https://www.scmp.com/rss/324464/feed Reporting on the latest auctions of luxury goods, including watches, handbags, high jewellery and fine art en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Amanda Sheppard Amanda Sheppard Every year when Art Basel Hong Kong opens its doors, Hong Kong once again assumes its role as East Asia’s art world crossroads. Collectors, gallerists and curators from across the region converge on the city, reinforcing a perception that Hong Kong remains Asia’s most globally integrated art market. But beneath the spectacle lies a more nuanced question. What is Hong Kong’s position within an increasingly multicentred East Asian art ecosystem? From the vantage point of Asia Art Archive (AAA),... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3350942/hong-kongs-rise-east-asias-thriving-art-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3350942/hong-kongs-rise-east-asias-thriving-art-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Parisian man could not believe his luck on Tuesday when he found out he had won a Pablo Picasso painting worth US$1 million with a US$117 raffle ticket. “How do I check that it’s not a hoax?” said Ari Hodara, 58, after organisers called him following the draw at Christie’s auction house in the French capital. Hodara described himself as an art amateur fond of Picasso and said he bought his ticket over the weekend after finding out about the charity raffle by chance during a meal in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350098/stunned-frenchman-wins-us1-million-picasso-us117-raffle-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350098/stunned-frenchman-wins-us1-million-picasso-us117-raffle-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:44:51 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui White gloves are traditionally given to an auctioneer if every single lot in a sale finds a buyer, a ceremonial touch that adds to the drama of these infrequent events. In March, during Hong Kong art week, the city saw two “white glove” auctions, which certainly raised hope that its multi-year auction market slump is finally over. The first of these milestone events occurred on March 27, when Christie’s 20th/21st Century Evening Sale was 100 per cent sold. The auction was led by Gerhard... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3349243/sold-out-auctions-suggest-hong-kongs-art-market-back-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3349243/sold-out-auctions-suggest-hong-kongs-art-market-back-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Wilson Lau Wilson Lau Hong Kong’s art auctions in 2025 saw a shift to quality and selectivity, with Picasso and Nara works leading high-profile sales. Hong Kong’s live auction market opened 2025 with a striking sense of momentum, defined by breadth, competition and a confident interplay between modern, contemporary and classical Chinese art. By autumn, however, that early exuberance had evolved into something more deliberate. A maturing market – buoyed by regional optimism yet sharpened by global realities – shifted... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3348602/how-picasso-and-nara-are-driving-hong-kongs-live-art-auctions-record-highs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3348602/how-picasso-and-nara-are-driving-hong-kongs-live-art-auctions-record-highs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:00:07 +0000 Aidyn Fitzpatrick Aidyn Fitzpatrick Hong Kong’s Art Month calendar is crowded, but every so often a show cuts through the noise. This spring, that role falls to “Beyond the Abstract”, a landmark exhibition at Sotheby’s Maison in Chater House that attempts something unusually ambitious: a survey of abstraction across cultures and spanning 3,000 years. Running until March 27, the exhibition brings together painting, sculpture, works on paper and historic objects that trace a dialogue across the centuries, from ancient artefacts to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3347819/style-edit-sothebys-maps-3000-years-abstraction-landmark-hong-kong-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3347819/style-edit-sothebys-maps-3000-years-abstraction-landmark-hong-kong-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson Rahul Kadakia’s favourite gavel is not particularly beautiful. The lacquer has dulled, the wood is chipped with paint from the rostrum and the head sits slightly off-centre after cracking open during a Geneva sale, when a lot estimated at US$100,000 soared to US$1 million. It is, by any conventional standard, worn out. “This gavel has sold billions of dollars,” he says, with a small laugh at the incongruity. Newly appointed president of Christie’s Asia Pacific, Kadakia, 51, speaks quickly, with... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3347307/christies-auctioneer-rahul-kadakia-treasures-his-gift-gavel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3347307/christies-auctioneer-rahul-kadakia-treasures-his-gift-gavel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A triceratops skeleton that stood in a Wyoming museum for decades will be auctioned off, a rare instance of a museum-exhibited dinosaur going to the auction block just as the market for the prehistoric giants has hit record highs. The fossil, dubbed “Trey”, will be open for bidding from March 17 to 31 on Joopiter, an online auction platform founded by Grammy-winning artist and producer Pharrell Williams. It has a pre-auction estimate of US$4.5 million to US$5.5 million. Dating back more than 66... