【Hong Kong, May 10, 2026】The highly anticipated Christie's Spring Sale 2026 concluded successfully yesterday, with the 'Important Chinese Art' sale performing exceptionally well, once again demonstrating the resilience and vitality of the high-end art market. The total transaction value of this auction reached an impressive HK$285 million, exceeding the pre-sale estimate by 15%, with a sell-through rate of 88%. Among them, the Hetian jade carving series stood out, becoming the highlight of the sale.
The star lot of this auction, a white jade carving of 'Fisherman, Woodcutter, Farmer, and Scholar' from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, fetched an astonishing HK$38 million, far surpassing its estimate of HK$18 million to HK$25 million, representing a remarkable increase of 52%. The jade of this carving is warm and delicate, with exquisite craftsmanship, vividly depicting the pastoral scenes of fishing, woodcutting, farming, and scholarship. Its rarity and historical and cultural value made it a focal point for collectors. Another Ming Dynasty yellow jade carving of 'Auspicious Beasts' was finally sold for HK$15 million, an increase of nearly 88% compared to its estimate of HK$8 million, indicating strong demand for high-ancient jade carvings from the Ming Dynasty in the market.
Overall, the Hetian jade carving lots performed remarkably well in this spring sale. A total of 25 Hetian jade carvings were offered, with 23 sold, achieving a high sell-through rate of 92%. The total transaction value reached HK$95 million, accounting for 33.3% of the total transaction value of the 'Important Chinese Art' sale. Compared to the same period last year, the average transaction price of Hetian jade carvings increased by approximately 25%, indicating the market's sustained enthusiasm for high-quality Hetian jade collectibles.
Mr. Francis Belin, President of Christie's Asia and International Director of Chinese Art Department, stated after the auction: "The success of this spring sale once again proves the eternal charm and market potential of top-tier art. Especially Hetian jade carvings, with their unique oriental aesthetics and scarcity, have become highly sought after by collectors worldwide. We witnessed active participation from collectors across Asia, Europe, and North America, with a growing interest in traditional Chinese art, particularly among the younger generation of collectors."
Market analyst Mr. Li Ming pointed out: "The current global economic environment is complex and volatile, but the high-end art market, especially Chinese art with cultural heritage and scarcity, has shown strong resilience against risks. Hetian jade, as an important carrier of Chinese culture, its collection and investment value are becoming increasingly prominent. The data from this Christie's spring sale indicates that Hetian jade carvings with excellent condition, clear provenance, and unique themes remain strong assets in the market, and their prices are expected to continue to rise steadily in the coming years. However, for ordinary collectors, identifying authenticity and assessing value remain key challenges for entering the market, and seeking guidance from professional institutions is recommended."
The success of this auction not only brought substantial revenue to Christie's but also injected confidence into the entire art market. With the continuous expansion of traditional Chinese culture's influence globally and collectors' increasing emphasis on the investment value of art, it is expected that Chinese art treasures such as Hetian jade will continue to maintain their strong market performance in the future.