Ancient jars bought at thrift shop for $33 could fetch $84,000 at auction
Global News
A lucky thrift shop customer stands to make a small fortune after purchasing two ancient Chinese jars in the United Kingdom.
It’s the kind of score thrift store shoppers dream of.
One lucky bargain hunter recently picked up an ancient pair of Chinese jars from a London charity shop for £20 (CA$33) only to learn they could fetch up to £50,000 (approx. CA$84,000) when they head to auction next week.
The jars date back to the 18th century Qing dynasty and are known as doucai lotus and chrysanthemum jars. Doucai is a porcelain painting technique where elements are outlined in blue before being glazed.
“They definitely have a presence that’s hard to explain,” Bill Forrest, associate director and head of Chinese, Japanese and southeast Asian art at auction house Roseberys, where the jars will be auctioned off, told CNN.
“A really good piece of imperial porcelain is so well manufactured, so well produced with such skill and care, that they kind of exude a presence.”
According to Artnet.com, the 4.5-inch tall vases would have been created in the Chinese imperial kilns of Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province and were based on a prototype that has since been lost. Several identically patterned jars have been found over time and are considered important artifacts.
“These jars are extremely well-potted and painted with great skill and finesse,” Forrest told Artnet. “Of course, charity shops can be forgiven for overlooking such specialized objects as these due to the volume and variety of donations they receive.”