A cardboard box of pots thought to be worth around £30 sold for£100,000 at auction – much to the seller’s amazement.
The 67-year-old retired computer engineer gathered together some of the many plates, bowls and dishes that had been displayed for decades in his late mother’s home in Etwall, near Derby.
He said: “I thought they might fetch a bit of money but didn’t think they would be worth much. I took them along to Hansons Auctioneers for valuation and consigned them into auction expecting them to make around £30-£50.
“But later on I got a call from Hansons to say some of the Chinese ceramics in the box were worth more. They planned to put them into a different sale with estimates of £4,000-£6,000. I thought brilliant! I was pleased with that.
“What happened next was unbelievable. I watched the auction live online and the prices kept rocketing. I was shouting at the computer. My sister was watching live online from Australia and we were texting each other. We just couldn’t believe what was happening.”
Despite chips, a set of four small dishes (lot 357) achieved a whopping hammer price of £63,000 from a £4,000-£6,000 guide price. Three phone bidders battled against the internet to secure the set and the total paid by a Chinese bidder, with buyer’s premium, was £81,900.
The precious treasures turned out to be late 16th century Chinese Ming Dynasty wucai porcelain dragon and phoenix dishes. Each dish bore six character marks in blue of the Wanli Emperor (1573-1620). Painted decoration included a blue five-clawed dragon, mustard/green phoenix bird, flowers and Buddhist emblems.
But they were not the only items plucked from the cardboard box to excel. Lot 358, an Imperial porcelain yellow ground medallion bowl, Daoguang (1821-1850), with a seal mark in blue and of the period, sold for £14,500. It had cracks but that didn’t deter four phone bidders who smashed its £1,500-£2,500 guide price.
Hot on its heels came lot 359, an Imperial porcelain famille rose pink ground medallion bowl, Daoguang (1821-1850), with seal mark in blue and of the period. It achieved a hammer price of £8,800 against its £4,000-£6,000 estimate, helped by three phone bidders.
Both bowls (lots 358/359) sold to a private UK buyer for a combined total, with premium, of £30,290. Together, the three Chinese lots achieved hammer prices totalling £86,300. With buyer’s premium the total paid for all three was £112,190.
The seller has no idea how his mother, who passed away earlier this year, came to own Imperial Chinese treasures. He said: “I grew up being surrounded by plates and dishes. Mum liked to display them on the walls. She would have had no idea the dishes were valuable.
“She inherited them from a chap she used to help to look after many years ago in Etwall, a former Rolls-Royce engineer. They were given to her as a mark of gratitude. They must have been on display in her home for 30 or 40 years.
“I’d been clearing mum’s house and had considered taking the pots to a charity shop. Oddly, the ones I thought might be valuable weren’t but the ones I thought weren’t worth much were!
“I’m still recovering from the excitement of it all. The proceeds will be split between myself, my brother and my sister. I think I’ll be treating my wife to a special holiday.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “I am absolutely delighted for this Etwall family. I spotted the Chinese items in a cardboard box in our saleroom after they’d been consigned to auction by one of our valuers.
“They were originally destined for Hansons’ monthly antiques and collectors sale but I knew they were extremely important. They were validated by consultant valuer and Chinese ceramics expert Adam Schoon.
“He said what made the four dishes which achieved £63,000 particularly special was the fact that they’d remained together as a set. They may have been used as altar pieces in a Chinese monastery or temple. They probably came to England after the First or Second World War.
“It was an unbelievable find and a tremendous result. It’s wonderful to discover items like this on your doorstep. Our Derbyshire saleroom and company headquarters is in Etwall, the village where those treasures were tucked away for decades. This local find attracted worldwide interest and 10 phone bidders. It delivered a superb result for our client and that makes me proud.
“So, what’s in your cardboard box? If you’re having a spring clean, have inherited some pieces or you’re handling a house clearance, never dismiss anything. Bring your cardboard boxes to Hansons and let us take a look.”
The Chinese ceramics sold in Hansons Auctioneers’ March 30 Fine Art Auction.
To find out more, or to book a valuation of any type, email [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
Chinese/Oriental valuations
To book a valuation of Chinese or Japanese works of art or ceramics, please email: [email protected]
