In the entire world, there are but a handful of companies that attempt the level of furniture making for which West Coast-based Burton-Ching has developed its sterling reputation. On July 13, 2009, international fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields, will pay homage to the noted design firm and offer part II of the Burton-Ching Collection.
The 350-lot Los Angeles-based sale will feature an incredible compilation of highly sought after English and Continental reproduction furnishings true to the designs of 18th century cabinetmakers. Each piece in the auction captures the artistry and the craftsmanship, which made European of the period furniture beautiful, graceful and endearing.
The Collection boasts mortise-and-tenon and dovetail joinery, hardwoods and veneers chosen for their beauty and historical accuracy as well as the finest hardware, richly figured carvings and hand applied inlay throughout. Ultimately, it is the painstaking 13-step French polish finishing process that gives every piece of Burton-Ching furniture a rich patina, antique character and remains unrivaled.
Sen Ching, the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, was apprentice to master craftsmen who taught him to build furniture by hand to the exacting standards of demanding designers across Europe and Asia. In 1976, Ching came to the West Coast and refined his focus from making furniture to restoring and repairing fine period antiques. He became skilled with the meticulous finishing processes that distinguishes Burton-Ching pieces and was soon making custom reproductions for a growing clientele of professional designers. Demand for his exquisite reproductions soared, and in 1995, Ching and his team had founded Burton-Ching Ltd., a company dedicated to providing reproductions of such beauty and quality that they are highly sought after by the public.
“Following the highly successful San Francisco auction in December 2008, Bonhams & Butterfields is delighted to bring Part II of the Burton-Ching Collection to market. The July sale will give Los Angeles collectors an opportunity to acquire highly sought after works from the famed Burton-Ching Company,” says Andrew Jones, Director of Bonhams & Butterfields’ European Furniture & Decorative Arts Department.
The July 13, 2009 sale will provide a rare opportunity for collectors, connoisseurs and the interior design community to acquire superb high quality designer pieces. Highlights will include a japanned George I style parcel gilt and lacquered secretary bookcase (est. $8,000-12,000); a superb George III style parcel gilt, chinoiserie decorated and ebonized breakfront bookcase cabinet (est. $6,000-8,000); a Louis XVI style parcel gilt ebonized commode with chinoiserie decorated doors (est. $4,000-6,000); a Regency style parcel gilt and ebonized mahogany writing table (est. $4,000-6,000) and an exquisite George III style parcel gilt lacquered cabinet decorated in chinoiserie with exotic blossoms and garden pavilions (est. $3,000-5,000).
Preview: July 10-12, 2009, Los Angeles
Auction: July 13, 2009, 10:00am, Los Angeles
The illustrated online catalog will be available at www.bonhams.com/us in the weeks preceding the auction. For more information on Bonhams & Butterfields and the Furniture & Decorative Arts specialty department, please visit: www.bonhams.com/usfurniture.