Hong Kong

The Masterpiece fair brand will be trialled in Hong Kong later this year with a ‘pavilion’ within the Fine Art Asia fair.

The recently discovered pair to the famous ‘Bainbridge vase’ has sold in Hong Kong today for a premium-inclusive HK$149m (£14.6m). Bidding opened at HK$40 million and steadily climbed as five bidders competed for the lot.

Fine Art Asia, the annual Hong Kong event, features art and antiques offered by dealers from both the west and the east.

An extraordinarily rare artwork by pre-eminent Chinese scholar Su Shi (1037-1101) will be offered at Christie’s Hong Kong later this year. The auctioneers are hoping that it could make a record for any Asian work of art.

The pair to the famous ‘Bainbridge vase’ – knocked down at £43m in 2010 but later sold for half of that sum – is to come to market. Sotheby’s will sell the near identical vase, that has a century-long provenance, in Hong Kong in the autumn.

Whisky bottles decorated with illustrations by pop artists Valerio Adami and Sir Peter Blake set records at Bonhams’ Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky auction in Hong Kong.

The highlight of the inaugural handbag auction held by Spink in Hong Kong was a sterling silver Hermès Kelly handbag.

Sotheby’s spring Hong Kong series included a trio of eight-figure Chinese imperial works of art.

Christie’s is ringing the changes for its auction series in Hong Kong this spring by inviting three European dealers exhibit works at its sale venue.

Sotheby’s has promoted Nicolas Chow to chairman of Sotheby’s Asia. He has risen through the ranks of the company as the Chinese art market has grown rapidly since he joined Sotheby’s in 1999.

Coins, banknotes and stamps specialist Spink has expanded its sales programme into the growing auction sector of luxury handbags.

A rare Kangxi bowl coming onto the market for the first time in 30 years could test the auction record for Chinese ceramics.

Hong Kong’s bill for a stricter ban on ivory will be enacted this year but exemptions for antiques objects remain.