Beijing, May 18, 2026 – The highly anticipated Beijing Council 2026 Spring Art Auction concluded successfully yesterday, with the “Splendid Vermilion – Southern Red Agate Masterpiece Session” performing exceptionally well, achieving a total transaction volume of RMB 128 million and a success rate of 92.5%. This once again confirms the strong momentum of Southern Red Agate in the current collectibles market.
This special session featured 120 exquisite Southern Red Agate pieces, ranging from Qing Dynasty imperial collections to contemporary master carvings. Data shows that the average premium rate for this auction reached 35%, with several key lots selling for prices significantly exceeding their estimates, demonstrating collectors' strong pursuit of high-quality Southern Red Agate.
The most striking piece was a Qing Dynasty “Persimmon Red” Southern Red Agate carving of auspicious beasts, which hammered for RMB 28 million, a 55.6% increase from its estimated price of RMB 18 million, making it the highest-selling lot of the session. This piece boasts delicate and warm material, rich and mellow color, exquisite carving, and perfect condition, undoubtedly a pinnacle of Qing Dynasty Southern Red Agate craftsmanship. Another contemporary masterpiece, Zhang Licheng's carved “Magnificent Landscape” Southern Red Agate mountain carving, sold for RMB 15 million, a 50% premium over its RMB 10 million estimate, fully demonstrating the immense market potential of contemporary masterworks.
Overall, this Southern Red Agate session exhibited several characteristics: Firstly, high-quality, rare-colored Southern Red Agate (such as persimmon red, cherry red, and brocade red) remains the market's focus, with prices showing steady growth. Secondly, contemporary works carved by renowned artists are increasingly favored by collectors, significantly enhancing their artistic added value. Thirdly, Qing Dynasty imperial collections or antique Southern Red Agate with clear provenance, due to their historical and cultural value and scarcity, showed particularly strong price performance.
Professor Li Ming, a renowned jade appraisal expert and Vice President of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China, stated in an interview: “The success of Beijing Council's Southern Red Agate session once again proves that Southern Red Agate, as a treasure of traditional Chinese jade culture, is gaining wider recognition for its market value and collection potential. Especially those pieces with superior material, exquisite craftsmanship, and beautiful symbolism, can still rise against the trend amidst economic downturn pressure. This indicates collectors' rational return to art investment and their long-term optimism about scarce resources.”
Market analyst Mr. Wang Qiang also pointed out: “After several years of adjustment, the Southern Red Agate market has entered a relatively mature stage. Collectors are paying more attention to quality, craftsmanship, and cultural connotations, and speculative hype has decreased. It is expected that in the next few years, the Southern Red Agate market will continue to maintain steady growth, with prices for fine pieces still having room for appreciation. However, ordinary materials or crudely crafted works will have limited appreciation potential and may even face correction risks. For investors, choosing Southern Red Agate with clear provenance, unique artistic style, or rare mine sources will be key to avoiding risks and achieving returns.”
Looking ahead, with the revival of traditional Chinese culture and the trend of a younger collector base, Southern Red Agate, as a jade category combining ornamental, cultural, and investment value, still has broad market prospects. The success of Beijing Council's spring auction has undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm for the entire Southern Red Agate market, signaling new development opportunities for the industry.