The owner of two exquisite jade treasures from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) has withdrawn the items from an auction in London this week that features hundreds of other fine works of ancient Chinese art, the China News Service reported.
The two pieces include a green jade hanging vase and lid from the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) and a white jade disc from Emperor Jiaqing (1796-1820).
The owner withdrew the objects to avoid offending Chinese people. The items were looted by British troops during their infamous destruction of the Old Summer Palace in 1860. Captain Arthur Forbes-Robertson sent them to his mother in England in 1863.
The vase and lid has an estimated value up to 80,000 pounds ($128,168), and the disc was expected to fetch 100,000 pounds.
The auction is being conducted by Bonhams 1793. Its website lists hundreds of mostly jade objects of art to be auctioned on November 8.
The website notes that the two pieces that were withdrawn are property of a "Scots family" and details the recent history of the jade disc quoting a letter to Forbes-Robertson's mother: "This piece of jade was taken from the Emperor of China's Summer Palace in October 1860," the son wrote.
Landmark building should respect the public's feeling
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