HONG KONG.- “Christie’s autumn auctions in Hong Kong showed that the market is solid, as we witnessed strong demand not only for masterpieces, such as the Crimson Flame ruby and the Falangcai bowl, but at all price levels. Our innovative curatorial approach has been very well received across the board and particularly at our 20th Century and Contemporary Art sales, which achieved high sell-through rates and set over 20 world artist records. While seasoned collectors’ appetite for great works of art remains consistent, the number of new buyers has increased to 25% for most categories.” --Rebecca Wei, President of Christie’s Asia.

STRONG MARKET FOR ASIAN MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART
• Intense bidding for works by established Chinese & Korean modern masters, with keen interest for a range of emerging artists, including from China & Japan

• 21 artist records established, spanning the Asian region & across generations

• The first individual sale dedicated to Singapore Art by an international auction house

THE YEAR OF THE RUBY AT CHRISTIE’S ASIA
• World auction record per carat for a ruby: the Crimson Flame sells for HK$142 million / US$18 million

• Christie’s achieves a record year for Jewellery auctions in Asia

• The sale attracted 160 buyers from 16 countries across 3 continents

CHINESE PAINTINGS & WORKS OF ART SALES ATTRACT SEASONED COLLECTORS
• 50% of lots from the Classical Paintings & Calligraphy auction sold above high estimate, while more than 20 Chinese modern paintings sold above US$1 million

• A rare Falangcai bowl realised HK$85 million / US$11 million generated fierce competition

• A 13th century gilt-bronze Buddhist sculpture achieves HK$80 million / US$10 million, a world auction record for a Nepalese work of art

RESULTS BY CATEGORY
FINE & RARE WINES 27 & 28 November
Total: HK$70,779,928 US$9,175,283
• High selling rates achieved
• Top lot of the sales series: a case of 12 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1988, Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits, price realised: HK$1,041,250/US$134,978

ASIAN 20TH CENTURY & CONTEMPORARY ART 28 & 29 November
Total: HK$730,653,750 US$94,715,527
• Strong participation at Christie’s four auctions of Asian 20th Century & Contemporary Art, including Convergences: A Special Sale of Singapore Art, demonstrated continued appetite across all categories and regions, especially in Asian abstract and Southeast Asian Art
• Top lot of the sales series: Sanyu, Vase of Chrysanthemums on a Yellow Table, price realised: HK$46 million / US$5.9 million

IMPORTANT WATCHES 30 November
Total: HK$117,493,000 US$15,231,321
• The Important Watches sale generated International interest, with buyers from 30 countries across 5 continents
• Top lot: an important Patek Philippe, ref. 5016, pink gold minute repeating perpetual calendar tourbillon wristwatch, with retrograde date, moon phases, leap year indication and black dial, price realised: HK$4,120,000 / US$534,100

CHINESE PAINTINGS 30 November & 1 December
Total: HK$531,167,500 US$68,833,664
• The Chinese Paintings sales series attracted buyers from 14 countries across 4 continents, with buyers competing for works with remarkable provenance
• Top lot of the sales series: Horses Drinking by Xu Beihong, price realised: HK$22,520,000/ US$2,917,899

MAGNIFICENT JEWELS 1 December
Total: HK$747,894,000 US$96,904,062
• Top lot: the Crimson Flame, a Burmese ruby of 15.04 carats, sold for HK$142 million / US$18 million, a world auction record per carat of US$1.2 million
• This was the most valuable lot of the week of sales
• This sale brings Christie’s 2015 Hong Kong jewellery auctions total to US$215 million, the highest annual result ever achieved for the category in Asia

CHINESE WORKS OF ART 2 December
Total: HK$382,771,250 US$49,620,325
• Buyers at the sales series of Chinese Works of Art came from 3 continents
• A 13th century gilt-bronze Buddhist sculpture achieved HK$80 million / US$10 million, a world auction record for a Nepalese work of art (illustrated page 3)
• Top lot of the sales series: a rare Falangcai bowl, price realised: HK$85 million / US$11 million