Auction introduction: This season's Asian Art sale features a great variety of works of art and sculptures embracing over 5000 years of Asian history. The highlight of the sale is the George Sheridan (1923-2008) collection of early Buddhist and Hindu art, featuring a rare ensemble of circa 9th century devotional figures from Java. George Sheridan was a well renowned artist and a respected collector of Indian and Himalayan art. Originally from Boston, George studied art in Paris and moved to Mallorca during the 1950s where he became a respected figure among the local artist community. He assembled his collection while travelling to Paris, London and New York from the 1960s onwards with a passion nurtured by his friendship with Professor Samuel Eilenberg (1913-1998), among others, who would eventually donate his collection of Asian art to the Metropolitan Museum in New York in 1987. Other highlights include a beautiful Qing dynasty carved lacquer table with a rare and striking design of a striding dragon. Drawing from Ming iconography, the table was acquired from Moreau Gobard during the 1950s by the parents of the present owner and has remained in the family collection ever since. Himalayan copper alloy figures from a French private collection, Chinese cloisonnés and ceramics, a fine group of Japanese woodblock prints, and also Samurai arms and armours and large gilt wood Buddhist figures from Japan, will complete this fine offering of art works from all over Asia.