Buzz
A frequent comedic theme involves an awkward individual entering an antique store and inevitably toppling a delicately placed, invaluable Ming vase. For generations, Western collectors have pursued the most elusive Chinese artifacts, with Ming vases being the most renowned. As China's economy has surged in recent years, the value of Chinese artworks has skyrocketed.
This surge has resulted in numerous instances where individuals on the verge of discarding an old pot or donating a damaged plate to a thrift store have unexpectedly found themselves owning a treasure worth millions. Below are ten remarkable stories where Chinese antiques turned into unexpected fortunes.
10. A £1 Million Treasure Trove in the Attic
Cleaning out the attic is often a dreaded chore for homeowners. It’s a dusty, spider-filled space where you must sift through years of stored items, deciding what to keep and what to toss. Occasionally, however, you might stumble upon a hidden gem worth a fortune.
Edward Radcliffe embarked on his career as an antiques dealer shortly before World War II, amassing an impressive assortment of Chinese antiquities throughout his lifetime. Some pieces were so remarkable that they were loaned to museums globally. However, after his passing, the collection was stashed away in an attic and overlooked for more than five decades until his family sought an appraisal.
A standout piece in the collection was an enamel box crafted for the Xuande emperor during the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century. Such items are exceedingly rare, with only four known to exist worldwide. The family was initially delighted when it was appraised at £10,000 for auction. Their astonishment knew no bounds when it ultimately sold for £288,000. Combined with the sale of the remaining items, the entire collection fetched nearly £1 million.
9. “Teapot”
Tea is a beloved tradition in Britain, making it common to find elderly relatives with a teapot or two tucked away. In 2020, a man finally sorted through his parents' attic belongings and discovered a small metal and enamel teapot in a plastic bag. His father had brought it from China in the 1940s. Initially considering donating it to a charity shop, he instead took it to an auctioneer, who estimated its value at £100-150.
The teapot, however, was far more extraordinary than it appeared. It was revealed to be an imperial wine ewer created for the Qianlong emperor in the 18th century, one of only three in existence. During the auction, nine international bidders vied for the miniature masterpiece, which eventually sold for £380,000.
The owner, a construction worker, was overjoyed by his unexpected windfall. When asked about his plans for the money, he mentioned possibly purchasing a metal detector. Given his extraordinary luck, one can only imagine the treasures he might uncover next.
8. Imperial Vase
Familiarity often leads to oversight, and everyday objects can easily go unnoticed. During a visit to a friend’s home, an auctioneer spotted an old vase in their kitchen that appeared unusually special. The tall vase, purchased for a modest sum, was a charming porcelain piece, but the owners had never considered it particularly remarkable.
Years later, when the vase was finally put up for sale, collectors were captivated. Crafted during the reign of the Qianlong emperor at the Imperial Court, the vase featured a rich blue design adorned with gold and silver, showcasing cranes and bats soaring against a cloudy sky. Its age, intricate decoration, and size made it a sensation, with an estimated value of around £100,000.
The auction saw intense bidding, and the vase ultimately sold for £1.2 million. Quite a remarkable outcome for an item once casually placed in the kitchen.
7. Loose Change Bowl
While pottery is durable, it is also prone to damage. For antique collectors, even a minor flaw can significantly reduce an item’s value, prompting them to take great care of their prized possessions. One family inherited a bowl from a renowned collector of Chinese antiques but treated it far less carefully than its previous owner. They placed it in a guest room, where visitors would casually toss their keys and coins into it.
Out of sheer curiosity, the family brought the 9-inch (22.9 cm) turquoise-glazed dish to an auction house’s open day. Experts quickly identified it as a piece created for the early Ming Imperial Court. This narcissus bowl left the appraisers visibly awestruck, and the owners decided to auction it.
The bowl fetched an impressive £240,000 at auction. One can only hope its new owner treats it with more respect and avoids using it as a catch-all for loose change.
6. Cracked Umbrella Stand
Occasionally, we receive items we don’t quite know how to use but keep them anyway for sentimental value. A couple in England received a blue and white vase as a gift and, for 50 years, thought little of it. They stored it in a spare room and, finding it the right size, used it to hold their umbrellas. Needless to say, this was far from an ideal way to treat such a piece.
