Chinese bowl bought for $ 35 was auctioned for 720,000

“After seeing the bowl for the first time, our team immediately recognized the undoubted quality of the jewel and it is a reminder that precious works of art are always hidden in plain sight, waiting for us to find them”, a- he added.

The piece was acquired in Connecticut (eastern United States), in a typical flea market that many people put up for sale in front of their house when considering a move.

The buyer, whose identity was not disclosed by the auction house, was walking from market to market in that US state when the bowl and its “intricate” designs caught his attention.

“He bought it without hesitation for $ 35, the asking price. Intrigued by the piece, the buyer took the bowl to Sotheby’s for expert appraisal and it was immediately identified as an exceptional piece, ”according to a note from the firm.

The company pointed out that only five complementary bowls are known and most are in the collections of renowned museums, two in the National Museum in Taipei, one in the British Museum and another in Victoria & Albert, London. Sotheby’s added that the porcelain piece is typical of the Yongle era (1403-1424), the third emperor of the Ming dynasty.

In 2017, a Chinese bowl broke a world record by being auctioned for almost $ 38 million. He belonged to the Song Dynasty.