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345186/triceratops-skeleton-trey-hit-auction-block-dinosaur-market-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345186/triceratops-skeleton-trey-hit-auction-block-dinosaur-market-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:02:53 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma A personalised car number plate featuring the letter “H” has fetched HK$20 million (US$2.55 million) at a government auction – reaching 4,000 times its reserve price to become the fourth most expensive one ever sold in Hong Kong. Other high bids at Sunday’s Chinese New Year auction of vehicle registration marks included the plates “30” at HK$4.55 million, “101” at HK$1.01 million and “2288” at HK$470,000. The single-letter H plate drew the top bid among the 49 plates sold, going to a man who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345036/h-races-riches-car-plate-fetches-hk20-million-hong-kong-auction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345036/h-races-riches-car-plate-fetches-hk20-million-hong-kong-auction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:12:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An extremely rare Pokemon card owned by American YouTuber Logan Paul has sold for US$16,492,000, smashing the record for the most expensive trading card sold at an auction. The supposedly unique PSA 10-graded Pikachu Illustrator was originally bought by Paul in another record-breaking sale in 2021 for US$5.28 million. This time it was bought by AJ Scaramucci, son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, according to Guinness World Records, whose representatives verified... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343795/unique-pokemon-card-sells-us165-million-smashing-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343795/unique-pokemon-card-sells-us165-million-smashing-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:40:55 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Global collectors have given auction houses a Christmas present: a projected uptick in full-year revenue that marks a reversal from recent years of decline. The “Big Three” – Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips – have reported a combined projected total revenue of US$14.1 billion for 2025, up roughly 10 per cent from 2024. “The first half was solid and stable. I feel even better at the end of the year, as a great second half gave us an even stronger finish,” Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan told the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337313/big-3-auction-houses-report-uptick-2025-revenue-asia-still-lagging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337313/big-3-auction-houses-report-uptick-2025-revenue-asia-still-lagging?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:24:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The father of late British singer Amy Winehouse on Tuesday defended his UK lawsuit against two of her friends after they sold some of her clothes at auction for around £730,000 (US$970,000). Mitch Winehouse told the High Court in London that Naomi Parry, the star’s former stylist, and her friend, Catriona Gourlay, did not have the right to sell dozens of items in auctions between November 2021 and May 2023. Lawyer Henry Legge, acting for Winehouse, told the court on Monday, the first day of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335812/amy-winehouses-father-sues-stars-friends-auctioning-her-clothes-us970000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335812/amy-winehouses-father-sues-stars-friends-auctioning-her-clothes-us970000?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:05:36 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A rare crystal and diamond Faberge egg crafted for Russia’s ruling family before it was toppled by revolution shattered records on Tuesday as it sold at auction for £22.9 million (US$30.2 million). The Winter Egg, which was compared to the iconic Mona Lisa, was just one of seven of the opulent ovoids remaining in private hands, Christie’s London auction house said. The 10cm (four-inch) tall egg is made from finely carved rock crystal, covered in a delicate snowflake motif wrought in platinum and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334967/mona-lisa-faberge-eggs-sells-record-us302-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334967/mona-lisa-faberge-eggs-sells-record-us302-million?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:33:51 +0000 Lee Hill-choi Lee Hill-choi The value of the global collectibles sector is set to reach US$484.6 billion by the close of 2025, according to the “Collectibles Industry Report (2024–2034)”, published by Market Decipher – indicating an annual growth rate of 9.2 per cent. The report says that this boom is fuelled by millennial and Gen Z collectors turning passion into portfolios. But in a world where collectibles such as rare whisky, blue-chip art and vintage timepieces are prized as much for their stories as their yields, the... