Beijing, May 18, 2026 – Poly Auction's 2026 Spring Auctions recently concluded successfully, with the highly anticipated “Jijin Yicui – Important Ancient Jade Special” performing exceptionally well. The total transaction value reached RMB 285 million, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 89.5%, significantly exceeding market expectations. The success of this special not only reconfirmed the robust position of high-quality ancient jade in the art market but also injected a strong dose of confidence into the currently somewhat cautious art market.

The special presented a total of 126 exquisite ancient jade pieces, covering various historical periods from Hongshan Culture, Liangzhu Culture, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Han Dynasty, to Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Among them, a “Hongshan Culture Jade Pig Dragon” was hammered at an astonishing price of RMB 68 million, far exceeding its estimated price of RMB 45 million, with a premium rate of 51.1%, becoming the highest-priced lot of the session. This Jade Pig Dragon features an ancient and majestic form, warm jade quality, and exquisite carving, making its rarity and historical value a focal point for many collectors. Another “Western Han White Jade Chilong-pattern Bi Disc” also sold for RMB 32 million, an increase of 28% from its estimated price of RMB 25 million, demonstrating strong demand for Han Dynasty jade in the market.

From the data, the following significant characteristics emerged from this special:

  • High-Ancient Jade Steals the Show: High-ancient jade from periods such as Hongshan, Liangzhu, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties, due to their unique historical and cultural value and scarcity, continue to be favored by top collectors. The sell-through rate for the high-ancient jade section reached 95%, with multiple lots selling at high premiums, indicating strong market demand and value recognition for rare high-ancient jade.


  • Fine Han Jade Shows Steady Growth: Han Dynasty jade, with its exquisite carving and rich cultural connotations, has always been a strong commodity in the market. In this special, multiple Han Dynasty jade pieces sold at prices higher than their estimates, with increases ranging from 20%-35%, indicating their value is steadily rising.


  • Ming and Qing Jade Market Differentiation: Ming and Qing jade performed relatively stable, but exquisite palace jade and literati jade pieces remained sought after, with medium to high transaction prices. Ordinary themed and crafted Ming and Qing jade, however, faced some market pressure, with more rational transaction prices, showing the market's increasing discernment for jade quality and rarity.


Market Analysis and Trend Prediction:

Mr. Li Ming, a senior art market analyst, pointed out: “The success of Poly Spring Auction's ancient jade special once again verifies the '80/20 rule' of the art market – that top-tier masterpieces are always the focus of market pursuit, and their value has strong resistance to decline. Especially in the context of increasing global economic uncertainty, high-quality, rare ancient jade, as a hard asset, increasingly highlights its value preservation and appreciation attributes.”

Ms. Wang, head of Poly Auction's Antiquities and Curios Department, stated: “We are very satisfied with the performance of this ancient jade special. The strong performance of high-ancient jade reflects collectors' deep emotional connection to China's long-standing history and cultural confidence. At the same time, we also see that the market's attention to the authenticity, condition, and provenance of jade is growing, which prompts us to control the quality of lots more strictly and provide more professional academic research and appraisal support.”

Looking ahead, the ancient jade market will continue to maintain a steady growth trend, but market differentiation will become increasingly apparent. Fine ancient jade with clear provenance, excellent condition, and profound cultural connotations, especially high-ancient jade and palace jade, will remain the preferred choice for market investment and collection. Simultaneously, with the rise of a new generation of collectors, the understanding of jade's artistic and cultural value will deepen, which will drive market interest in innovative research and diversified collecting. It is expected that in the next two years, the prices of high-quality ancient jade will still have room for a 10%-15% increase, while the prices of ordinary jade will tend to stabilize or even face adjustments.