Page 26 - Christies May 2016

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE KIERULFF FAMILY (LOTS 15-16)

Kierulff & Co. store facade in Beijing. Interior of Kierulff & Co. store.

Christies is delighted to ofer these important works of art from a collection amassed in the
late 19th - early 20th century by two Danish businessmen, Peter Arnt Kierulf (1838-1909) &
Hannibal Julius Kierulf (1858-1907).

Both brothers had close ties with China – Peter lived in China from 1859 to 1894 and also
made business with the Chinese court. He was the frst foreigner to be allowed to open a shop
in the Forbidden City of Beijing and for many years his business was the main commercial
link to the outside world. Kierulf’s shop had been the favourite shopping place of the foreign
community in Beijing and members of the wealthy Manchu families who would spend large
sums of money buying foreign goods such as perfume, cofee, wine and canned food. His
younger brother, Hannibal was a also a prolifc businessman, primarily a hotelier in Tianjin.

Both pieces in the current sale were acquired by the brothers while in China and thence by
descent to the current owner.

Kierulff 家族珍藏(拍品15-16號)

兩尊鎏金銅造像均由丹麥商人Kierulff兄弟於清末民初購自中國。其中哥哥Peter Arnt
Kierulff (1838-1909) 在1859年至1894年間旅居中國，並與清庭有密切貿易往來，他曾被
特准在紫禁城中設一商店，彼時官宦家眷和駐清外國人紛至沓來，門庭若市，他們不惜
重金採購進口香水，咖啡及各式佳釀。弟弟Hannibal亦是功成名就的商人，為天津聲名
赫赫的酒店大亨。

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