Bonhams Asian Art Week in London Achieves £4.4M, Led by Guanyin Figure and Cloisonné Vase
The Facts
Bonhams concluded its Asian Art Week in London, comprising live and online auctions that ran from 8–19 May 2026, with live sales on 11–12 May at Knightsbridge and 14 May at New Bond Street. The series achieved a combined total of £4,444,811, featuring works spanning China, Japan, Tibet, and other regions across over two thousand years. Top lots included a 17th/18th-century silver-wire-inlaid bronze figure of Guanyin that sold for £121,050, and a fine moriage cloisonné enamel 'Bird and Persimmon' vase by Ando Jubei (dated 1929) that realized £28,160 against an estimate of £12,000–15,000. Other notable results included an archaistic bronze ritual food vessel from the Ming dynasty (1546) that sold for £34,560, far above its £2,000–3,000 estimate, and a Midnight Blue Gauze Formal Summer Court Robe from the 19th century that achieved £18,560 against a £6,000–8,000 estimate.
The Signal
The sales underscore sustained global demand for Asian works of art, with strong international participation and multiple lots exceeding estimates by wide margins. Asaph Hyman, Global Head of Chinese Art at Bonhams, noted the robust strength and depth of the market, highlighting exceptional results for private collections and objects with long-standing provenance. The auction house now looks ahead to upcoming live and online sales in Paris, Stockholm, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong in June, signaling continued expansion of its Asian art program across global markets.
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- Artists: Ando Jubei
- People: Asaph Hyman
- Auction Houses: Bonhams
- Locations: London
- Prices: £4,444,811, £121,050, £28,160, £34,560, £18,560, £95,650, £48,640, £30,720, £25,600
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