【Hangzhou News】May 18, 2026, the highly anticipated “Jade and Scholar's Objects Special Sale” of Xiling Yinshe 2026 Spring Auction successfully concluded by the West Lake in Hangzhou. This special sale presented 128 meticulously selected lots, covering various rare jade and stone carved scholar's objects, including Hetian jade, jadeite, and Shoushan stone, attracting fierce bidding from numerous collectors and institutions both domestically and internationally. Ultimately, the special sale concluded with an impressive total transaction volume of RMB 185 million, achieving a high sell-through rate of 88.3%, far exceeding market expectations and setting a new record for Xiling Yinshe's similar special sales in the past five years.
Highlights of this auction were numerous. A 'White Jade Carved Taotie Pattern Square Pot' from the Qing Qianlong period was hammered at RMB 38 million, significantly surpassing its estimated price of RMB 20 million, becoming the top lot of the sale. The pot's jade is warm and delicate, with exquisite carving and ancient, elegant patterns, fully demonstrating the pinnacle craftsmanship of imperial jade carving during the Qianlong era. Another highly anticipated lot, a 'Mid-Qing Dynasty Hetian Jade Seed Material Carved Auspicious Beast Paperweight,' sold for RMB 15 million, an increase of 40% over its estimate. Its raw material quality was superior, and the carving was vivid and lifelike, making it highly favored by collectors.
Jadeite lots also performed well. An 'Ice-Type Imperial Green Jadeite Carved Bamboo Section Brush Pot' sold for RMB 12 million, with a premium rate of 33%, demonstrating the scarcity and value preservation/appreciation capability of top-grade jadeite in the market. In addition, several Shoushan stone carvings also performed strongly, among which a 'Tianhuang Stone Carved Arhat Ornament' sold for RMB 8.5 million. Its warm stone quality and fine carving once again confirmed the stable market position of high-quality Tianhuang stone.
Market Analysis and Trend Judgment:
Mr. Zhang Ming, head of Xiling Yinshe Auction, stated in an interview with reporters: “The success of this jade and scholar's objects special sale clearly conveys several positive market signals. Firstly, the market demand for high-end, exquisite jade and scholar's objects remains strong, especially for items with clear provenance, superb craftsmanship, and rare materials; their value is being re-evaluated and fully recognized by the market. Secondly, the collector structure is changing, with a younger generation of collectors gradually entering the market. They have a more mature understanding of art investment and pay more attention to artistic and cultural connotations. Finally, the gradual stabilization of the global economic environment has also injected confidence into the art market, prompting funds to flow back to art pieces with long-term collection value.”
Professor Wang, a senior jade appraisal expert and director of the China Gem & Jade Association, analyzed: “The success of this auction is not accidental. In recent years, with the enhancement of cultural confidence and the rise of traditional culture, jade and scholar's objects, as important carriers of traditional Chinese culture, have increasingly highlighted their artistic and collection value. Especially Hetian jade seed material, high-quality jadeite, and Shoushan stone carved by famous artists, due to the increasing scarcity of resources, still have significant appreciation potential in the future. However, the market also shows a trend of polarization, with ordinary quality or unknown provenance lots performing relatively flatly. This reminds collectors to pay more attention to the quality, provenance, and artistic value of the lots when investing.”
Expert Commentary and Market Opinions:
Mr. Li, a renowned collector, stated at the auction site: “I have followed Xiling Yinshe's auctions for many years, and the performance of this jade and scholar's objects special sale is exhilarating. Especially that white jade Taotie pattern square pot, its historical and artistic value are impeccable, and such a high price is well-deserved. I believe that in the current market environment, investing in jade and scholar's objects with clear historical provenance and high artistic merit is a relatively stable and rewarding choice.”
Ms. Chen, an art market analyst, commented: “The sell-through rate and premium rate of this auction were very high, indicating that market confidence in high-quality jade and scholar's objects is recovering. It is worth noting that buyers are conducting more in-depth research on the background of the lots and have higher requirements for authenticity and condition. In the future, auction houses will face greater challenges in lot solicitation and appraisal. Only by providing high-quality, highly credible lots can they continue to win market favor.”
Looking ahead, with the continuous development of the Chinese economy and the upgrading of cultural consumption, the market for jade and scholar's objects is expected to remain active. Xiling Yinshe's impressive performance in this spring auction undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm for the entire art market, signaling the arrival of a more prosperous collecting era.