TORONTO – A centuries-old Chinese calligraphy album that was once part of the Chinese emperor’s royal collection has fetched more than $1 million at an auction, many times its projected sale price.
Heffel Fine Art Auction House says the “extremely rare” ink on silk calligraphy album was created by Zhao Mengfu, who was a distinguished Chinese calligrapher and painter during the Yuan dynasty, which is the only Mongol-led Imperial dynasty of China from about 700 years ago.
The bidding price at Thursday’s sale in Toronto started at $15,000 but soared to $900,000, and landed at $1,081,250 with the buyer’s premium.
The auction house had estimated the 37-page album — adorned with silk brocade covering wooden frames — would sell for between $20,000 and $30,000.
April Yin, an Asian art specialist with Heffel, says the sale has “put so much energy into the Canadian Asian art market” by being the highest-priced work ever sold at Heffel’s online auction, which they have been running for more than 25 years.
She says the album is remarkable for having four imperial seals, and for once being part of the Qianlong emperor’s palace collection, preserved at the Forbidden City.
Yin says the album was later owned by Wang Yiling, who was a banker during the Republic of China era, lasting from 1911 to 1949, and he built a collection of Chinese paintings and calligraphy.
Yiling’s descendants later immigrated to Brazil, Taiwan, and North America, bringing their father’s collection with them. Yin said her team was invited by Wang’s family to visit their home at the beginning of this year when they discovered the album.
Yin says this album had been sitting in the family’s basement for decades before it was revealed to the world.
Yin says she couldn’t reveal the buyer’s identity due to client confidentiality but says the auction attracted buyers worldwide.
Yin says it’s always an amazing experience to see an important artwork land in good hands after being tucked away.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2025.
