A cracked vase kept in a loft, expected to make £100 at auction, sold for £130,000 after it was discovered to be a rare Ming treasure.
Bidders at Hansons Auctioneers’ Derby saleroom watched in amazement as seven would-be buyers in China slugged it out on the phone.
Experts had considered the blue-and-white vase 26cm (10in) to be a later design, rather than dating from the Xuande period (1426–1435) of the famous Ming dynasty.
Auctioneer Charles Hanson said: “As any Asian art expert will tell you it is notoriously difficult to date 15th century Chinese porcelain.
“It’s not that there are forgeries in the market, but later makers were known to use earlier reign-marks, known as apocryphal marks, in homage to earlier potters.”
The vase was part of a collection inherited by sisters Amanda Kent and Helen Momen from their great grandfather who worked in China in the early 20th century.
Retired Amanda, who lives in Ealing and used to work in the computer business, said: “We were astonished when we saw the bidding go up and up.”
The vase had for many years been kept in a loft.
Amanda continued: “When I think of the times we carried it up and down from the attic not knowing what it was worth – it makes me shudder.”
Most imperial pieces made during the reign of the Xuande emperor bear the six-character mark Da ming Xuande nianzhi (meaning “made during the Xuande reign of the Great Ming dynasty”) written in two vertical lines.
Mr Hanson continued: “As responsible auctioneers we had to err on the side of caution and assume it was a later vase. But it turned out Chinese bidders were convinced otherwise. We are delighted for the vendors who were over the moon at the results.”
The vase also had hairline cracks to the top and base as well as a number of scratches.
It had once been owned by London-born lawyer, Percy Horace Braund Kent (1876-1963), who opened a legal practice in Tientsin, China in 1901.
Between 1905 and 1916 he built the Red House at the junction of Racecourse Road and Bureau Street (now Machang Avenue and Pukou Avenue) where he lived until 1942 acquiring a furniture and ornaments.
Charles continued: “The vase’s provenance was terrific. Many men and women who worked in China at that time became avid collectors. It is now that Chinese collectors are buying them back. In this case when two determined buyers lock horns, remarkable results can follow. With seven phone bidders and worldwide participation, this exquisite vase truly captured the imagination of collectors around the globe.”
Auction Results
Auction: Hansons Derbyshire Fine Art Auction
Auction date: 9th October 2025 | 9:30am
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
