Hotel and casino magnate Steve Wynn of Wynn Resorts recently acquired an ultra-rare set of antique Chinese vases to grace his newest resort in China’s gambling mecca of Macau. The company announced on Friday that they shelled out nearly $12.8 million for four of the stunning porcelain vases last Thursday, July 7, from a private collection at Christie’s International “Exceptional” Sale.
The decorative vases stand at four feet tall and hail from the Jiaqing period, are embellished with 19th century gilded metal mounts, and bear Buddhist and Taoist emblems. According to the Sacramento Bee, the price Wynn paid is more than double the world auction record for similar artifacts and, according to Wynn Resorts, the only similar pieces belong to the British Royal Family.
The purchase of the historic artifacts is a part of Wynn’s efforts to bring Chinese art back to China. Roger Thomas, executive vice president of design for Wynn Design and Development, explains, “We are delighted to return works of this extraordinary quality to the city of Macau and the People’s Republic of China.” The company plans to display the gorgeous set of vases in their resort on Macau’s renowned Cotai Strip, slated to open in 2015.