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/wealth-alternative-investments/article/3332741/why-vetting-collectibles-so-important-amid-booming-market-fine-art-whisky-and-watches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/wealth-alternative-investments/article/3332741/why-vetting-collectibles-so-important-amid-booming-market-fine-art-whisky-and-watches?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 21:00:10 +0000 Divia Harilela Divia Harilela Like almost every other arena of design, the world of interiors has long been lured by the beauty and power of the animal kingdom. Displaying hunted animals goes back centuries to the days when hanging skins was viewed as a status symbol. Royals and other elites even chose specific animals depending on the characteristics and traits they supposedly represented. While real skins have thankfully fallen out of vogue, interior designers are still enticed by a walk on the wild side, using animal... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3333891/animal-print-interiors-how-embrace-your-wild-side-while-keeping-it-classy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3333891/animal-print-interiors-how-embrace-your-wild-side-while-keeping-it-classy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Doha, the capital of Qatar, was the epicentre of the fashion world over the weekend. The day after an award ceremony to announce the winners of the latest edition of Fashion Trust Arabia – a competition for emerging designers from the Middle East and North Africa – luminaries from the fashion, art and entertainment worlds congregated at the Museum of Islamic Art to pay homage to Franca Sozzani’s legacy at the inaugural Franca Fund Gala. When Sozzani passed away in 2016 due to a rare form of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3333946/vogue-italias-franca-sozzani-honoured-inaugural-franca-fund-gala-doha-anna-wintour-and-more-listers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3333946/vogue-italias-franca-sozzani-honoured-inaugural-franca-fund-gala-doha-anna-wintour-and-more-listers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 09:17:36 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A haunting 1940 self-portrait by famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo sold Thursday for US$54.7 million and became the top-selling work by any female artist at an auction. The painting of Kahlo asleep in a bed — titled “El sueno (La cama)” or in English, “The Dream (The Bed)” — surpassed the record held by Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1,” which sold for US$44.4 million in 2014. The sale at Sotheby’s in New York also topped Kahlo’s own auction record for a work by a Latin American... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3333774/frida-kahlos-self-portrait-sold-us547m-breaks-auction-record-female-artists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3333774/frida-kahlos-self-portrait-sold-us547m-breaks-auction-record-female-artists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 04:18:21 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Christie’s said on Wednesday it was suspending the Paris auction of one of just a handful of examples of the world’s first calculating machine, developed by French mathematician and inventor Blaise Pascal in 1642. The auction of “La Pascaline” had been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but late on Tuesday a Paris court suspended authorisation for export – meaning buyers would not be able to take it abroad. This example is one of only nine still existing and the only one believed to be in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333435/christies-suspends-paris-sale-worlds-first-calculator-developed-blaise-pascal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333435/christies-suspends-paris-sale-worlds-first-calculator-developed-blaise-pascal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:39:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Gustav Klimt portrait painting sold on Tuesday for US$236 million, a record for a modern art piece, at an auction where a solid gold, fully functional toilet satirising the ultrarich also fetched US$12.1 million. The toilet, by Maurizio Cattelan - the provocative Italian artist known for taping a banana to a wall - went up for auction on Tuesday evening at Sotheby’s in New York. The starting bid for the 101kg, 18-karat gold work was about US$10 million. Cattelan has said the piece, titled... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333338/solid-gold-toilet-snapped-us121-million-new-york-auction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333338/solid-gold-toilet-snapped-us121-million-new-york-auction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:06:43 +0000 Wilson Lau Wilson Lau Market resilience was on full display at Hong Kong’s autumn live jewellery auctions, with leading auction houses reporting enthusiastic paddle activity and strong results. Successes were widely attributed to the exceptional quality of lots on offer as well as meticulously curated catalogues that appealed to collectors. The recent strong sales have continued the momentum from this year’s spring auctions as well as those of autumn 2024. Overall, auction performance over the past two years has... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3332445/record-sales-hong-kongs-autumn-jewellery-auctions-sothebys-and-christies-phillips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3332445/record-sales-hong-kongs-autumn-jewellery-auctions-sothebys-and-christies-phillips?