Chinese vase used as a walking stick stand for 40 years sells for £110,000
Adam Partridge Auctioneers This STUNNING vase scooped up £110,000 at auction
But it turned out to have been made for a Chinese emperor in the early 19th century to display at one of his imperial palaces. Its elderly owner was 'shocked and aghast' at the price it achieved at auction. The widow had inherited the item decades ago and had no idea of its worth or importance. She kept it outside her front door to keep walking sticks in.
The woman, who is aged in her 80s, pointed it out to an auctioneer who had been invited round to value some item she needed to sell to fund her move to a nursing home. Auctioneer Adam Partridge said: "It was in the outside porch and had been there for as long as the owner, well over 40 years. "It could easily have been stolen at any point during that time. "It was used as a stick stand, hence the damage from where walking sticks had been thrown in to it.
Adam Partridge Auctioneers The vase was made for a Chinese emperor in the 19th century
“It was so badly damaged it looked like it had been under the hammer already! "It was missing chunks from the top and other parts had been crudely glued back together. "Our valuer wasn't even sure if we could take it on at first. "It had the seal mark of Emperor Jiaqing on the bottom and the and colours of imperial yellow were right. "We gave it an estimate of between £100 and £200 so it was there to be sold."
Despite its battered state interest and bidding in the porcelain vase took off, with the hammer coming down at £94,000. With fees added on, the total price paid by the Chinese buyer was £110,920. Mr Partridge added: "The vendor was aghast and almost speechless at the result. We were blown away by it too. "Even in good condition I would have expected the vase to make £5,000." The relic is a baluster form vase with stylised dragon handles and finely decorated in enamels with a frieze of peonies, chrysanthemum and prunus flowers.
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