Acker Merrall & Condit started the New Year in fabulous style with a two-day sale at Island Shangri-La and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong that achieved an impressive total of HK$84,654,824/US$10,853,182 with 100% sold, exceeding expectations by over 20%.
Collectors and connoisseurs worldwide competed enthusiastically for the greatest, finest and rarest investment-grade offerings and eagerly snapped up over 1,200 lots. The first sale of 2011 was the third largest all-time for Acker in Asia.
John Kapon, CEO of Acker Merrall & Condit Companies, said after the sale: "We are delighted by the phenomenal results achieved in the two-day sale. Bordeaux continued to surge ahead in exceptional fashion with Pétrus and Lafite taking the lead, and DRC and Jayer dominated the top Burgundy lots.
"We are excited to see strong participation by Hong Kong, Mainland Chinese and our Asian clients, along with numerous bidders back in America participating as well. As strong as 2010 was, it seems that 2011 has already exceeded the benchmark set last year.
"Discerning collectors were hunting for outstanding vintages of pristine wine, all of superb condition and rarity from various stellar collections. As the world's #1 auction house in Asia and the World, we continue to demonstrate the highest standard in the marketplace and utmost contribution to the strengthening of Hong Kong's position as the World's top wine auction hub."
A tremendous collection of wines from one of the great European cellars was highly coveted by collectors. The star lot from this collection and top lot of the entire sale consisted of 8 bottles of incredibly rare 1985 Henri Jayer Richebourg and realized a strong price of HK$780,800/US$100,103.
Another Burgundy gem from the collection was an original case of 1978 La Tâche from DRC that sold for a staggering HK$512,400/US$65,692.
Equally stunning from other collections were Bordeaux treasures including two original wooden cases of 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild purchased upon release and still in their original tissue paper, with each fetching HK$585,600/US$75,076.
Various vintages of Château Pétrus were highly sought-after by collectors: 3 cases of 2000 achieved a stunning HK$488,000/US$62,564 each.
The two-day sale was marked by a grand finale of a massive collection of an avid American collector, brandishing the best vintages from the greatest Bordeaux châteaux of the last 25 years. As the largest collection offered in the sale, this 400 lot consignment represents only less than half of his collection.
The crowned jewel was 1 Methuselah of 1985 La Tâche from DRC that achieved HK$390,400/US$50,051.
The next sale on Acker Merrall & Condit's Hong Kong auction calendar will take place on the 25th and 26th of March, while February 12th will mark the first auction of 2011 in New York.
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