Beijing, November 28, 2026 – The highly anticipated Poly 2026 Autumn Art Auction concluded successfully today. Against a backdrop of a slightly cautious overall market, this season's auction successfully boosted market confidence with a series of high-quality master jade carvings, demonstrating the resilience and vitality of the high-end art market. Among them, the master jade carving special session was particularly outstanding, with transaction volumes exceeding historical records for the same period, becoming the biggest highlight of the auction.
This autumn auction featured two jade ware special sessions, with a total transaction value of RMB 320 million and a remarkable sell-through rate of 82.5%. The highly anticipated 'Carving Jade into Art – Masterpieces by Contemporary Chinese Jade Carving Masters' special session saw 108 out of 120 lots sold, achieving an impressive sell-through rate of 90% and a total transaction value of RMB 250 million, an 18% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure not only far exceeded market expectations but also injected a strong boost into the currently somewhat sluggish art market.
Specifically, several master-level works performed exceptionally well. Among them, the 'Prosperous Lotus Rhyme' white jade ornament created by National-level Jade Carving Master Wang XX, with its exquisite craftsmanship and unique artistic conception, was finally hammered at RMB 38 million after multiple rounds of fierce bidding, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of RMB 25 million, with a premium rate of 52%. Another piece, the 'Nine Dragons Playing with a Pearl' spinach jade screen, created by Provincial-level Jade Carving Master Li XX, also sold for RMB 15 million, an increase of 25% over its estimate. In addition, several works by young jade carving artists also performed well, with average transaction prices increasing by 10% to 15% over their estimates, indicating market recognition for emerging talents.
Market analyst Zhang Hua pointed out: "The success of this Poly autumn auction's master jade carving session is mainly due to two factors. Firstly, under economic downward pressure, high-net-worth individuals' demand for scarce and value-preserving art investments remains strong; secondly, the cultural, artistic, and craftsmanship value inherent in master jade carving works makes them a uniquely attractive asset. Especially those works that combine innovation with traditional charm are more likely to be favored by collectors."
From an overall trend perspective, the high-end jade carving market shows a polarized trend. On the one hand, the exquisite works of top masters remain the focus of market pursuit, with strong price resilience and even counter-cyclical growth; on the other hand, ordinary jade ware or works with mediocre craftsmanship face greater market pressure. However, the good performance of young jade carving artists in this auction also indicates that the market's attention to potential middle-tier forces is increasing.
Mr. Wang, Head of Poly Auction's Jade Department, stated in an interview: "We are very satisfied with the results of this autumn auction. This fully demonstrates the profound heritage and market potential of Chinese jade carving art. In the future, we will continue to deeply cultivate the jade carving field, discover more excellent jade carving artists and works, and provide collectors with more diversified and higher-quality choices. At the same time, we also see that the market's aesthetic standards for jade carving works are gradually improving, and collectors are paying more attention to the artistic quality, cultural connotation, and craftsmanship of the works."
Looking ahead, with the gradual recovery of the Chinese economy and the strengthening of cultural confidence, the high-end jade carving market is expected to continue to maintain steady growth. Particularly in the areas of master-level works and works by young artists with unique artistic styles, it is expected to continue to be highly sought after by the market. However, the market's selection of works will be more stringent, and quality and scarcity will become key factors in determining prices. For collectors, in-depth research into the artistic value, craftsmanship, and author's reputation of a work will be crucial for successful investment.