A pair of yellow glazed Dayazhai mark flower pots with stands, Republic, 20th Century.

There is a range of porcelains that bear the studio name Daya zhai (‘Studio of Great Elegance’; sometimes translated as ‘Studio of Great Culture’) that some say were made at the imperial kilns for the celebration of Cixi’s sixtieth birthday in 1894. Others suggest that the same name may have been used on other birthday wares in other years.

From the Collection of Erik Holmberg, thence by descent. Bankdirektör Erik Holmberg was born in 1888 (died 1972), married to Ester Holmberg (?-1955). Erik Holmberg made a career at Svenska Handelsbanken and worked there as a Bank Manager up until his pension. He grew up in Trysil, Norway which came to make an impact upon him and he continued to enjoy nature, skiing and hiking throughout his life. He and his beloved wife Ester lived in a villa at Lidingö, Stockholm where he also kept his wooden sailboat Albertina.

Erik early on became fascinated with Asian Art, and was a true academic collector who had a curiosity and strive to learn more about the subject all the time, this is clearly visible in his catalogue cards about his pieces, all his letters to museum directors, dealers and other collectors and members of the China club at the time.

Set a part from his attraction to the Asian art he also collected Swedish contemporary ceramics from Stig Lindberg, Wilhelm Kåge and Bertil Friberg.

He was an active member of the Östasiatiska Museets vänner and he donated several of his contemporary Chinese paintings to the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm.