Auction house Sotheby’s has netted sales worth over $12.25 million through the auction of Chinese art in New York recently.

Among the notable pieces of art was a rare turquoise-ground Famille-Rose 'Hui Mountain Retreat' teapot and cover, which was sold for $3.49 million.

The rare 250-year-old Qianlong Dynasty porcelain item well surpassed its guide price of up to half a million dollars.

The teapot, which was coveted by over 10 bidders, is one of only two known and is an ode to Emperor Qianlong’s adoration of tea.

Its front features a figure, possibly the emperor himself, being served the beverage while the reverse features an imperial poem written by the emperor.

A gilt-bronze Tibeto-Chinese figure depicting the fifth Dalai Lama and belonging to the 18th Century sold for $1.51 billion much above its guide price of $80,000-100,000.

Next on sale was a pair of rare Wucai and Doucai 'Dragon and Phoenix' bowls with Yongzheng marks that became the property of an Asian buyer for $874,000. 

A very rare Portuguese market blue and white bottle vase (Yuhuchunping) with Jiajing mark and dated 1552 went to a Hong Kong buyer for $418,000.

A private collector bought a large inscribed bronze bell of the Qianlong era’s 13th year for $322,000.

Other art pieces that went up on sale were a jade 'Feng San Wu Si Zhi Bao' seal of the 19-20th century ($286,000), a large gilt-lacquered wood figure of Guanyin, Qing Dynasty of the 17-18th century ($286,000), a rare 'Guan' planter Yuan-Ming dynasty, Circa 12-14th century ($262,000), a large gray stone figure of a seated lion of the Northern Wei dynasty ($212,500) and a gilt-bronze figure of Weituo, Ming Dynasty ($187,500).