A number of historically significant works from an art dealer more than three centuries old will be auctioned off next month.

With a history of more than 300 years, Rongbaozhai is the most prestigious art dealer in China. Next month, it will hold its first auction since the restructure of its auction subsidiary in July.

The auction, which will feature ancient and modern Chinese calligraphy works and paintings, is to be held December 14 at the Asian Hotel in Dongsi Shitiao, downtown Beijing. A public view will be held from December 11 to 13 at the hotel.

More than 600 art works will go under the hammer. Most works are of remarkable artistic quality and merit though their estimated prices are all below 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million).

Rongbaozhai has contributed much to the modern Chinese painting portion of the auction, which is to take place on the morning of December 14, said Wang Yishan, general manager of the Rongbao Auction Co, an affiliate of the Rongbaozhai Corporation.

The corporation has entrusted the auctioneer masterpieces by renowned artists such as Fu Baoshi (1904-65), Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), Huang Binhong (1864-1955), Li Keran (1907-89), Qi Baishi (1863-1957), Wang Xuetao (1903-82) and Song Wenzhi (1919-99).

Fu's four landscapes to be auctioned have been proven genuine by Fu Ershi, the master's son who is a renowned landscape painter. There are great expectations for them after an album by the same artist fetched a record price of 19.8 million yuan (US$2.4 million) earlier this month.

A branch of yulan magnolia painted by Qi Baishi is estimated to be worth between 250,000 and 350,000 yuan (US$30,100-42,000). Forceful calligraphic brushwork is used in drawing the branch and leaves, and two or three delicate yellow flowers lighten up the ink work on xuan paper.

The piece has been in Rongbaozhai's collection for about half a century, said Wang.

A color on paper by Song Wenzhi gives a full play of Chinese-style aestheticism. Titled "Spring of Southern China (Jiangnan Chun)," the work collected by Rongbaozhai gives a serene, dreamy impression with carefully dyed blossoming trees and misty water-towns.

Rongbaozhai, which will sell about 100 precious pieces at the auction, is known for its amazing collection of works by late 19th and mid-20th century Chinese artists.

The company, which has its shop in Liulichang, Beijing, was founded in 1672 and has been for the past three centuries a major producer of xuan paper, Chinese brushes and dry colors. It is also one of the most important art dealers of the past century and a well-known workshop for restorations of Chinese calligraphy and paintings.

Initially a private enterprise, it became State-owned in the 1950s like most other private businesses then.

Before China opened up in 1978 there were only a handful of companies allowed to focus in the art business. The most famous are Rongbaozhai in Beijing, Duoyunxuan in Shanghai and Shizhuzhai in Nanjing -- all three are centuries old.

The privilege made it possible for Rongbaozhai to collect large numbers of pieces by famous artists -- and many at an incredibly low price. The company accumulated a considerable collection of Chinese calligraphy and paintings, the detail of which remains a mystery to the curious art circle.

It traded art works mostly in its shop but since 1994 it has also embarked on the more popular auctions.

The company's auction house, called Rongbao, was among the first three or four auction houses in Beijing.

However, the auctioneer has lost much of its glory in recent years and is almost overwhelmed by the private China Guardian, Sungari International, Huachen and State-owned Hanhai auction companies.

The transaction volume achieved during the autumn auction last year was about one tenth that of the China Guardian.

Wang Yishan, who bought 30 per cent of the auctioneer's shares this July and became its general manager, blamed a rigid system of operation and the distribution of benefits for the decline. He pledged to make drastic changes in the auction house.

Wang was founder of the Dynasty Auction Co in Nanjing, one of the earliest auction houses in China.

The purchase was widely recognized as a major shift in the art businesses and allowed southern China to enter the Beijing market. Beijing is expected to take up about two thirds of the Chinese mainland's art market in the year, said Wang.

Expecting much from the upcoming auction, the restructured auctioneer attracted the "Song of Spring" by renowned artist Xu Beihong (1895-1953) from Xu's son in Hong Kong and four portraits and one album by Lu Yanshao (1909-93) from an overseas collector.

The album, including paintings created according to themes of Song Dynasty (960-1279) poems, has a prelude by Xu Bangda, authoritative researcher of Chinese calligraphy and painting. Xu claims it to be Lu's best work.

The ancient calligraphy and painting section includes works by artists Jin Nong (1687-1764) and Wang Shimin (1592-1682).

A possible black horse of the auction could be an anonymous ink painting of a dragon. The work, which can be dated to the Song Dynasty, was believed by some to be a creation by Chen Rong of Song Dynasty, who is historically famous for drawing dragons -- the Chinese people's' favorite subject.

(China Daily November 27, 2003)