CHRISTIE’S HONG KONG CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF SUCCESS A History of Unmatched Excellence as Sales Exceed HK$2.07 billion/US$267 million
Reaching 57% Market Share, 12th Consecutive Year of Leadership in Asia
market of Ming wares by acquiring consignments with superb provenance, exemplified by a highly important
early Ming blue and white Dragon brushwasher from the Yongle period (1403-1425) that fetched US$5,322,688
in April 2004, establishing a world auction record for Ming blue and white porcelain.
The world auction market was recently fascinated and intrigued by a Yuan Dynasty Jinxiang Ting jar, mid-14th
Century, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in November 2005 for US$6,130,000, a record price for a Yuan vessel at
auction in Asia that has been surpassed only by a similar jar offered at Christie’s London auction in July. The
sales immediately sparked a frenzy for exceptional blue and white jars from the Yuan Dynasty in the world
auction market, illustrating Christie’s acumen in setting global market trend.
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Modern & Contemporary Southeast Asian Art
Since its inauguration in 1994 in Singapore, the sale has pioneered broadening the horizon of the international
market for modern and contemporary Southeast Asian art. The sale was moved to Hong Kong in 2002.
Christie’s leadership spans the category, from exquisite Indo-European pictures by painter-travellers to paintings
by indigenous artists. In March 1996, Raden Salah’s The Deer Hunt was sold for US$1.9 million, setting the world
auction record for a Southeast Asian painting. Christie’s further widened collectors’ interests in contemporary
Southeast Asian and Indian art by dedicating special contemporary sections within the sales, bringing to centrestage
an array of mixed media art, photographs and installation art by distinguished artists.
Jewellery, Jadeite Jewellery & Watches
Jadeite has always played an important role in Christie's sales calendar. It has been highly coveted by Asian
collectors, and was first offered at Christie's Hong Kong sales as early as 1986.
In face of the rapidly soaring demand on both jadeite and western jewellery in Asia, Christie's Hong Kong
established its first Western Jewellery and Jadeite Jewellery Departments in 1993, and held independent sales of
these two categories in 1994. In just a few years time, the departments had consolidated its leading position as
the Asian sales centre for magnificent jadeite and jewellery, and the prices achieved became prime indicators for
the industry.
Undoubtedly the most sensational sale of the decade took place in November 1997, when the 'Doubly
Fortunate' jadeite necklace sold for an astonishing US$9.4 million, establishing the world auction record for
jadeite jewellery to date. A year later, the company became the market focus again by selling the magnificent
jewels of Theresa Po Lau, the most important jewellery collection ever auctioned in Asia.
In fact, Christie’s Hong Kong holds several world auction records for jewellery. A diamond briolette pendant
necklace of 31.81 carats sold for US$2.6 million in April 2004, the world auction record for a colourless diamond
briolette; and a pair of white and purplish natural pearl ear-pendants by Etcetera realized US$881,887 in
November 2004, the world auction record for a pair of pearl ear pendants, were amongst the landmark records
which thrilled the global auction market.
Watches, first sold at Christie’s Hong
