Asian Arts

A Trusted Authority in Asian Art Auctions and Expertise

中文

Aguttes, a historic leader in Asian art expertise, serves as a trusted intermediary for auctioning Asian art objects and modern and contemporary Chinese & Vietnamese paintings. The house offers recognized experts and extensive market knowledge to French and European sellers and predominantly Chinese and Vietnamese buyers. We appraise mainly unpublished objects and works in France and Europe, including modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures, as well as furniture and Asian art objects of imperial provenance or high dignitaries. We secure their auction in Paris with buyers in Asia, particularly in key cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Hanoi, and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

As a historic leader in the market for Asian artists, Aguttes ensures each private or professional seller achieves the best price and world records in a demanding market. A local team guarantees the final payment for each work, with auction sales governed by French legislation.

Three Departments Dedicated to China, Asia, and the Far East

Founded in 2010, the Asian Art department organizes four auctions annually. Asian arts from China, Japan, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and Tibet, presented in these sales, are selected in France and Europe by specialist Clémentine Guyot and her team of collaborators and experts. With extensive experience in international auction houses and regular travels to China, India, Burma, and Thailand, she actively enhances Aguttes’ prominence among professional and private buyers in Europe and internationally. Her sales attract collectors from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Vietnam. Supported by Marine Bassal-Biron, an Asian arts expert fluent in Chinese, they regularly organize Asian art appraisal days and offer free and confidential appraisals to clients by appointment.

Ophélie Guillerot, a former gallery manager in Singapore and contemporary art expert, highlights post-war Chinese and Vietnamese artists in auctions that captivate international buyers.

Aguttes is the first Western auction house to explore and dominate the Indochinese art market, led by Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, a reference in Indochina for over 10 years. She has significantly boosted the sales of 20th-century Vietnamese modern artists. Her expertise has enriched many collections, handling nearly 1,000 Asian modern art works, including about 150 paintings by Lê Phổ, over 115 by Mai Trung Thứ, and nearly 100 by Vu Cao Đàm, since 2014.

Provenance of Asian Art Objects

French provenance is a quality and authenticity guarantee for Asian furniture and art collectors. France has a long history of cultural and colonial relations with several Asian countries, notably Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, under French Indochina. This led to a rich exchange of art and cultural objects between these regions and France. Asian art objects from France often originate from collections formed during this period, providing historical authenticity. With growing interest in these pieces, specialists offer free appraisals to evaluate their current market value.

Sought-After Asian Art Objects

From China to Vietnam, objects steeped in the ancestral traditions of each culture or of imperial provenance are highly coveted. In China, 18th-century jades, archaic bronzes, marked and period porcelains, ancient paintings, wooden or stone sculptures, and court robes are appreciated and sought after, as are armors, swords, lacquers, and display objects from Japan. Art and objects produced for export, linked to the East India Company, also interest certain buyers. Vietnam’s flourishing economy reflects in collectors’ interest in Huế blues and other historically significant objects. Our auctions are rich with these items.

Benefit from our expertise to auction Asian Art

The auction house offers a unique communication strategy and provides sellers with modern, targeted tools to ensure effective international exposure. We pay particular attention to the production of our auction catalogues, both in their design and content, whether in print or fully digital format. During our marketing campaigns, we engage buyers from our extensive client base across all specialties, as well as identified potential buyers. We reach out to them through multiple channels—online and offline advertising, social media, email campaigns, media coverage, influencers, and auction platforms—using high-quality and tailored content, including images, text, and video.

Free and confidential valuations of your Asian artworks

Our experts travel throughout France and across Europe, working in collaboration with our regional offices to carry out valuations and appraisals of your artworks. Ahead of an appointment, you can also submit a valuation request by sending a description, photographs, and any available documents related to the work via the online valuation form or directly by email to our specialist.

As a historic leader in the market for artists from Asia, Aguttes represents a trusted partner for each seller, whether private or professional, ensuring the best possible price and achieving world records in this demanding market. A dedicated team ensures the final payment for each artwork, with auctions conducted under French law.

Discover our auction calendar and offices.

Good to know: Our Asian Art department holds 4 to 5 auctions per year in Paris. The auction calendar is aligned with major international events and Paris’s cultural agenda related to Asian Art, including Asia Now – Paris Asian Art Fair, the Printemps Asiatique de Paris, and Asian Week.