Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau’s HK$129.5 million ($16.7 million) purchase of two pairs of imperial crane statues lifted Christie’s International to its highest Hong Kong auctions total, driven by Chinese buyers.
Christie’s sold HK$3.18 billion of art and collectibles over a week, including yesterday’s HK$1.13 billion auction of Chinese antiques. The London-based company’s total in Hong Kong kept it just ahead in the region from Sotheby’s, which held its own record HK$3.09 billion sale in the city in October.