NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s Asian Art Week live auctions totaled USD $41,641,250 (£33,752,998 / € 37,662,556 / HK$324,469,071) with online sales to continue through September 25. Deep bidding was witnessed for all categories with active participation from registered bidders spanning 36 countries and 5 continents. Exceptional results were achieved for the two collection sales, Masterpieces of Early Chinese Gold and Silver and Chinese Art from The Art Institute of Chicago, with many lots greatly exceeding their initial sale estimates. Throughout the week of sales eleven new world auction records were set.

The top lot of the week was a rare and important large parcel-gilt silver bowl, Tang dynasty, which realized $3,495,000 and set the world auction record for a Chinese silver work of art. Other notable results included a very rare gold ‘dragon’-handled cup, Yuan dynasty, that sold for $2,535,000 and set the auction record for a gold work of art from the Yuan dynasty; an important massive sancai-glazed pottery figure of a Fereghan horse, Tang dynasty, which realized $675,000; and a very rare and finely enameled famille rose mille fleurs lantern vase, Jiaqing iron-red six-character seal and mark of the period, that sold for $879,000.

Notable results were achieved for the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art sale, led by Sayed Haider Raza’s monumental La Terre (1977), which realized $3,015,000. Additionally, within the sale nine new records were set for artists: Shakir Ali, Jyoti Bhatt, Bipin Goswami, Sarnath Banerjee, Naeem Mohaiemen, Mahbubur Rahman, RAQS Media Collection, Shumon Ahmed and Mrinalini Mukherjee.

Additional Asian Art Week highlights included an early work by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), Hibiscus, dated 1948, which sold for $591,000; Wang Ziwu (B. 1936), Portrait of Cao Xueqin, which sold for more than 20 times its low estimate realizing $231,250; and a large and magnificent gilt-bronze figure of Vajrasattva, which sold for $615,000.

Tina Zonars, Chairman of Asian Art, Christie’s, comments: “The results achieved by the week of sales demonstrate the importance of provenance, as seen with the exceptional prices-realized for works from The Art Institute of Chicago and early Chinese gold and silver formerly in the collection of Dr. Johan Carl Kempe. Throughout the week of sales, there was robust global participation across all buying channels with active bidding witnessed from Greater China. The overall success of the week of sales is a true testament to Christie’s successful teamwork and leadership across all areas of Asian art.”

Deepanjana Klein, International Head of Classical and Contemporary Indian and South Asian Art, remarks: “This season the sale for South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art performed with strong results demonstrating the growing international interest for the field. Our commitment to the category has been rewarded with the prices achieved, such as Sayed Haider Raza’s ‘La Terre,’ which realized over $3 million, new artist records, and an expanded global network of buyers. The top lots offered in the Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art sale performed well showcasing the continued demand for masterpiece works for the category.”

Online sales continue through September 25.