As auction houses clamor to enter the Chinese art market, a number of independent auction houses have already sprung up in Hong Kong.  Focusing on narrow, more focused thematic sales, companies like Spink Phila China, China Guardian and Bonhams have sought to capture a larger size of the already thriving market for art and antiques.  “Once I was in London visiting Sotheby’s, and I was told they are jealous of China Guardian since some of their international markets are narrowing while our market is expanding,” said Kou Qin, director and vice president of China Guardian. “China’s economy is booming while other countries have been depressed over many years.” (more…)

Initial reports on this year’s TEFAF Maastricht art fair are indicating a high number of museums looking to buy at this year’s edition.  Filled with over $5 billion in art and antiques, the fair is luring a number of museums looking to further bolster their collections.  “Museum board members have realized that this fair is a real opportunity that has to be seized,” Says New York Dealer Richard L. Feigen says. “Or they’ll miss out.” (more…)