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Just in time for the cinema release of Wicked: For Good, fans will get a chance to own memorabilia from the 1939 original film, The Wizard of Oz – and one item is especially witchy. Heritage Auctions is putting an iconic black hat that Margaret Hamilton wore as the Wicked Witch of the West up for sale. The wool hat, designed by costume designer Adrian Adolph Greenburg who went by Gilbert Adrian professionally, was put to use after filming began because the one originally chosen did not appear... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3332255/black-hat-worn-wicked-witch-west-wizard-oz-go-auction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3332255/black-hat-worn-wicked-witch-west-wizard-oz-go-auction?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:07:31 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg British police have seized more than £12 million (US$15.6 million) of dinosaur skeletons after agreeing to a settlement with a Chinese national suspected of being part of a huge money-laundering scandal. Su Binghai agreed to forfeit three complete fossilised skeletons, along with nine London apartments, bought for around £15 million, but he will be able to keep 25 per cent of all the sale proceeds, a lawyer for the National Crime Agency said at a court hearing on Tuesday. Su was previously... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3331692/uk-seizes-us15-million-dinosaur-bones-money-laundering-suspect-su-binghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3331692/uk-seizes-us15-million-dinosaur-bones-money-laundering-suspect-su-binghai?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:47:45 +0000 Vanessa Lee Vanessa Lee “It can be quite intimidating to say the word ‘million’ so many times in one sale,” says Emmanuelle Chan. Composed and clad in a flowing cerulean jumpsuit, Chan is one of the youngest, most recognisable auctioneers at Christie’s Asia-Pacific. “With time, I’ve gotten more comfortable with bigger numbers,” she says. Born and raised in Hong Kong, the 36-year-old now heads the day sales and is a specialist in 20th and 21st century art. She leads auctions in Mandarin, English and French. But she... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3330229/selling-multimillion-dollar-art-its-just-another-day-christies-hong-kong-auctioneer-emmanuelle-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3330229/selling-multimillion-dollar-art-its-just-another-day-christies-hong-kong-auctioneer-emmanuelle-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 04:45:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Broad strokes should not be used to brush aside Hong Kong’s hopes of becoming a stronger art trading hub despite the closure of two major galleries in the city. Key players and the authorities should stay focused on the bigger picture and their plans as the global industry emerges from its multi-year slump. The “mega galleries” announcing closures include Perrotin, which left its gallery at K11 Atelier Victoria Dockside on October 1 after six years in the space. The other is Pace Gallery, which... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3329361/hong-kong-art-scene-still-going-strong-despite-closures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3329361/hong-kong-art-scene-still-going-strong-despite-closures?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Two of the world’s biggest art galleries have announced the closure of their respective Hong Kong outposts as major players reassess their global footprint amid a multi-year slump in the market. Pace Gallery, which represents artists such as Yoshitomo Nara, David Hockney and the estates of Agnes Martin and Mark Rothko, will close its space in H Queen’s, in Central, after seven years, following the end of its final exhibition by Cuban artist Alejandro Piñeiro Bello on October 18. On the other... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328467/2-mega-galleries-close-hong-kong-branches-citys-art-market-loses-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328467/2-mega-galleries-close-hong-kong-branches-citys-art-market-loses-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Francesca Fearon Francesca Fearon At the haute couture shows in Paris in July, bejewelled handbags generated buzz by marrying fashion and precious gemstones to create the ultimate accessory. Exquisite conversation pieces, they are a fresh and delightful way to showcase beautiful stones. Buccellati presented three one-of-a-kind clutch bags drawn from signature archival shapes and embellished with rich embroidery and gemstones. “The idea came from an exhibition last year in Venice featuring pieces from our archive and that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3328331/gucci-hermes-and-bulgaris-gem-studded-bags-redefine-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3328331/gucci-hermes-and-bulgaris-gem-studded-bags-redefine-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 22:00:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The demand for storage of commodities and art is providing a much-needed boost for Hong Kong’s logistics properties, where recovery has lagged behind other commercial real estate segments. New demand from the London Metal Exchange’s (LME) inclusion of Hong Kong in the exchange’s global warehousing network is helping the segment, where 11 licences have been issued to warehouse operators in the city. “New space is being taken from that angle and that’s around 30,000 sq ft to 100,000 sq ft per... