Totals HK$3 billion / US$390 million in a phenomenal display of market strength
Christie's Hong Kong realised a total of HK$3 billion / US$390 million across 16 live sales and two online sales, with a combined sell-through rate of 88%. The formidable season of masterpieces and collections saw half of all sales exceed high estimates and 34 world auction records set across art and luxury.
Works sold in Hong Kong across the series of five Modern and Contemporary Art auctions achieved HK$1.73 billion / US$224.7 million, the highest sale total for any auction house in Asia this year, cementing Christie's Hong Kong as a global platform for 20th and 21st Century Art.
New price benchmarks were set for modern and contemporary masters including Sanyu's Goldfish which fetched HK$170.2 million / US$22 million to establish a record for a painting depicting an animal subject by the artist, as well as the record-breaking sale of Zhang Xiaogang's Bloodline: Big Family No. 2, which sold for HK$98 million / US$12.7 million.
Some 500,000 global viewers tuned in live to watch the innovative 20th Century: Hong Kong to New York relay-style sale achieve a total of HK$920.3 million / US$119 million, selling 90% by lot and 97% by value.
Asian Art also achieved stellar results with a combined total of nearly HK$640 million / US$82.5 million. Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art saw 61% of the lots sold across four themed live auctions surpass their high estimates, while Chinese Paintings saw sales almost double the low estimates.
All major single-owner collections were 100% sold from the renowned Jean-Marc Lefèvre Collection of Vietnamese Art and The Chang-Wei Hwa Collection of Archaic Jades to The Chen Lifu Collection of Chinese Paintings and A Wonderful Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Collection. Imperial Glories from the Springfield Museums Collection also achieved a 100% sell-through rate, testament to Christie's ability to offer renowned private and institutional collections.
Magnificent Jewels totalled HK$397 million / US$51.5 million to lead the luxury categories with its star lot, a Boghossian Emerald and Diamond Double Rivière Necklace fetching HK$54.2 million / US$7 million.
Important Watches realised a total of HK$145.3 million / US$18.8 million and established six auction records for Patek Philippe references including for Ref. 3448, the top lot of the sale, which sold for HK$9.3 million / US$1.2 million, reaffirming Christie’s market leadership in Asia in offering the most valuable Patek Philippe timepieces at auction.
Handbags & Accessories achieved HK$45.8 million / US$6 million, double the pre-sale low estimate. A Rare, Matte White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Retourné Kelly 25 with Palladium Hardware, Hermès 2019 became the most expensive handbag sold at auction when it hammered for HK$3.4 million / US$437,330, including buyer’s premium.
Wines & Spirits autumn auctions achieved a combined sell-through rate of 97% with almost a third of the lots sold online via Christie's Live. The single-owner A Wonderful Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Collection was 100% sold, as was the offering of Japanese whiskies from Karuizawa, premium sake from Juyondai and German wine from Egon Müller.
The week-long series of auctions attracted global buying through all conceivable channels with a 35% year-on-year increase in online registrants, fully leveraging our enhanced digital capabilities to establish a landmark moment in the art world.
Over 20% of buyers were new to Christie's and from a new generation of millennial collectors. With the wave of auction records broken across art and luxury, and the new milestones achieved for 20th and 21st Century Art, we are thrilled to further cement Christie's Hong Kong as the leading international platform for global collecting.
We are now inviting consignments to our 2021 Auctions.
Contact Us
infoasia@christies.com
+852 2760 1766