Beijing, May 18, 2026 – The highly anticipated Poly 2026 Spring Auction concluded successfully today. The 'Jin Yu Cui – Important High-Ancient Jadeware Session' was particularly outstanding, achieving a total transaction value exceeding 250 million RMB with an impressive sell-through rate of 92.3%, far surpassing market expectations. This specialized auction not only demonstrated the strong recovery momentum of the high-ancient jade market but also conveyed collectors' firm confidence in the value of exquisite ancient jade.
The session featured 120 carefully selected high-ancient jade pieces, covering important historical periods such as the Hongshan Culture, Liangzhu Culture, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, and the Han Dynasty. Among them, a 'Hongshan Culture Jade Pig Dragon' was hammered at an astonishing 85 million RMB, setting a new record for Hongshan Culture jadeware auctions in the past five years, exceeding its estimate (50-70 million RMB) by 21.4%. Another 'Warring States Period White Jade Dragon-shaped Pendant' also sold for 32 million RMB, an increase of 18.5%, indicating strong demand for well-preserved and well-documented Warring States jadeware.
From the data, the average transaction price per lot in this session reached 2.08 million RMB, an increase of 15% compared to the same period last year. All lots estimated above 10 million RMB were sold, and 60% of the lots were sold at prices higher than their highest estimates. This fully demonstrates the vibrancy of the high-end ancient jade market and the ample purchasing power of collectors.
Mr. Li Ming, a senior auction industry analyst, pointed out: “The success of Poly's high-ancient jade session is not accidental. On the one hand, the gradual recovery of the global economy has injected liquidity into the art market; on the other hand, high-ancient jade, as a treasure of Chinese civilization, its unique historical and cultural value and scarcity make it an excellent choice for hedging against inflation and preserving and increasing asset value. In this auction, high-quality, clearly sourced, and impeccably preserved lots were particularly sought after, reflecting collectors' increasingly rational and professional investment decisions.”
Professor Wang, President of the China Jade Culture Research Association, also stated: “In recent years, the nation's increasing emphasis on cultural heritage protection has indirectly enhanced the social recognition and collection value of high-ancient jade. The excellent results of Poly's spring auction will undoubtedly further boost confidence in the entire ancient jade market. It is expected that the prices of exquisite high-ancient jade will continue to rise steadily in the next two years, especially for artifacts with clear archaeological backgrounds or important provenance, which have immense value potential.”
In terms of market trends, this auction also revealed some new developments. Firstly, early prehistoric jadeware such as those from the Hongshan and Liangzhu cultures are increasingly favored by top collectors due to their unique artistic style and archaeological significance, showing significant price appreciation potential. Secondly, ritualistic and ornamental jadeware from before the Han Dynasty, especially those with exquisite craftsmanship and superior jade quality, remain the focus of market pursuit. Finally, lots with clear dating evidence and authoritative provenance demonstrate significantly higher premium capabilities than ordinary lots.
Looking ahead, with the gradual stabilization of the global economic environment and the sustained enthusiasm for art investment, the high-ancient jade market is expected to usher in a more prosperous period. The success of Poly Auction's spring sale undoubtedly sets a positive tone for the ancient jade market in 2026 and the coming years, signaling the arrival of a collecting era full of opportunities.