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327911/hong-kongs-warehouse-sector-gets-support-robust-demand-storage-metals-and-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327911/hong-kongs-warehouse-sector-gets-support-robust-demand-storage-metals-and-art?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui The art market downturn continued to play out at Christie’s, Phillips and Sotheby’s regional headquarters in Hong Kong this past weekend, with the turnover from back-to-back art auctions loitering at an eight-year low. But a handful of records and some last-minute withdrawals – which improved the success ratio of the sales – helped inject long-missing vigour into the sales room during the seasonal marquee modern and contemporary art evening sales, which saw around 100 high-value artworks go... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3327393/hong-kong-autumn-2025-art-auctions-see-lowest-combined-turnover-8-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3327393/hong-kong-autumn-2025-art-auctions-see-lowest-combined-turnover-8-years?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The skateboard that Tony Hawk used to make history in 1999 has sold for a record-breaking US$1.15 million (HK$8 million), according to a statement from Julien’s Auctions on Wednesday. The deck, called the Birdhouse “Falcon 2”, was used by Hawk to land the first 900 trick – a 2½-turn trick few skateboarders dare to try – at the 1999 San Francisco X Games. After numerous failed attempts, Hawk successfully flipped twice through the air and landed the move. The packed crowd roared and announcers... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3326916/tony-hawks-legendary-skateboard-just-sold-record-breaking-us115-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3326916/tony-hawks-legendary-skateboard-just-sold-record-breaking-us115-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 02:30:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Hong Kong property tycoon Albert Yeung is selling a wine collection valued at more than HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) in a public auction. The 82-year-old chairman of Emperor Group is offering 426 bottles of fine wine at Sotheby’s on September 10, according to the auction house’s website. The collection, titled “The Majestic Cellar of Dr Albert Yeung,” includes selections from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Petrus and Château Palmer. “This is not a high-volume cellar, but one with an emphasis on... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3323622/hong-kong-property-mogul-albert-yeung-auctioning-his-us13-million-wine-collection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3323622/hong-kong-property-mogul-albert-yeung-auctioning-his-us13-million-wine-collection?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Many fled when wildfires devastated Los Angeles earlier this year, leaving precious and beloved items behind, but Guillermo del Toro was determined to save his lifelong collection of horror memorabilia. It is the same loyalty that finds him making another tough decision to protect the items he loves like family: letting some of them go. Del Toro partnered with Heritage Auctions for a three-part auction to sell a fraction of a collection that is bursting at the seams. Online bidding for the first... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3323621/what-guillermo-del-toro-auctioning-his-legendary-horror-collection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3323621/what-guillermo-del-toro-auctioning-his-legendary-horror-collection?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A court in eastern China that was set to auction a cat to repay its owner’s debts has cancelled the event, and the animal has been adopted by a feline lover. On August 23, the cat was removed from the auction platform after creditors withdrew their request, no reason for the move was disclosed. According to Hongxing News, the cat has been adopted by a cat lover. The auction had garnered over 450,000 views and attracted more than 5,000 bidders, each of whom was required to pay a 50-yuan deposit,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3322533/china-court-cancels-auctioning-cat-repay-owner-debts-feline-finds-loving-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3322533/china-court-cancels-auctioning-cat-repay-owner-debts-feline-finds-loving-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 01:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse With British period drama Downton Abbey drawing to a close in September, some fans took solace by getting close to memorable props and costumes from the much-loved British saga as they went on sale on August 18. Everyone has their favourite piece, including Charlie Thomas of London’s Bonhams auction house, which is holding the sale. He had no hesitation in highlighting the “bell wall”, the servant’s call system that appears from the first series to the last, as his favourite item. “Just to prove... