Pola Antebi
Department Head
Hong Kong
With over 25 years of experience in field, 21 of which have been at Christie’s, Pola Antebi has made substantial contributions to Christie’s and to the field of Chinese ceramics and works of art, helping to secure Christie's position as the premier auction house for the sale of the finest imperial Chinese works of art. As one of the first employees of Christie’s Hong Kong, when it opened its doors in 1986, Ms. Antebi has witnessed first-hand the remarkable development of not only Chinese art and auctions in Asia, but played a crucial role in expanding Christie’s footprint in Asia, which today include 10 offices around the region.
Since 2000, when she was appointed Head of the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art department, Ms. Antebi has established Christie’s Hong Kong as the auction house of choice for collectors of Chinese works of art, with sales total in her category growing from US$11 million in 1998 to a record of US$233 million in 2010. Ms. Antebi was instrumental in garnering some of the most prestigious private collections offered at Christie’s Hong Kong sales, including: Imperial Treasures from the Fonthill Collection; Treasures from the Shorenstein Collection; Important Chinese Rhinoceros Horn Carvings from The Songzhutang Collection; Magnificent Clocks from the Nezu Museum in Japan; The Robert Chang Collection of Imperial Porcelain; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection of Jades; Important Chinese Lacquers from the Lee Family Collection and The Manno Museum Collection, to name a few.
In her role as the Department Head, Ms. Antebi travels extensively sourcing objects for sale, and introducing works of art to prospective buyers. With expertise in Imperial ceramics, jades and works of art from the Yuan to the Qing periods, she also conducts appraisals and consults for an extensive network of institutions and private collectors.
Ms. Antebi holds degrees in French Literature and Art History from the University of Vermont in the United States. She is also a member of Christie’s Hong Kong Management Committee.