A vase which was destined for a house clearance and valued at just £50 has sold for £15,000 at auction - after turning out to be a 400-year-old Chinese relic. Auctioneer Charles Hanson thought little of it when he came across the item during a routine visit to a modest two bedroomed house.
The vividly-painted bulbous vase with stylised tulips on the neck was given to the seller's father when he was working as a chauffeur in the 1950s. Believing it was a reproduction, Charles listed the blue and white bottle for sale at just £50 but withdrew it from auction when "extraordinary" bids started to come in.
On further inspection, the piece turned out to be a Chinese treasure from the transitional period circa 1640 - making it nearly four centuries old. It was relisted with a guide price of between £2,000 to £3,000 by Hansons Auctioneers and was bought by a Chinese bidder for £15,000 on April 1.
Charles, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “I spotted the vase in an ordinary two-up, two-down. It was filled with a few dried flowers in a bedroom.
"I picked it up and asked the seller if he knew anything about it. He mentioned that it had been given to his father when he was working as a chauffeur in the 1950s. That prompted me to look closer.
"Working in the antiques world can feel a little like being a detective at times as you have to question, probe and hunt for clues to discover treasure in unexpected places. The blue and white vase embellished in typical Chinese style but it seemed incongruous.
"Why would a valuable piece of Chinese ceramics be tucked away in a modest house in in Mansfield? The property was due to be cleared and an offer of £1,000 had been made for the contents – but I arranged for the vase to be auctioned.
"However, despite my gut instinct, I made a mistake. After examination, I decided it was repro and consigned the vase into Hansons’ March Antiques and Collectables sale with a guide price of around £50."
When the auction catalogue went live online he said "extraordinary bids" started to come in for the seemingly-humble vase. It was withdrawn from sale while Charles consulted experts on Chinese ceramics experts.
He added: “I was delighted and our client was astonished. I was reminded yet again that antique treasures turn up in unexpected places. Inherited pieces of staggering value sit on top of cupboards or languish in glass cabinets for decades.”
