Hong Kong

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.

Sotheby’s posted a record price for any piece of Chinese ceramics sold at auction after a rare Ru guanyao brush washer drew a 20 minute bidding battle in Hong Kong.

Objects and artworks from the personal collection of Claude Monet (1840-1926) will be on view in London later this month ahead of an auction in Hong Kong in November.

Hong Kong’s bill to ban the domestic ivory trade does allow for the trade in antiques containing ivory, it has emerged.

Phillips has hired Christie’s Lilly Chan to become managing director of its Asia business.

An exceptional Xuande mark and period ‘fish pond’ bowl, trumpeted by Sotheby’s as among the greatest examples of early Ming blue and white porcelain in private hands, sold in Hong Kong for HK$229m (£22.9m) on April 4.

China is shutting a third of its ivory factories and shops, as it begins to meet the requirements of a formal ban by the end of the year.