BEIJING, November 25, 2026 – Poly Auction's highly anticipated 2026 Autumn Art Auction concluded successfully yesterday. Amidst a generally cautious market, the master jade carving section particularly shone, becoming a key force in boosting market confidence. The total transaction volume reached RMB 1.85 billion, with a sell-through rate of 78.5%, a 5% increase compared to the same period last year.
Master Jade Carvings: Pillars of Strength, Achieving New Heights
This autumn auction's master jade carving special session featured a total of 120 lots, with 108 ultimately sold, achieving an impressive sell-through rate of 90%. The total transaction volume for this section reached RMB 420 million, accounting for 22.7% of the overall total. Several pieces sold for prices significantly exceeding their estimates, highlighting the scarcity and market recognition of top-tier jade carving artworks.
One of the spotlight lots, the 'Auspicious Beasts' Hetian jade ornament designed and carved by contemporary jade master Wang Jian, was hammered at RMB 38 million, exceeding its highest estimate by 25%. The piece boasts superior material, fine and warm jade quality, exquisite craftsmanship, and lifelike auspicious beast motifs, symbolizing good fortune. Another piece, the 'Guanyin Seated on Lotus' white jade carving by the late jade carving grandmaster Wu Desheng, sold for RMB 25 million, achieving a premium rate of 30%. This work fully demonstrates Master Wu Desheng's consummate three-dimensional carving skills and profound understanding of Buddhist themes.
Market Analysis: Boutique Strategy Proves Effective, Collector Structure Optimizes
Li Ming, a senior auction industry analyst, stated: "The success of this Poly autumn auction, especially the outstanding performance of master jade carvings, fully demonstrates that in the current market environment, a 'boutique strategy' remains key to an auction house's success. Collectors' willingness to purchase and their ability to pay for top-tier artworks with rare materials, exquisite craftsmanship, clear artistic value, and traceable provenance have not been significantly affected."
Li Ming further pointed out that in recent years, the jade collecting market has shown a trend of structural optimization. On one hand, speculative capital has gradually withdrawn, making the market more rational; on the other hand, a new generation of collectors is growing, focusing more on the cultural connotations, design aesthetics, and artist's reputation of artworks, rather than solely on material value. The master jade carvings sold this time precisely met the demands of this segment of collectors.
Trend Forecast: Jade Carving Market Steady with Upward Potential, Emerging Themes to Watch
Looking ahead, the jade market, especially the high-end jade carving art segment, is expected to maintain a steady upward trend. With the resurgence of traditional Chinese culture and the rise of 'Guochao' (China Chic) consumption, jade carvings with Eastern aesthetics and cultural connotations will continue to be sought after. Simultaneously, we have observed some emerging themes and styles of jade carvings beginning to gain prominence, such as abstract jade carvings incorporating modern design concepts, and cross-cultural works integrating Western art elements. These could become future growth points for the market.
Zhang Hua, head of Poly Auction's Jade Department, stated in an interview: "We are confident in the future of the jade carving market. The success of this autumn auction has laid a solid foundation for the 2027 spring auction. We will continue to delve into masterworks while actively discovering promising young jade artists, providing collectors with more diverse and higher-quality collecting options."
The successful conclusion of Poly's 2026 Autumn Auction not only injected a strong dose of confidence into the art market but also once again demonstrated the unique charm and enduring collectible value of jade carving art.