【Beijing, May 20, 2026】Poly Auction's 2026 Spring Art Auction recently concluded successfully. The highly anticipated “Gilt and Jade Essence – Important Ancient Jadeware Session” performed remarkably, achieving a total turnover of RMB 285 million, with an impressive sell-through rate of 82.5%, significantly exceeding market expectations. The success of this session not only injected a strong boost into the long-sluggish ancient jade market but also signaled a subtle shift in collecting trends.
The session presented 120 exquisite ancient jade pieces, spanning masterpieces from the Hongshan, Liangzhu, Shang, Zhou, Han dynasties, all the way to the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Among them, a “Hongshan Culture Jade Pig Dragon” was hammered at RMB 68 million, with the final price reaching RMB 78.2 million including buyer's premium, becoming the highest-priced lot in this session. This represents an increase of over 80% compared to its estimate (RMB 35-45 million). Another highlight, a “Western Han White Jade Belt Hook with Chi Dragon Motif,” sold for RMB 32 million, approximately 45% above its estimate (RMB 18-25 million). Archaic jades performed particularly well in this auction, with multiple Hongshan and Liangzhu culture jade pieces selling for prices significantly exceeding their estimates, achieving an average premium rate of 35%.
Data analysis shows that both the sell-through rate and total turnover of this session set new records for Poly's ancient jade sessions over the past three years. Compared to the 2025 Autumn Sale, the turnover increased by 25%, and the sell-through rate improved by 15 percentage points. This indicates that market demand for high-quality, clearly sourced ancient jades remains strong, and buyer confidence is gradually recovering.
Mr. Li Ming, a senior auction industry analyst, pointed out: “The success of Poly's Spring Sale ancient jade session is the result of multiple converging factors. Firstly, the gradual improvement of the global economic environment has led to a rebound in confidence among high-net-worth collectors in art investment. Secondly, Poly's strict vetting process for consignments ensured the rarity and artistic value of the lots. More importantly, the market's perception of archaic jade values is returning to rationality, with its historical, cultural, and aesthetic values increasingly being recognized.”
Professor Wang, a renowned jade connoisseur, also stated: “Archaic jades, especially prehistoric jades from Hongshan and Liangzhu cultures, possess irreplaceable collection value due to their unique forms, exquisite craftsmanship, and profound cultural connotations. The outstanding performance of archaic jades in this auction reflects the growing recognition of these rare cultural relics in the market and indicates immense future potential for archaic jades.”
From a market trend perspective, the future ancient jade market will exhibit the following characteristics: Firstly, the trend towards “boutique quality” will become more pronounced, with collectors preferring jades with perfect condition, clear provenance, and rich cultural significance. Secondly, the “archaizing” trend will continue to heat up, with archaic jades from the Hongshan, Liangzhu, Shang, and Zhou periods remaining market hot spots. Thirdly, academic research and market value will be more closely integrated, with jades having clear archaeological provenance or authoritative documentation being more favored. Simultaneously, with the rise of younger generations of collectors, aesthetic tastes for jade collecting will become more diversified, but the demand for the cultural value and artistic taste of the jade itself will be higher.
Poly's successful Spring Sale ancient jade session undoubtedly injected new vitality into the entire art market and provided important reference points for the future direction of the ancient jade market. We have reason to believe that with the efforts of all parties, the ancient jade market will usher in a healthier and more prosperous development.