Top row (L–R): Courtesy Christie’s; Bonhams; Heritage Auctions. Bottom row (L–R): Courtesy Doyle; Sotheby’s; Freeman’s
Asia Week New York delivered outstanding results this year, with our six member auction houses—Bonhams, Christie’s, Doyle, Freeman’s, Heritage Auctions, and Sotheby’s—achieving exceptional results across both live and online sales!
KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849), Kanagawa oki nami ura (Under the well of the Great Wave off Kanagawa) [“Great Wave”] , price realized: $889,500; Bonhams’ Christie’s Japanese and Korean Art Sale
Bonhams’ March Asia Week New York at its newly unveiled U.S. headquarters at 111 West 57th Street, concluded with strong results across six live sales, demonstrating robust demand for exceptional works from across Asia, achieving a total of $12.5 million. Leading the marquee sale week were two standout masterworks: a Pair of Rare and Magnificent Carved Imperial Zitan Corner‑Leg Tables and a fine and full early impression of Katsushika Hokusai’s (1760–1849) iconic Kanagawa-oki nami-ura (Under the Wave off Kanagawa), each sold for $889,500. The week also saw outstanding results for Part III of Francine and Bernard Wald’s collection of fine snuff bottles, with 99% lots sold.
A VERY RARE AND MAGNIFICENT ‘FLORAL BOUQUET’ DOUCAI VASE, MEIPING, YONGZHENG SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1723-1735), price realized: $3,033,500; Christie’s Important Chinese Art Sale
Asia Week at Christie’s New York was also a resounding success, with 900 lots sold across seven auctions, achieving the highest total for an Asian Art Week in five years: $77,624,774. This was 250 percent of the total low estimate for the week, with 89 percent sold by lot. This marks the 12th consecutive season since September 2020 that Christie’s has led the market for Asian Art Week in New York. Highlights included, the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art sale realizing $27M, the record for a sale in the category outside of India; Important Chinese Art leading the week in its category, totaling $34M and seeing strong results for a wide variety of objects; Christie’s first -ever auction focused on Japanese art forms which influenced anime, manga, and pop and sub culture, Anime Starts Here: Japanese Subculture Reimagines Tradition, made a big statement soaring 407 percent times its low estimate.
A Magnificent Pair of Chinese Famille Verte Porcelain Rouleau Vases, Kangxi period, price realized: $203,700; Doyle’s Fine Chinese Works of Art Featuring The Tina Hills Collection / Fine Asian Works of Art Sale
Doyle’s highly successful two-day auction of Asian Works of Art in March topped $2.5 million, far surpassing expectations. Bidders from around the globe drove exceptional results for a wide range of porcelain and ceramics, bronzes, jades, snuff bottles, scholar’s objects, furniture, paintings and other traditional arts representing centuries of East and South Asian history and culture. Over 100 lots of fine Chinese porcelain and other works of art from The Tina Hills Collection attracted spirited bidding, driving exceptional results and a total that more than doubled the high estimate for the collection. The top lot was magnificent pair of Kangxi famille verte rouleau vases that soared over their $30,000-50,000 estimate to achieve a stunning $203,700. A Tibetan gilt-bronze figure of Virupa, dating to the 16th-17th century, also exceeded expectations, selling for an impressive $152,900. Property from The Jane Stanton Hitchcock Collection, the bronze was a rare early example depicting the revered Mahasiddha, and thus performed strongly despite the loss of his iconic raised arm, traditionally shown blocking the sun.
Zhang Daqian (Chinese, 1899-1983), Landscape, ink and color on paper, hanging scroll, price realized: $220,000, Freeman’s Asian Works of Art sale
Freeman’s successfully concluded its second March Asia Week New York sale on Friday, March 27, delivering strong results across all key metrics. A total of 204 lots achieved a hammer total of $1,573,400, with overall sales reaching $2,013,952. The average lot value (inclusive of buyer’s premium) rose to $11,574, reflecting a continued shift toward higher-quality consignments. The sale also achieved an impressive 85 percent sell-through rate, marking a notable high point for recent seasons. Chinese paintings led the auction, accounting for the top two lots and the only six-figure results, led by Zhang Daqian’s Landscape (ink and color on paper, hanging scroll), which achieved a hammer price of $220,000. The Chinese Works of Art category generated the highest total hammer and a strong concentration of five-figure sales. Noteworthy results were also seen in more specialized areas. Chinese Snuff Bottles achieved a rare 100 percent sell-through rate, totaling $99,950, while the expansion of Korean art offerings proved highly successful. Moving from just three ceramic lots last September to 16 diverse lots this March, 15 of 16 lots sold. These results underscore both the strength of the sale and growing opportunities in emerging collecting categories.
A Chinese Famille Rose Tripod Censer with Carved Wood Cover and Stand, Qianlong mark and of the period, price realized: $150,000, Heritage Auctions’ Asian Art Signature® Auction #8254 Sale
Heritage Auctions’ sales achieved a strong total of $893,069 during Asia Week, driven by robust demand for Chinese ceramics, jade, and Japanese art. Leading the sale was a Qianlong-period famille rose tripod censer, which realized $150,000.
A very rare and important ‘huanghuali’ folding horseshoe-back armchair (Jiaoyi), Late Ming / early Qing dynasty, 17th century, price realized: $2,000,000, Sotheby’s Huanghuali for the Scholar’s Studio: An Important Private Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture Sale
Sotheby’s inaugural Asia Week at the new global headquarters in the Breuer Building concluded with exceptional results, achieving over $44.9 million and surpassing the pre-sale high estimate of $23.1 million by 194%. Accompanied by two public exhibitions, the sale series presented an exceptional range of works spanning centuries of artistic achievement. Highlights included a rare Xuande mark and period blue-and-white jar which realized $4.1 million after a nearly nineteen-minute bidding battle; an exceedingly rare and important seventeenth-century ‘huanghuali’ folding horseshoe-back armchair (jiaoyi) which realized $2 million; and Maqbool Fida Husain’s Second Act (1958), which led the week at $5.1 million. Of the 322 lots sold, 69% sold above their high estimate, signaling strong, competitive bidding and deep engagement from the market. The Chinese Art auction further distinguished itself by achieving its second-highest March season total in the past five years and a record average lot value exceeding $100,000 over the same period.
