The Koch Collection of Asian Antiquities
The Koch Collection of Asian Antiquities features a stunning selection of Chinese & Japanese porcelain and lacquerware, Persian trays and bowls, Japanese ink drawings, woodblocks, figurines and decorative objects. Acquired over decades by Frederick and Elisabeth Koch, it is being offered by the family, who share these memories of their parents collecting.
View Catalogue & Bid Online Now
A Cultured and Collecting Life
Our parents Frederick Koch and Elisabeth Koch immigrated to Australia from Germany in 1958 and settled in the Blue Mountains with their two daughters.
Our father was a cultured man with wide interests and he loved beautiful objects. Our mother was an elegant woman and was always beautifully dressed as she was a skilled seamstress. The son of one of their neighbours, who visited our mother from time to time over the years, once said that he was amazed to meet these cultured people. He admired their wallpaper and paintings, their Chinese carpets and beautiful objects in the house, which was not the norm at the time in Australia.
Frederick loved to read and grow orchids but his favourite weekend pastime was to visit local auction houses, antique shops and second-hand shops, looking for beautiful pieces. Our parents had the newspaper delivered every day, and he would read it and check for advertised sales of Asian ceramics, bronzes and paintings.
Pictured: A Large Japanese Satsuma Floral Globular Vase, Meiji Period
Frederick was an Engineer and worked as a Safety Manager firstly in St Marys and then in an automotive parts factory around Tempe/Marrickville, and we suspect he sometimes visited auction houses and antique shops on his way home. Most of the furniture, carpets, ceramics and paintings in our house were bought from antique shops or auction houses, and he would sometimes take us with him on the weekend to view something he was interested in, if it was a bigger purchase.
Asian ceramics were of particular interest to him. We, and our mother, would often be given one of the beautiful vases or other items our father had collected as Birthday or Christmas presents. Frederick read widely and would research the seals and markings on the pieces he collected, often purchasing books or borrowing from the library to assist his research.
Pictured: A Chinese Lacquer ‘Scholar in Landscape’ Circular Box with Cover, Qing Dynasty
Frederick started the collection as soon as they arrived in Australia and while most pieces were acquired in Sydney during the 1960s and 1970s, he continued collecting until his death in 1986. The Sadahide woodblock was likely a later addition to his collection as we found it in his desk blotter, so he was possibly still researching it. Our mother Elisabeth continued to cherish their collection of beautiful pieces until her passing in 2024 at the great age of 99 years.
Sadly, we do not have the space for the whole collection, but we believe our father would be happy that the pieces that he and our mother cherished will go to other collectors who will appreciate them.
Erica & Inge
The Koch Collection at Auction
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers is delighted to bring this beautiful collection of Asian antiquities to auction – with porcelain, bronze figurines, Japanese laquerware and woodblock prints among the selection.
The Koch Collection of Asian Antiquities
Monday 25 August | 6pm
View Catalogue & Bid Online Now
***
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers offers regular auction of Asian Decorative Arts. To stay informed, please sign up to our newsletter via the link below, follow us on Instagram, or keep an eye on Upcoming Auctions.