【Beijing, May 18, 2026】China Guardian's 2026 Spring Auction concluded successfully yesterday, with the highly anticipated “Jin Yu Cui – Ancient Jadeware Specialist Sale” performing exceptionally well. The total transaction value reached RMB 380 million, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 92.5%, significantly exceeding market expectations and once again confirming the strong collection demand and investment potential of the ancient jade market.
The auction featured 120 exquisite pieces of ancient jade, covering various periods from the Neolithic age to the Qing Dynasty, including many museum-quality rare collections. The most striking item was a “Western Han White Jade Chilong-patterned Bi Disc.” This jade disc, with its warm luster, exquisite craftsmanship, and perfect condition, fetched RMB 85 million after multiple rounds of fierce bidding, exceeding its estimate (RMB 50-70 million) by 21.4% to 70%, making it the highest-priced lot of the sale. Another piece, a “Shang Dynasty Celadon Jade Ge (dagger-axe),” also sold for a high price of RMB 32 million, an increase of 45%, indicating that the value of early high-ancient jade is being re-evaluated by the market.
From the data, the average transaction price of this ancient jadeware specialist sale reached RMB 3.16 million, an increase of 15% compared to the same period last year. Among them, high-ancient jade (pre-Han Dynasty) performed particularly well, with an average premium rate of 35%, while Ming and Qing Dynasty jade maintained steady growth, with an average premium rate of around 15%. This indicates that collectors' pursuit of high-ancient jade, which combines rarity, historical value, and artistic merit, is intensifying.
Mr. Li Ming, a veteran auction industry observer, stated in an interview: “The success of China Guardian's ancient jadeware specialist sale is not accidental. In recent years, with the steady development of the domestic economy and the enhancement of cultural confidence, more and more high-net-worth individuals are beginning to pay attention to and invest in artworks with profound cultural heritage. Ancient jade, as an important carrier of Chinese civilization, its unique historical, cultural, and artistic value makes it a 'hard currency' in the collection market. The brilliant performance of this auction will undoubtedly further boost market confidence and attract more collectors.”
Ms. Wang Li, a jade market analyst, also pointed out: “The current ancient jade market shows a trend of polarization. On the one hand, high-quality high-ancient jade with perfect condition, clear provenance, and definite dating characteristics continues to set new price records, becoming the focus of competition for institutions and powerful collectors. On the other hand, ordinary or questionable pieces face greater market pressure. This requires collectors to have professional appreciation knowledge and risk awareness when investing. In the next few years, we expect the prices of high-quality ancient jade to continue to rise steadily, especially those unique and rare pieces that combine historical documentary value and artistic beauty, their appreciation potential will be even more considerable.”
Looking ahead, China Guardian stated that it will continue to deepen its efforts in the ancient jade market, presenting more high-quality ancient jade treasures to collectors through more professional academic research and stricter selection standards, and jointly promoting the inheritance and development of Chinese ancient jade culture. The success of this spring auction has undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm for the art market in the second half of 2026, indicating that the ancient jade market will continue to maintain its unique charm and investment value.