The vase was later discovered to have been crafted for the court of the Qianlong emperor and had remained largely intact over centuries. However, its time as an umbrella stand had taken a toll, leaving it cracked and scarred inside. Despite this damage, it was appraised at approximately £500,000.
Potential buyers appeared unfazed by the vase’s rough history, ultimately bidding it up to £765,000.
5. Umbrella Stand
It seems there’s something about priceless Chinese vases that makes people think, “This would make a great umbrella stand.” When a Christie’s auction house expert learned of a large blue and white dragon vase that had once served as an umbrella stand, he requested to examine it in person. Upon inspection, he immediately recognized it as a flawless example of 15th-century Ming Imperial pottery.
Remarkably, the vase’s time as an umbrella stand left no visible damage to its pristine glaze. The intricate dragon design, painted by imperial craftsmen centuries ago, remained as vibrant as ever. When the vase went up for auction in Hong Kong, enthusiastic bidding drove its price to an astonishing $20,447,642.
4. Yard Sale Bowl
Everyone loves a good bargain, and yard sales are the perfect place to find one. These sales are often used to clear out years of accumulated belongings, with sellers just eager to declutter. For $35, you might pick up a charming bowl for your home—or, as it turns out, a piece worth a fortune at auction.
A buyer spotted a small blue and white bowl at a yard sale and was so taken with it that they didn’t negotiate the $35 asking price. Almost immediately, they sensed it might be something extraordinary and contacted an auction house. Experts identified it as a Ming porcelain lotus bowl from the early 15th century, with only six similar examples housed in museums worldwide.
The bowl eventually sold for $721,800, a staggering 29,000 times its original purchase price.
3. Shoebox Vase
If this list serves any purpose, it should inspire you to clean out your attic. The ultimate example of a hidden treasure comes from France, involving one of the most exquisite Chinese vases ever put up for sale.
Sotheby’s auctioneer nearly missed this extraordinary find. The vase’s owner sent an email mentioning she had discovered some Asian artifacts in her attic while preparing to move but couldn’t provide photos. Intrigued by the details she shared, they invited her to bring the items in. She transported the vase in a shoebox on the metro, as it had been stored in the attic after being deemed “too pink” for the family’s taste.
The vase, adorned with animal motifs, was so stunning that even a replica might have fetched €100,000. However, experts confirmed its authenticity, identifying it as a piece crafted for the Qianlong emperor’s birthday. Initially estimated at €700,000, it far exceeded expectations, ultimately selling for €16,182,800.
2. Brush Pot Donation
Thrift stores aren’t always oblivious to valuable antiques. Volunteers who sort through donations are often trained to identify potentially significant items and refer them to experts. At St. Peter’s Hospice charity shop in Bristol, England, a worker came across a cracked wooden pot that had been donated. Despite its unassuming appearance, something about it sparked suspicion that it might be special.
The pot was identified as a calligraphy brush pot, crafted from bamboo around 1700, which likely contributed to its cracked condition. It featured an intricately carved landscape scene and was the work of Gu Jue, a renowned bamboo artisan of the era.
Fortunately for the charity, this remarkable piece didn’t end up on the shelves selling for a trivial amount. Instead, it was auctioned and fetched £360,000, far exceeding its initial estimate of £15,000.
1. Qianlong Vase
Thrift shops are fantastic places to hunt for unique items, as you never know what treasures people have donated. Not only do you get to purchase items at low prices, but you also support a good cause. Occasionally, you stumble upon something truly extraordinary.
A shopper noticed a vase with a vibrant yellow glaze and Chinese inscriptions, priced at just £1. Intrigued, they purchased it, suspecting it might hold greater value. After listing it on eBay and witnessing the bids soar, they withdrew the listing and consulted an auctioneer for a professional appraisal.
The vase was crafted during the reign of the Qianlong emperor, with a mark on its base indicating it was never intended to leave China. Its journey to a charity shop in England remains a mystery. At auction, the vase fetched an impressive £480,000.
