A RARE blue and white “dragon” Meiping from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) was among a collection of Asian art on sale at Sotheby’s in London.

The collection of 94 lots was assembled over many years by Sam and Myrna Myers, two Americans living in Paris.

The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection of Asian Art went on sale Nov. 4 during Asian Art in London week, where it brought in the region of 2.22 million pounds (US$3 million).

Leading the sale was an important and exceptionally rare blue and white “dragon” Meiping from the Yuan Dynasty. The wine container was eventually sold at 378,000 pounds, almost half of the estimated price.

A Nepalese gilt bronze figure of Buddha from the 14th/15th century and a collection of jade from the Neolithic period to the 19th century were also on sale. The Buddha figure fetched 277,200 pounds in the auction.

The Myers couple moved to Paris after falling in love with the city in the mid-1960s. Over the next five decades, they amassed a collection that offered a very personal vision of the world of Asian art, the auction house said.

Henry Howard-Sneyd, Sotheby’s chairman of Asian Art, Europe and Americas, said: “I have never forgotten my first visit to Sam and Myrna’s home on the outskirts of Paris almost 20 years ago. The taste of these two Americans in Paris — charmingly understated and remarkable unified — is sure to resonate with today’s collectors and cement their determination to take a small part of it home with them.”

Paris allowed the pair to immerse themselves in resources from museums and exhibitions to galleries and salesroom. (China Daily)