When cleaning out their deceased parents’ attic, a brother and sister from the town of Pinner in Middlesex, England, found a blue and white Chinese vase.  The pair set it to one side while they went about sorting their parents’ stuff, then took it to Bainbridges auction house in nearby Ruislip for appraisal.  Pleasantly surprised by their value of nearly 1 million pounds ($1.6 million dollars), they put it up for auction.  Imagine everyone’s surprise when the Chinese vase went for a record high 53 million pounds ($85 million dollars)!

The key to the vase’s high price, which is the highest amount ever paid for any Chinese art but not for Western art, was the strength of China’s economy.  Several mainland Chinese businessmen spiked the bidding, raising prices by a million pounds with every bid.  Cue the dance of joy!

It’s unheard of, according to Chris Albury of Dominic Winter auction house:  “It’s a freak price.  I’m absolutely astonished.  What a great find.  The word would have been going around that this had come up for sale and there have been strong signs of money in China for a few years now.  This year it’s been more noticeable, there have been indications that people have lots of money to spend, but nothing like this.”

Tags: auctions, record auction prices, Chinese vase sells for million dollars at auction, Bainbridges, Middlesex, England, Quianlong Dynasty vase, highest-ever auction price for Chinese art, record price for Chinese art, vases, antique vase sells for million, record auction price, vase auctions for 53 million pounds

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