As Greater China's leading tea auctioneer, L&H HK staged the "Vintage Pu-er Tea and Premium Tea Auction" and "Premium Delicacies Auction" on 26 May 2024 (Sunday). With the support and trust shared by worldwide collectors, the unprecedented line-up welcomed enthusiastic bidders in the room, through writing, on the telephone and online, and concluded successfully amid a round of applause.
The cover lot, Seven Pieces of Extremely Rare 'Jing Chang Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Big Ticket) (Circa 1930s) after fierce competition, hammered down at an impressive HK$86 million. Furthermore, A Piece of Extremely Rare and Fine Vintage 'Song Pin Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Red Ticket) (1917-1930) set a new record, selling for HK$35 million per piece, becoming the new "King of Pu-er Tea". A host of other renowned Hao Grade and Yin Grade Pu-er teas were also enthusiastically pursued, while the mid-aged teas and a batch of superior loose-leaf teas maintained their consistently outstanding performance. This auction not only reflects the market's strong demand and investment appetite for top-tier Pu-er, but also once again affirms the notion of "Tea as Liquid Gold ".
Mr Henry Chau, CEO and Founder of L&H Auction says, "Blessed with the active bidding and support from collectors on-site, in writing, by phone, and online, the 2024 Spring Auction concluded successfully, validating that truly exceptional and classic tea products can withstand the test of time and possess the potential for value preservation and appreciation. L&H Auction, with its years of experience, precise market strategies, and deep understanding of the market's pursuit of tea quality, has consistently offered auction lots of the highest caliber. Going forward, we will continue to strive to source an even more diversified and higher-quality selection of teas to delight our collectors!"
*Hammer price does not include buyer's premium
Sales Highlights
Hao Grade Pu-er
Carrying a century of history and significance, it is no surprise that first-class Hao Grade teas continue to attain wondrous results.
- LOT: 157
- Seven Pieces of Extremely Rare 'Jing Chang Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Big Ticket), Circa 1930s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 8,600,000
- LOT: 129
- A Piece of Extremely Rare and Fine Vintage 'Song Pin Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Red Ticket), 1917-1930
- Hammer Price:HK$ 3,500,000
- LOT: 127
- A Piece of Extremely Rare and Fine 'Shuang Shi Tong Qing Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Early Five Color Flag), 1920-1928
- Hammer Price:HK$ 1,200,000
- LOT: 128
- A Piece of 'Chen Yun Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Black Ticket with Autograph), Circa 1910s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 780,000
Yin Grade Pu-er
Preserving the essence of Hao Grade Pu-er, Yin Grade Pu-er are perfect for tasting and collecting, achieving exceptional results in line with prediction. In particular, Yin Grade Pu-er in original packaging and excellent condition have captured the eyes of keen investors due to their exclusivity.
- LOT: 122
- Seven Pieces of Red Mark Pu-er Tea Cake, Circa 1950s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 5,200,000
- LOT: 155
- Seven Pieces of Green Mark Pu-er Tea Cake, Circa 1950s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 2,600,000
- LOT: 151
- Seven Pieces of Red Mark Pu-er Tea Cake without Wrapping, Circa 1950s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 2,000,000
- LOT: 123
- Seven Pieces of Blue Mark Iron Pu-er Tea Cake, Circa 1950s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 2,600,000
- LOT: 124
- A Piece of Red Mark Pu-er Tea Cake, Circa 1950s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 780,000
Mid-aged Pu-er and Loose Teas
The auction features a grand line-up with every tea you can imagine; the phenomenal results across multiple categories echo the fervent demand from tea enthusiasts.
- LOT: 101
- Seven Pieces of 88 Pu-er Tea Cake, Circa Late 1980s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 900,000
- LOT: 102
- Seven Pieces of 8582 Pu-er Tea Cake in Thin Wrapping, Circa 1980s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 850,000
- LOT: 137
- A Bag of Qing Mao Big Leaf Tea, Circa 1970s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 900,000
- LOT: 138
- A Box of Pu-er Tea, Circaa 1980s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 200,000
Tangerine Peel
Our collectors have a growing appetite for diversity and a developing interest for nourishing delicacies, which is demonstrated by the sustained success of tangerine peel.
- LOT: 302
- Dried Tangerine Peel, Circa 1973s
- Hammer Price:HK$ 82,000
Event Highlights
The cover lot of L&H 2024 Spring Auction - Seven Pieces of Extremely Rare 'Jing Chang Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Big Ticket) (Circa 1930s) - hammered down at an impressive HK$8.6 million.
A Piece of Extremely Rare and Fine Vintage 'Song Pin Hao' Pu-er Tea Cake (Red Ticket) (1917-1930), sold for HK$3.5 million per piece, becoming the new "King of Pu-er Tea".
Mr. Henry Chow, President of L&H Auction, gave a speech before the start of the auction.
The production team of "Chinese Tea", a cultural program on Beijing TV, visited the auction site to interview and record the grand proceedings of the auction.