Chinese Vase Valued At Only US$2K Reaps A Whopping $8.8M After Bidding War

An innocuous blue and white chinoiserie vase was at the object of affection at an auction in France this past week. The piece was first proffered at an estimated €2,000 (US$1,960), and eventually went under the hammer for €9,000,000 (US$8.8 million). 

 
The Tianqiuping antique—which translates to “celestial sphere vase”—is distinguished by its round body and slim neck. It measures 21 by 16 inches and has painted dragons and clouds.

The antique was auctioned off by Osenat in Fontainebleau, near Paris. 
 
Jean Osenat, president of the auction house, told CNN that the item had come from an anonymous seller to market it along with a consignment of other antiquities left by their grandmother, who lived in Brittany. The vase had been with its owner for 30 years.
 
Osenat contracted an evaluator to look at the pot before it went on sale. It was estimated to have been created in the 20th century and thus is not as rare as some other pieces. However, enthusiasts and collectors noted that the vase was an exceptional example of 18th-century Tianqiuping work. 

Before it went on sale, it was placed in an exhibit by the auction house. Dozens of people visited the showing, and between 300 and 400 had expressed interest in bidding. Eventually, Osenat limited the numbers to just 30, all of which had to pay a deposit on the item. 
 
Ultimately, the vase went to a Chinese buyer, and Osenat believes it will end up being showcased in a museum instead of hidden away in a private collection. 
 
In the same report from CNN, the auction house notes that there has been an influx of Chinese buyers in recent years, determined to take back relics they believe were stolen from their country. 
 
 
 
[via CNN and Connexion France, images via Osenat]