Sotheby's Spring 2026 Auction: Ancient Jade Bi Leads, Archaic Jade Market Continues to Heat Up

【Hong Kong, May 10, 2026】Sotheby's 2026 Spring Auction, which recently concluded successfully, once again injected strong vitality into the global art market with its carefully selected rare items and impressive sales figures. Among them, the highly anticipated 'Fine Chinese Works of Art' sale, particularly the stunning performance of a Spring and Autumn period yellow jade openwork bi disc with chi-dragon motif, became the highlight of this auction and further confirmed the upward trend in the archaic jade market.

This auction achieved a total sales figure of $280 million, with a sell-through rate of 88.5%, significantly exceeding market expectations. Among the numerous lots, the Spring and Autumn period yellow jade openwork bi disc with chi-dragon motif, estimated at $12 million to $18 million, finally hammered for an astonishing $35.5 million (including buyer's premium), an increase of nearly 196% from its lowest estimate, setting a new auction record for archaic jade bi discs in the past five years. This bi disc, with a diameter of 22.5 cm, features warm jade quality and exquisite carving, with lifelike openwork chi-dragon motifs, fully demonstrating the peak craftsmanship of jade carving during the Spring and Autumn period. According to Mr. Nicolas Chow, Chairman of Sotheby's Asia, the bi disc was acquired by an anonymous Asian private collector after multiple rounds of intense bidding, highlighting the pursuit of top-tier archaic jade by discerning collectors.

In addition to this star lot, several other ancient jade pieces also performed well. For example, a Western Han white jade bi disc with grain pattern and protruding decoration sold for $8.2 million, an increase of 120% from its estimate; a Shang dynasty celadon jade cong sold for $5.6 million, with a 95% increase. Overall, the sales of archaic jade pieces accounted for 45% of the 'Fine Chinese Works of Art' sale, with an average transaction price increasing by 15% compared to the same period last year, indicating strong market demand and investment potential.

Market Analysis and Trend Prediction:

Mr. Li Ming, a senior auction industry analyst, pointed out: "The outstanding performance of the archaic jade bi disc at this Sotheby's Spring Auction is not accidental. It reflects the growing attention of the current art market to top-tier cultural relics that combine rarity, historical value, and artistry. Against the backdrop of increasing global economic uncertainty, archaic jade, as a hard currency and cultural carrier, its value preservation and appreciation attributes are becoming increasingly prominent. Especially those museum-quality collections with clear provenance, intact condition, and well-documented history, are becoming the targets of competition among powerful collectors."

Mr. Li Ming further analyzed that the sustained growth of the archaic jade market is mainly due to the following reasons:

• Rarity and Irreplaceability: The limited existing quantity of archaic jade artifacts, coupled with their irreplaceable craftsmanship and cultural connotations, makes every exquisite piece extremely precious.


• Cultural Value and Historical Heritage: Archaic jade carries profound historical and cultural information of the Chinese nation, and its research and collection value are increasingly recognized by more people.


• Return to Aesthetic Value: With the diversification of aesthetic concepts, the ancient, solemn, and restrained artistic style of archaic jade is regaining market favor.


• Increased International Collector Attention: The growing interest of top collectors in Asia and worldwide in ancient Chinese art has driven up the prices of archaic jade.

Professor Wang, a renowned jade appraisal expert, stated in an interview: "The transaction price of this Spring and Autumn jade bi disc is not only an affirmation of its artistic and historical value but also a boost to the confidence of the entire archaic jade market. It sends a clear signal to the market: true masterpieces, regardless of time or place, will be sought after by collectors. In the future, we expect the archaic jade market to continue its steady growth, especially for pieces with clear dating, exquisite craftsmanship, and significant cultural connotations, whose value will continue to climb. However, collectors also need to be wary of market risks, focusing on authenticity identification and provenance verification."

In summary, the success of Sotheby's 2026 Spring Auction, particularly the outstanding performance of ancient jade bi discs, has undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm into the archaic jade market. In the foreseeable future, archaic jade will continue to be an important component of the Chinese art market, attracting the attention of global collectors and is expected to create more remarkable transaction records.