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322338/want-your-own-piece-downton-abbey-props-and-costumes-go-sale-bonhams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322338/want-your-own-piece-downton-abbey-props-and-costumes-go-sale-bonhams?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United States is auctioning off the US$325 million yacht Amadea, its first sale of a seized Russian luxury ship since the start of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The auction, which closes on September 10, comes as US President Donald Trump seeks to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war. The US has said it is working with allies to put pressure on Russian oligarchs, some of whom are close to Putin and have had their yachts seized, to try to compel him to stop the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3321009/us-auctioning-seized-us325-million-russian-superyacht-helipad-pool-gym-and-spa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3321009/us-auctioning-seized-us325-million-russian-superyacht-helipad-pool-gym-and-spa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 19:38:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse India has recovered a set of relics linked to early Buddhism more than a century after they were removed from the country during the British colonial period, officials said on Wednesday. The Piprahwa gems date back to around the third century BC and were unearthed in 1898 by Englishman William Claxton Peppe in northern India. India’s culture ministry said it secured the return of the gems, which had been slated for auction in Hong Kong in May, in partnership with Mumbai-based conglomerate Godrej... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3320224/ancient-buddhist-gems-returned-india-after-their-hong-kong-auction-stopped?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3320224/ancient-buddhist-gems-returned-india-after-their-hong-kong-auction-stopped?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 03:45:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A single glittery sock that late pop superstar Michael Jackson wore during a concert in France in the 1990s sold for more than US$8,000 on Wednesday, a French auctioneer said. A technician found the used sock discarded near Jackson’s dressing room after the concert in the southern city of Nimes in July 1997, auctioneer Aurore Illy told Agence France-Presse. The self-styled “King of Pop” wore white athletic socks adorned with diamantes during his HIStory World Tour in 1997, according to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3320193/michael-jacksons-dirty-sock-sells-more-us8000-auction-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3320193/michael-jacksons-dirty-sock-sells-more-us8000-auction-france?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jul 2025 18:02:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Depending on your perspective, the verdict delivered by art services and technology company Winston Artory Group was either very good or very bad. A print that had recently been appraised for US$1 million was, the company determined earlier this month, now worth just US$300,000 – a 70 per cent decline in possible value. These were happy tidings for the insurance company that requested the appraisal, and potentially devastating for the print’s owner. “The insurance company loved it,” says Winston... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3320011/dont-know-how-much-your-art-really-worth-youre-not-alone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3320011/dont-know-how-much-your-art-really-worth-youre-not-alone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:13:42 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Over the last 10 years, rare whisky has seen significant price increases and fluctuations, with some bottles fetching millions at auction. But what is in the bottle is not all that matters. These days, packaging plays an important role in determining the value of a rare vintage, according to Jonny Fowle, global head of spirits at Sotheby’s auction house. “Presentation in whisky is a key factor,” he says. Unlike wine, whisky can maintain its condition even when placed on a display shelf in a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3319532/how-rare-whiskys-box-can-bump-its-value-and-makers-getting-creative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3319532/how-rare-whiskys-box-can-bump-its-value-and-makers-getting-creative?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Kamala Thiagarajan Kamala Thiagarajan Few people know that the great auction houses of the United States and Europe are not only some of the world’s largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery and collectibles, they are also catering to the booming demand for prehistoric fossils. Auction houses are involved in selling these specimens to rich private collectors. Last week, a juvenile specimen of Ceratosaurus nasicornis, one of four skeletons of the ancient species known to exist, was auctioned off by Sotheby’s for US$30.5... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319007/blockbuster-auctions-dinosaur-skeletons-dont-do-science-any-favours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319007/blockbuster-auctions-dinosaur-skeletons-dont-do-science-any-favours?