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Gengxi Zhan Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1941 -

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Apr. 05, 2020
Zhan Gengxi (B. 1941) Black-Necked Crane Flapping
Est: $300 - $600
Zhan Gengxi (Chinese, B. 1941) "Black-necked Crane Flapping Its Wings" Signed and stamped lower left. Original Watercolor painting on Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. To the Chinese people, many varieties of birds are considered symbolic. The golden pheasant, for example, is associated with royalty, denoting glory, splendor, wealth and rank. The beautiful kingfisher, too, is fraught with symbolism. Its jade-colored feathers represent nobility and fortune. The crane is considered a meaningful bird in China as well. One writer comments that cranes are best known as symbols of longevity. Still others report that Chinese mythology describes the birds as emblems of justice. China's Black-necked Crane is also reputed to denote the ideas of friendship and peace. Though at one time naturalists could easily count thousands of Black-necked Cranes wintering in China's Y?nnan province, they have become noticeably fewer in number. Conservation efforts in both countries seek to preserve these striking birds for the future. Only time will tell if they will be successful. Image Size: 11.25 x 12.5 in. Sheet Size: 12.25 x 14.5 in. Overall Size: 16 x 20 in. Unframed. (B14739)
Helmuth Stone
Apr. 05, 2020
Zhan Gengxi (B. 1941) "Whooping Crane Flapping"
Est: $300 - $600
Zhan Gengxi (Chinese, B. 1941) "One Whooping Crane Flapping Wings" Signed and stamped lower left. Original Watercolor painting on Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 29c Cranes Se-tenant Pair issued October 9, 1994. Few birds are as large or as distinctive as America's Whooping Crane. And few birds are as threatened. Crowned with fashionable feathers, Grus Americana was virtually wiped out in the 19th century due to the popularity of its plumes with milliners. Known for its trumpeting call, created by an unusual coiled windpipe, the sizable Whooping Crane can be as long as 56 in. Though they are more numerous today thanks to strict conservation measures (in the late 1980s there were nearly 100 individuals), in 1941 just 11 of these majestic birds were believed to exist. Cranes around the world have faced similar difficulties, and of the 14 known species most are now rare. An exception is the somewhat smaller sandhill crane of the central and western United States. Conservation laws there have helped this bird to hold its own. Every spring, thousands of bird watchers gather in western Nebraska's Sandhill region to view the migration of these birds. Interestingly, the sandhill crane may do its part in saving its cousin the Whooping Crane. In recent years, experimental projects have been undertaken in which Whooping Crane eggs have been placed in sandhill crane nests in the hope that the wild birds would successfully raise the newly-hatched Whoopers which would then be fit to survive in the wild. Image Size: 11.25 x 12.5 in. Sheet Size: 12.25 x 14.25 in. Overall Size: 16 x 20 in. Unframed. (B14742)
Helmuth Stone
Apr. 05, 2020
Zhan Gengxi (B. 1941) "Whooping Cranes"
Est: $300 - $600
Zhan Gengxi (Chinese, B. 1941) "Two Whooping Cranes Standing" Signed and stamped lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 29c Whooping Crane stamp issued October 9, 1994. Few birds are as large or as distinctive as America's Whooping Crane. And few birds are as threatened. Crowned with fashionable feathers, Grus Americana was virtually wiped out in the 19th century due to the popularity of its plumes with milliners. Known for its trumpeting call, created by an unusual coiled windpipe, the sizable Whooping Crane can be as long as 56 in. Though they are more numerous today thanks to strict conservation measures (in the late 1980s there were nearly 100 individuals), in 1941 just 11 of these majestic birds were believed to exist. Cranes around the world have faced similar difficulties, and of the 14 known species most are now rare. An exception is the somewhat smaller sandhill crane of the central and western United States. Conservation laws there have helped this bird to hold its own. Every spring, thousands of bird watchers gather in western Nebraska's Sandhill region to view the migration of these birds. Interestingly, the sandhill crane may do its part in saving its cousin the Whooping Crane. In recent years, experimental projects have been undertaken in which Whooping Crane eggs have been placed in sandhill crane nests in the hope that the wild birds would successfully raise the newly-hatched Whoopers which would then be fit to survive in the wild. Image Size: 11.25 x 12.5 in. Sheet Size: 12.75 x 14.75 in. Overall Size: 16 x 20 in. Unframed. (B14741)
Helmuth Stone
Apr. 05, 2020
Zhan Gengxi (B. 1941) "Black-Necked Cranes"
Est: $300 - $600
Zhan Gengxi (Chinese, B. 1941) "Two Black-necked Cranes Walking" Signed and stamped lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 29c Black-necked Crane stamp issued October 9, 1994. To the Chinese people, many varieties of birds are considered symbolic. The golden pheasant, for example, is associated with royalty, denoting glory, splendor, wealth and rank. The beautiful kingfisher, too, is fraught with symbolism. Its jade-colored feathers represent nobility and fortune. The crane is considered a meaningful bird in China as well. One writer comments that cranes are best known as symbols of longevity. Still others report that Chinese mythology describes the birds as emblems of justice. China's Black-necked Crane is also reputed to denote the ideas of friendship and peace. Those attributes are both no doubt partly responsible for the Black-necked crane being chosen as one of the two birds featured on stamps issued jointly by the United States and the People's Republic of China in 1994. The other bird is America's Whooping Crane. Both species of cranes are today considered rare. Though at one time naturalists could easily count thousands of Black-necked Cranes wintering in China's Y?nnan province, they have become noticeably fewer in number. Likewise the Whooping Crane, which once numbered in the thousands, has been reduced to a mere 100 or so individuals. Conservation efforts in both countries seek to preserve these striking birds for the future. Only time will tell if they will be successful. Image Size: 11.25 x 12.5 in. Sheet Size: 12.25 x 14.5 in. Overall Size: 16 x 20 in. Unframed. (B14740)
Helmuth Stone
Apr. 05, 2020
Zhan Gengxi (B. 1941) "Mother Pig w/ Babies"
Est: $500 - $1,000
Zhan Gengxi (Chinese, B. 1941) "Mother Pig w/ Babies" Signed lower left. Original Watercolor painting on Rice Paper laid on Cardboard. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 29c The Year of the Pig Lunar New Year Series stamp issued December 30, 1994. Regarded by many Westerners as a combination of mathematical complexities and symbolic tradition, the Chinese lunar calendar is aligned in repeating 12-year cycles. Each year in the cycle is represented by a different animal. Many legends offer explanations for how these particular creatures were chosen. One states that the Heavenly Jade Emperor summoned all the world's animals to participate in a race. The first 12 to complete the challenge were chosen to represent each of the different years, which were assigned by the order in which the animal finished. Occupying first place is the rat, who, according to the story, did so by using trickery. When confronted by a large river that he was unable to cross, the clever rodent hitched a ride on the back of the ox, another participant in the race. As they neared the far side of the river, the rat jumped from the large beast to finish first. The pig, 1995's symbol, came in 12th, capturing last place. Perhaps this explains why those born during the Year of the Pig appear to be sedate and easy going! People whose birth years are represented by the Pig are also believed to be sincere, tolerant and honest. But, because they expect others to possess these same honorable traits, they are considered to be naive as well. Image Size: 8.25 x 9.75 in. Overall Size: 12.5 x 14.25 in. Unframed. (B14910)
Helmuth Stone

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