Hatcher Collection – 3 Christie’s Amsterdam auction catalogues – 1984-1985

Description

Rare set of three original Christie’s Amsterdam auction catalogues of the famous Hatcher Collection from 1984-1985. The catalogues document the auctions of 17th-century Chinese porcelain that Captain Michael Hatcher salvaged from a shipwreck in the South China Sea.

Origin & meaning

The Hatcher Cargo was salvaged in the early 1980s by Captain Michael Hatcher and comprised approximately 25,000 pieces of Chinese porcelain. The ship sank around 1643–1646, during the transitional period from the Ming to the Qing dynasty. The discovery was of great importance for the study and dating of 17th-century Chinese transitional porcelain.

Christie's Amsterdam brought the find to the market in 1984 in two large auctions. In 1985, the auction of Captain Michael Hatcher's private collection followed. The original catalogues are important reference works for collectors and dealers in Chinese porcelain and shipwreck porcelain.

Catalogue information

The set consists of:

Fine and Important Late Ming and Transitional Porcelain – The Property of Captain Michael Hatcher, Christie’s Amsterdam, 14 March 1984.

Fine and Important Late Ming and Transitional Porcelain – The Second and Final Part of the Hatcher Collection, Christie’s Amsterdam, 12 and 13 June 1984.

Fine and Important Late Ming and Transitional Porcelain – The Private Collection of Captain Michael M. Hatcher, Christie’s Amsterdam, 14 February 1985.

All three catalogues are richly illustrated and contain the original lot descriptions of the porcelain on offer.

Dimensions & condition

Three original softcover auction catalogues. Good used condition with minor signs of age and wear to the covers and edges. The interior is neat. See the photos for a good impression of the condition.