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Annie Brown Annie Brown In 1937, the rather sharp-tongued British politician Sir Henry “Chips” Channon wrote in his diary of Lady Granard, one of the so-called “dollar princesses” – American heiresses who married into the British aristocracy – that she “could scarcely walk for jewels”. One such jewel, a frankly enormous emerald set into a diamond-studded collar necklace, is a highlight of the Cartier exhibition currently showing at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Because yes, huge gemstones have never lost... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3318670/big-showstopping-jewels-anchor-new-high-jewellery-collections-louis-vuitton-cartier-and-bulgari?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3318670/big-showstopping-jewels-anchor-new-high-jewellery-collections-louis-vuitton-cartier-and-bulgari?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 03:00:10 +0000 Hyewon Lee Hyewon Lee On July 10, the original Hermès Birkin prototype was sold to Valuence Japan Inc. for an astonishing 1.47 billion yen (US$9.97 million) including fees, making it the most expensive handbag ever sold. Nine bidders competed for the coveted bag at the Sotheby’s Fashion Icons auction in Paris. Maiko Ichikawa, head of Sotheby’s Japan, secured the bid on behalf of Valuence via telephone following a 10-minute bidding war. Shinsuke Sakimoto, CEO and president of Valuence Japan, shared with Fashionsnap,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/luxury-news/article/3318129/birkin-how-much-meet-shinsuke-sakimoto-whose-company-paid-nearly-us10-million-prototype-valuence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/luxury-news/article/3318129/birkin-how-much-meet-shinsuke-sakimoto-whose-company-paid-nearly-us10-million-prototype-valuence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:57:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first-ever Birkin bag designed by French luxury brand Hermès for celebrity Jane Birkin sold for €8.58 million (US$10 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris on Thursday, smashing previous price records for a handbag. The modern design classic, owned by a Paris-based handbag collector, sparked a telephone bidding war up to €7 million, with the final sale price set at €8.58 million with commission and fees, the Sotheby’s website showed. “After weeks of anticipation, the bidding opened at €1... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317769/1st-birkin-bag-made-hermes-sells-record-us10-million-paris-auction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317769/1st-birkin-bag-made-hermes-sells-record-us10-million-paris-auction?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:05:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Labubu craze has reached new heights with a four-foot (1.2 metre) model of the plush toy fetching a price of 1.08 million yuan (US$150,260) at auction. On June 10, the teal character – “the only piece of its kind in the world”, according to Beijing Yongle International Auction, fetched the eye-watering sum at a sale held in China’s capital. It was offered alongside other Labubu paraphernalia, including a brown model that sold for 820,000 yuan. But these remarkable prices may be just the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3314154/rare-labubu-toy-figures-auction-pharrell-williams-joopiter-site-offer-sacai-dressed-special-editions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3314154/rare-labubu-toy-figures-auction-pharrell-williams-joopiter-site-offer-sacai-dressed-special-editions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:13:54 +0000 Gloria Fung Gloria Fung There’s no arguing that 2024 was challenging for the art world. In a recent report, consultancy firm Artprice revealed that art sales dropped by a third compared with 2023, to US$9.9 billion. This figure, the lowest since 2009, reflects the ebb and flow of the global economy. “The overall art market is currently more conservative,” says Meiling Lee, head of modern and contemporary art, Asia, at Phillips. “Art collectors are cautious about investment, hoping to make no mistakes and looking for... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3314110/auction-houses-see-push-blue-chip-contemporary-and-asian-artists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3314110/auction-houses-see-push-blue-chip-contemporary-and-asian-artists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:52:33 +0000 Cheung Hok-hang Cheung Hok-hang A Labubu figurine sold for over a million yuan at an auction in Beijing this week, as demand for rare and limited editions of the soft toy rises. Created by Hong Kong-born Lung Ka-sing and produced as collectible toys by mainland Chinese company Pop Mart, Labubu figurines are usually priced between US$30 and US$300. The Yongle Auction sale featured 48 lots and recorded proceeds of 3,725,425 yuan (US$518,000). The auction drew a packed crowd at Beijing’s Phoenix Art Centre and was streamed online... