An unassuming cardboard box of old pots turned out to contain antique Chinese treasures and was sold for £100,000 at an auction. After clearing out his mother’s house, a 67-year-old grieving son nearly donated the box of plates, bowls, and dishes to a charity shop. He then decided to have them valued by auctioneers, expecting them to be worth around £30 to £50. To his surprise, some of the items were valued at £4,000 to £6,000, and some of his mother’s crockery were antiques from the late 16th century Chinese Ming Dynasty.
The seller, a retired computer engineer who wished to remain anonymous, consigned the items to Hansons Auctioneers, expecting them to make around £30 to £50. However, during the auction, the prices kept skyrocketing, with some of the items selling for much higher than their initial estimates. The collection included several rare porcelain bowls from the Daoguang period (1821-1850), with some selling for tens of thousands of pounds.
The seller was thrilled with the unexpected outcome and said that the proceeds would be split between himself, his brother, and his sister. He plans to treat his wife to a special holiday. The auctioneers were also delighted with the find and emphasized the importance of never dismissing anything during a spring clean, inheritance, or house clearance.
