A rectangular ink stone, China, Qing dynasty, inscribed 同治八年王嘉查玩 (Tongzhi ba nian, Wang Jia cha wan, "Eighth year of the Tongzhi reign", corresponding to 1869, "examined and appreciated by Wang Jia"), 21x13 cm

Provenance: Ghezzi family collection from Zurich, jewellers and antique dealers for almost a century

硯台 銘同治八年王嘉查玩銘 21x13厘米

The Ghezzi family collection

Piguet Auction House is pleased to present a selection from the Ghezzi family collection, jewelers and antique dealers for nearly a century.

In the 1940s, Giacomo Ghezzi (1914–1995) opened two jewelry stores—one in Zurich (near Bahnhofstrasse) and another in Saint Moritz—while his wife Philomena ran an antique shop in Zurich. Through their frequent travels, particularly to China, they developed a deep fascination for the arts of the Far East. They passed on their passion to their son, Fermo (1938–2006), who became a jeweler in 1958 and worked as a consultant for prestigious auction houses before joining the family business. A true art enthusiast, he avidly collected Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and the arts of China and Japan.

United by this shared passion, Fermo and his wife travelled the world, enriching their collection with each new discovery. Tireless and insatiable, they assembled a vast array of artworks, carefully decorating their residences in Saint Moritz and the canton of Vaud with these treasured pieces.