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313960/labubu-figurines-set-records-auction-hong-kong-designed-soft-toys-popularity-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313960/labubu-figurines-set-records-auction-hong-kong-designed-soft-toys-popularity-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 05:48:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first Birkin bag, designed by French luxury brand Hermès for actress Jane Birkin, is set to be sold at auction in Paris and likely to spark a bidding frenzy. The Birkin has become a modern design icon that is so exclusive that Hermès only offers it to loyal clients, with prices starting at around US$10,000. Auction house Sotheby’s, which is handling the sale of the Birkin prototype in Paris on July 10, declined to specify a reserve price publicly, and its value is hard to forecast. “The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3313276/original-hermes-birkin-bag-be-auctioned-paris-july-and-bidding-frenzy-likely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3313276/original-hermes-birkin-bag-be-auctioned-paris-july-and-bidding-frenzy-likely?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 03:28:27 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Romantics battled to get their hands on prized number plates at a Hong Kong auction on Saturday, with “I L1KE U” fetching HK$130,000 (US$16,600) and others paying top dollar for ones linked to “love”. Some spent thousands of Hong Kong dollars on plates bearing obscure numbers and letters, as about 100 people sought out rare finds at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai in the afternoon. One motorist with a wry sense of humour picked up “2 P00R” for a modest HK$24,000, beating out two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3311676/l1ke-beats-l0ve-hong-kong-romantics-pay-top-dollar-prized-number-plates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3311676/l1ke-beats-l0ve-hong-kong-romantics-pay-top-dollar-prized-number-plates?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 13:26:35 +0000 Wilson Lau Wilson Lau Recent jewellery auctions in Hong Kong underscore a growing trend: auction houses are curating collections that emphasise solid investment value through storied brands and top-quality gemstones, while embracing a poetic aesthetic highlighted by vibrant colours. This trend reflects the evolving preferences of affluent collectors and investors. Increasingly, auction houses are focusing on jewellery from renowned maisons such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, which command premium prices... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3311073/why-hong-kong-auction-houses-are-curating-their-jewellery-collections-investment-value-gems-vibrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3311073/why-hong-kong-auction-houses-are-curating-their-jewellery-collections-investment-value-gems-vibrant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 May 2025 09:10:49 +0000 Amalissa Hall Amalissa Hall Pink gemstones can be considered the “divas” of the jewellery world, thanks to their playful and vivid appearance, which is typically associated with themes of romance, femininity and royalty. While gemstones such as emeralds and sapphires have been traditionally considered more “elegant” choices for jewellery design, high jewellery maisons – including the likes of Mellerio, Louis Vuitton and Dior – are increasingly featuring pink and purple-hued stones in their latest collections. Rose quartz,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3310661/when-it-comes-coloured-gemstones-pink-way-go-diamonds-sapphires-luxury-maisons-dior-and-louis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3310661/when-it-comes-coloured-gemstones-pink-way-go-diamonds-sapphires-luxury-maisons-dior-and-louis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 10:00:47 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso There’s plenty to say about what it means to be cultured in this day and age – one of the few words in our modern vernacular which invites some debate depending on who you ask. Perhaps what comes to mind is less a description and more a feeling not too far off from the first sip of a cool glass of aged and refined whisky – something which feels fresh and evocative, deeply personal and always thought-provoking. For the previously uninitiated such as myself, entry into the world of whisky came... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3310281/how-scottish-whisky-brand-dalmore-redefines-culture-through-art-and-design-its-3rd-luminary-series?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3310281/how-scottish-whisky-brand-dalmore-redefines-culture-through-art-and-design-its-3rd-luminary-series?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 07:20:42 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng This March and April, the world once again descended on Geneva for the year’s biggest watch fair, Watches and Wonders. But hanging over the fair were US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on the Swiss watchmaking industry, and brands seem increasingly likely to price up their watches as a result. Nevertheless, we were cheered to spot several stars wearing Rolexes on television recently, or grail watches off screen; Breitling added another aviation-themed vintage brand to its expanding catalogue;... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3309367/7-timepiece-moments-march-and-april-2025-watches-wonders-effects-trumps-tariffs-and-bevy-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3309367/7-timepiece-moments-march-and-april-2025-watches-wonders-effects-trumps-tariffs-and-bevy-new?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 06:00:13 +0000