (often far exceeding this!).

I wonder what trends we will see at London’s Frieze fairs next year? The past few years have demonstrated a rapid evolution of collectors’ tastes and market trends – I look forward to discovering what is in store for 2026.

Chinese Highlights Across North America

Posted on September 18, 2025October 8, 2025 by Ashley Innes

This summer, I spent two weeks visiting seven museums across Canada and the US: Casa Loma, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum in Canada, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Cranbrook Art Museum in Michigan, and the de Young Museum and the Asian Art Museum in California.

Having spent my childhood in the Detroit and San Francisco areas, I had visited these local museums many times over the years, but enjoyed exploring the Canadian museums for the first time. The ROM was especially a delight for its extensive Chinese collections and the inclusion of the only complete Ming Dynasty tomb outside of China. As an Asian antiques specialist, I am biased in favoring the substantial Asian art collections at the Royal Ontario Museum, the DIA, and the Asian Art Museum. There are too many Chinese highlights across the museums to discuss here, so I will share three favorites from the ROM and the Asian Art Museum.

Although blue-and-white porcelain carries a global appeal and is widely considered the most popular type of Chinese ceramics, I have always had a soft spot for red-and-white porcelain, which I feel is often overlooked for its more mainstream counterpart (I am definitely in the minority on this one!). At the ROM, I saw a gorgeous Qianlong red-and-white cong vase (a rectangular vase with a round interior). The cong shape is archaistic, paying homage to Neolithic Chinese ritual bronzes and jades. The Qianlong period, when this vase was made, saw a large production of Neolithic shape revivals. The ROM vase displays auspicious motifs on each side, including bats, clouds, and archaistic geometric patterns. While Neolithic cong vases were created for ritual use, Qing versions were decorative. Authentic Qianlong comparables are extremely valuable, with sales in the 75,000 GBP – 100,000+ GBP range, but for collectors with smaller budgets, there are later Qing options available made for the export market (which are still antiques), selling for roughly 1,000 GBP – 2,000 GBP.

While at the ROM, I was absolutely smitten with a Ming rooftile I found in the shape of a celestial attendant with a fishtail (similar to a mermaid). The ROM has an impressive collection of Ming sancai wares (sancai means “three colors” and is a ceramic painting technique dating to the Tang Dynasty) and an entire wall dedicated to temple rooftiles. The market for sancai rooftiles is not very strong at the moment, often selling for under 2,000 GBP, making them an accessible entry point for novice Chinese ceramics collectors.

I would be remiss to write an article covering the Asian Art Museum without acknowledging (what is in my humble opinion) the museum’s most prized object: China’s earliest known Buddha sculpture, commissioned by a Chinese monk in Hebei during the Later Zhao period (319 – 351 CE). Dated 338 CE, this gilt bronze sculpture captures a significant moment in Buddhist history. The Buddha sits in a meditative pose on a large base, with folded hands in his lap and a serene expression. He shows strong Gandharan influences, including Graeco-Roman style robes and a tall topknot ushnisha (instead of the later spiked ushnisha, which would later become more common in East and Southeast Asia), features that would have reached China via the Silk Road. Yet, his physiognomy and style of hands are distinctly Chinese, signaling a diversion from Buddhism’s Indian origins and the establishing traces of China’s own Buddhist tradition. As this is the earliest known Chinese Buddha, there are no direct comparables on the market. For interested collectors, there are a handful of slightly later Buddhas available in a similar style, but these are still rare on the market.

If you’re traveling in North America this summer, museums in Ontario, Detroit, and San Francisco have plenty of Asian art to offer. I’m looking forward to my next visit!

AI Chatbots in Valuations: What Collectors Need to Know

Posted on September 11, 2025September 11, 2025 by Ashley Innes

“But ChatGPT told me my vase was worth £100,000!”

Sound familiar? As a professional valuer, the most common question I receive from clients after submitting a valuation is why my analysis differs from what they found on an AI chatbot.

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past five years, the landscape for technology as we know it is rapidly evolving, affecting every industry, including valuations. These days, it is very difficult to escape AI; many use it without even realizing (even a simple Google search uses AI to produce the Gemini summary that appears at the top of the results page). The art market has picked up on this, as is reflected in the recent surge of art tech startups that have emerged post-pandemic. In the valuations field, there are three primary areas heavily incorporating AI: databases for auction results (Artnet, Artprice, MutualArt, etc.), reverse image searches, and, lastly, the (in)famous(?) AI chatbots. Each category deserves its own article, but AI chatbots tend to cause the most confusion, so they will be my focus here. There is currently very little literature on the use of AI chatbots for personal property valuations, especially from the perspective of a valuer.

Why Are AI Chatbots Important?

It is crucial to first briefly outline how AI chatbots operate and what makes them so influential. AI chatbots are having an astronomical impact in reshaping the way users approach research. Nearly 30 years ago, Google and other search engines were revolutionary in collecting and presenting information in an organized format. Fast forward several decades, AI chatbots now go a step further to synthesize collected information by reading its contents for us and summarizing them so that users aren’t required to reference the source material at all. For simple tasks, this can suffice, but for more complex work such as valuations, confusion and errors often ensue when there is no human input to verify AI’s work.

Why do AI Chatbots Make Mistakes?

There is a misconception that because a computer generated an answer, the answer is objective and consistent, but AI chatbots are the first to remind users of accuracy disclaimers. The reality is that chatbots are as accurate as the people who programmed them (these people are not art valuers!), and much like individuals, no two chatbots are the same. This means that when asking multiple chatbots the same question, they will often produce entirely different answers, ranging widely in accuracy. Chatbots are programmed to have different strengths and weaknesses depending on what their programmers prioritized, and some will not engage with valuations at all, (quite wisely) redirecting the user to professional valuers. As a professional valuer, I would even be wary to claim that there is one AI chatbot best for art historical research because the technology is shifting so swiftly that within a week of publishing this article, a recommendation may already be out of date!

When clients ask me about AI chatbots, here is my advice:

Why AI Chatbots Can’t Replace Valuers:

Basic object identification:

For very common household items or famous works of art (think Van Gogh or Picasso), AI chatbots can often correctly identify photographs. However, the moment the artist or subject matter becomes any more obscure, roadblocks begin to appear. As an Asian art specialist, I frequently find that clients misidentify their objects because a chatbot couldn’t correctly identify the materials, country of origin, religious subjects, etc. These tend to be mistakes that human specialists (who identify objects for a living) can remedy immediately.

Dating:

By far the most common issue I encounter with clients is that an AI chatbot told them their object was an antique, when it is in fact a Modern or Contemporary reproduction. The main reason for this error is that chatbots heavily rely on textual information for dating objects, so visual analysis receives little (if any) weight. Some chatbots now provide elementary visual descriptions, but their detail and accuracy are inconsistent and fall short, whereas professional valuers are expected to do both. For Asian antiques and other specialties, this type of error can be detrimental in determining a value.

Comparables:

As mentioned above, AI chatbots are not advanced enough yet to accurately visually analyze a single item, let alone visually compare multiple items, which is a crucial step for selecting appropriate comparables. Chatbots usually rely on text alone, which is insufficient for comp selection; a set of human eyes is required to make this call. AI chatbots may be able to locate links to sales of objects with the same text description, but these often look nothing alike. This type of mistake can be disastrous when chatbots rely on sales data from the wrong comparables to determine the value of an item. Additionally, AI chatbots exclude offline comparables that professional valuers know how to find, which can be crucial in valuations. Mistakes tend to be even more severe for specialized objects.

Market analysis:

Market analysis can be accurate for Contemporary blue-chip artists or other household names, but only for their general market trends, with no further nuance. As expected, for many specialist areas, the technology is not yet robust enough to provide accurate market analysis conclusions. This is due to the lack of visual analysis, chatbots not searching for sources in the correct places, or the inability to analyze results. Collectors still need a professional valuer or advisor to make accurate judgments.

Values:

The above elements all contribute to the value conclusion of an item, and if these steps of the equation are incorrect (which they often are!), there is little chance of accuracy in determining values. Even when these aspects are correct, AI chatbots are not equipped to weigh the nuance of each component.

Not knowing the right questions:

The answers from AI chatbots are only as good as the questions they are given. Collectors often (understandably) do not know which questions to ask, resulting in less helpful AI output. Professional valuers do not need AI chatbots, but if we did choose to consult them, we would produce more helpful information because we have the academic specialism and the professional experience to anticipate the types of queries associated with each type of object. Often, clients receive the wrong information because they do not have the baseline knowledge to use AI chatbots as an effective research tool.

It’s Not All Bad: Pros of Using AI Chatbots:

Object identification for very common objects:

As previously mentioned, very common objects with a large internet presence are usually retrievable on AI chatbots.

Historical information:

For casual research, AI chatbots can be a great way for collectors to learn more about the history of their items.

Signature recognition (sometimes!):

AI chatbots can sometimes help decipher sloppy handwritten signatures. They are not, however, authentication tools, and the AI suggestions given are merely possibilities for what the signatures might say.

Language translation of clearly printed materials:

For modern, clearly printed texts, AI chatbots can sometimes identify the language used or give the user an overall gist of a text, akin to using Google Translate. This usefulness evaporates immediately when applied to handwritten or antiquated texts. As an Asian art specialist, I frequently encounter clients mistranslating texts found on antiques, especially with calligraphy. A professional valuer and/or translator is always necessary to ensure accuracy.

Will AI Chatbots Replace Professional Valuations?

Not anytime soon, and it is currently difficult to imagine a scenario in which AI’s capabilities outperform professional expertise, especially in specialized areas. AI is a tool, not a decision maker. Much like Google, AI chatbots are a fantastic resource for collectors to use for casual interest, but, due to their limited research capacity, frequent errors, and lack of nuance, chatbots are not suitable for valuations and should never override a professional opinion. AI also cannot be held accountable for its errors, whereas professional valuers undergo rigorous training and adhere to strict ethical guidelines that ensure accuracy and responsibility. As a result, insurers, governments on both sides of the pond, and arts institutions reject AI-generated valuations in favor of professional ones, and with good cause.

Although my initials are AI, rest assured my valuations are anything but artificial. If you are searching for a professional valuation, Doerr Dallas is here to help!