【Hong Kong, April 28, 2026】The highly anticipated Sotheby's Spring 2026 auction recently concluded successfully, with the 'Important Chinese Art' sale standing out. Ancient jade bi, as key lots, successfully led the season's sales surge with their profound historical and cultural value and exquisite craftsmanship. The total sales reached HKD 285 million, with an impressive sell-through rate of 82%, demonstrating strong market demand for top-tier artworks and steadily recovering confidence.
The undisputed highlight of the sale was a 'Western Han Dynasty Celadon Jade Bi with Dragon Motif.' This jade bi, measuring 25 cm in diameter, boasts a lustrous jade texture, intricate carving, and powerful dragon motifs, all preserved in excellent condition. After multiple rounds of fierce bidding, it finally hammered for an astonishing HKD 62 million, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of HKD 35-45 million, representing a premium of 77%. This selling price not only set a new auction record for similar jade bi in the past five years but also reaffirmed the unshakeable position of archaic jade in the collecting world. Another 'Neolithic Liangzhu Culture Jade Cong' sold for HKD 28 million, a 25% increase over its estimate, indicating collectors' continued interest in early civilization artifacts.
Overall, the ancient jade section of this Sotheby's spring auction performed exceptionally well, with 35 ancient jade pieces offered, 32 of which sold, achieving a sell-through rate of 91.4%. The total sales for this section reached HKD 130 million, accounting for nearly half of the total sales for the 'Important Chinese Art' sale. Compared to the same period last year, the ancient jade section saw a 15% increase in sales and a 10% rise in average unit price, indicating robust market demand for high-quality, clearly sourced ancient jade and a steady upward price trend.
Mr. Nicolas Chow, Chairman of Sotheby's Asia, stated after the auction: “The success of this spring sale, particularly the outstanding performance of ancient jade bi, once again demonstrates the resilience and vitality of the Asian art market, especially the Chinese art market. Collectors show immense passion and confidence in rare artworks with historical heritage and cultural connotations. We have observed that new collectors are also beginning to turn their attention to archaic jade, which portends significant growth potential for this sector in the future.”
Professor Li Ming, a senior jade market analyst, commented: “The high price achieved by this Western Han jade bi is no accident. Amid increasing global economic uncertainty, top-tier artworks, especially archaic jade with its rarity and cultural attributes, are viewed as stable investment hedges. Collectors, while pursuing artistic value, also prioritize their preservation and appreciation functions. Furthermore, the price elasticity for well-preserved, well-provenanced exquisite jade pieces far exceeds that of ordinary lots. In the future, we anticipate the archaic jade market will continue to show a polarized trend, with prices for premium pieces continuing to rise, while ordinary collectibles remain stable.”
Looking ahead, with the resurgence of traditional Chinese culture and the maturation of collecting concepts, the market value of archaic jade, such as ancient jade bi, will be further explored. Sotheby's stellar performance in this spring auction undoubtedly injected a strong dose of confidence into the art market for 2026 and beyond, signaling the arrival of a new era of collecting full of opportunities and challenges.