Bonhams Asian Art Week in London, May 2026, Highlights Rare Qing Album and Thatcher Seal
The Facts
Bonhams will present its Asian Art Week in London from May 8–19, 2026, featuring live auctions at Knightsbridge on May 11–12 and at New Bond Street on May 14, complemented by four online sales. The Knightsbridge auction is led by a moriage cloisonné enamel vase by Ando Jubei (estimate £12,000–15,000). The New Bond Street sale is headlined by a rare Album of Tributary Peoples from the Qianlong period (estimate £80,000–120,000), associated with the 1761 imperial project Qing Imperial Illustrations of Tributary Peoples. A jadeite 'Buddhist lion' seal presented to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher commemorating her 1982 visit to China (estimate £3,000–5,000) is also offered, alongside works by Qi Baishi and a no-reserve collection of Chinese ceramics.
The Signal
The album's estimated price of £80,000–120,000 reflects strong institutional and collector appetite for rare works with imperial provenance—particularly those linked to the Qianlong court, a benchmark dynasty for Chinese art. The inclusion of the Thatcher seal, modestly estimated, may draw political-history collectors and institutions seeking objects with documented diplomatic resonance. The no-reserve collection of Chinese ceramics signals a strategy to attract both established and entry-level buyers into the market, while the range of estimates from £3,000 to £120,000 aims to broaden participation in Asian Art Week.
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- Artists: Ando Jubei, Qi Baishi
- People: Asaph Hyman, Margaret Thatcher
- Auction Houses: Bonhams
- Locations: London
- Prices: £12,000–15,000, £3,000–5,000, £80,000–120,000, £30,000–50,000, £10,000–15,000, £8,000–12,000
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