“Christie’s has cultivated long term relationships with the art community in China since becoming the first international auction house to open a representative office in Shanghai in 1994, during which time China has become one of the largest and fastest-growing art markets in the world,” it said in a statement.

The number of clients from mainland China bidding at Christie’s global auctions has doubled since 2008, it said. The client base participates increasingly in Christie’s auction centres in London, New York, Hong Kong and Paris.

The rise of Asia as a source of client has been notable, as recent figures from the firm indicate. Christie’s worldwide sales of art, it said in January, rose 10 per cent from the levels in 2011, with Asian clients representing 19 per cent of registered bidders, and online buyers set to take the industry by storm. Christie’s auctioneer realised worldwide sales of $6.27 billion, up 10 per cent on 2011 . This includes private sales of $1 billion, an increase of 26 per cent on the same period last year, and represents the highest annual total in both company and art market history,  

“The art market continues to grow at a tremendous rate due to the burgeoning interest in art particularly in Asia and China; now Christie’s will be able to engage with our clients in Shanghai in the same way that we have done over many years in London, Paris, New York and Hong Kong,” Steven Murphy, the firm’s chief executive, said.