Christie’s said it had raked in a record HK$1.64 billion (106 million pounds) in last week’s Hong Kong autumn sales, its best ever Asian auction series.

“Another record-breaking series of sales at Christie’s Hong Kong showed the growing strength in Asia of the demand for works of art of the highest quality,” said Chief Executive Edward Dolman of the five-day sale of Asian Art, jewellery and watches.

The previous record was set in May for Christie’s Spring sales which pulled in HK$1.2 billion.

Soaring Asian stock markets and a robust global economy are helping fuel demand for all categories of Asian art, including some HK$522.9 million which has been ploughed into Chinese contemporary and 20th-century art.

Notable items that went under the under the hammer included a rare oil painting by renowned Chinese artist Xu Beihong, “Slave and Lion”, which sold for HK$53.9 million ($7.0 million), smashing the world auction record for any Asian oil painting.

Posted: 12|4|06 at 12:19 pm. Filed under: Auction News.