Beijing, November 15, 2026 – The highly anticipated Poly 2026 Autumn Auction concluded successfully yesterday, with the “Treasures of Jade – Important Ancient Jade Special” standing out particularly. The total transaction volume exceeded 350 million RMB, and the sell-through rate reached an impressive 88.5%, significantly surpassing market expectations and demonstrating a strong recovery trend in the ancient jade market.
This special sale featured 120 meticulously selected ancient jade pieces, covering exquisite items from the Hongshan Culture, Liangzhu Culture, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Warring States and Han Dynasties, as well as Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Among them, a 'Hongshan Culture Jade Pig Dragon' with an estimated price of 28 million to 35 million RMB was hammered at an astonishing 62 million RMB, with the final price reaching 71.3 million RMB including commission, becoming the highest-priced lot of this auction, representing a premium of 103% over its upper estimate. Another 'Warring States White Jade Bi Disc with Dragon and Phoenix Motif' also performed well, selling for 48 million RMB, nearly 50% above its estimate. Overall, high-ancient jades (pre-Han Dynasty) showed particularly strong performance in this auction, accounting for nearly 70% of the total transaction volume for the special sale.
Data analysis reveals that the average price per lot in this ancient jade special sale reached 2.916 million RMB, an increase of approximately 25% compared to the average price of similar sales in the 2025 autumn auction. Among them, 8 lots sold for over 10 million RMB, and 25 lots sold for over 5 million RMB, fully reflecting the resilience of the high-end ancient jade market and collectors' pursuit of rare pieces.
Mr. Zhang Ming, Head of Poly Auction's Antiques and Curiosities Department, stated in an interview: “The success of this ancient jade special sale is primarily due to our high-standard selection of lots, ensuring all jades offered have clear provenance and excellent condition. Secondly, market awareness of high-quality, rare ancient jades continues to improve, especially for exquisite pieces with significant historical and cultural value and artistic beauty, whose resistance to decline and appreciation potential are widely recognized. The auction results also confirm our previous judgment on market recovery, particularly in the high-ancient jade segment, which is gradually emerging from its adjustment period and entering a new growth phase.”
Ms. Li Hua, a senior jade market analyst, commented: “The excellent performance of Poly's ancient jade special sale this autumn undoubtedly injected a strong shot in the arm for the entire antique art market. The strong showing of high-ancient jades, on one hand, reflects the return of confidence among top collectors in cultural art investments, and on the other hand, indicates the market's thirst for genuine, exquisite, and rare items. In the next few years, we anticipate that the high-ancient jade market will continue to maintain steady growth, especially for museum-quality collectibles with clear archaeological backgrounds and traceable provenance, whose value will continue to be unearthed. Simultaneously, with the entry of a new generation of collectors, aesthetic standards and collecting preferences for jade are subtly changing, with a greater emphasis on the comprehensive consideration of jade quality, craftsmanship, and cultural connotation.”
The success of this auction not only earned Poly Auction a strong market reputation but also brought a positive close to the 2026 global art market. Looking ahead to 2027, with the gradual recovery of the global economy and the sustained enthusiasm for art investment, the ancient jade market is expected to usher in even more prosperous development.