As far as antiques hunting goes, this might just be as good as it gets.
A
small bowl bought for just $35 (£25) at a market sale in the US state
of Connecticut has turned out to be a rare 15th-Century Chinese
artefact.
The
white porcelain bowl was spotted by an unidentified antiques enthusiast
near New Haven last year, and they quickly sought an expert evaluation.
The experts came back with good news, revealing that the bowl is thought to be worth between $300,000 and $500,000.
In fact, it is believed to be one of only seven such bowls in existence and most of the others are in museums.
"It
was immediately apparent to both of us that we were looking at
something really very, very special," Angela McAteer, an expert on
Chinese ceramics at the auctioneer's told the Associated Press news
agency.
"The
style of painting, the shape of the bowl, even just the colour of the
blue is quite characteristic of that early, early 15th-Century period of
porcelain," she added.
The 6-inch (16cm) diameter bowl features cobalt blue floral paintings and an intricate design around the rim.
"All
the characteristics and hallmarks are there that identify it as a
product of the early Ming [Dynasty] period," Ms McAteer said.
How
exactly the bowl found itself being sold at a Connecticut outdoor sale
remains a mystery. Some have suggested it may have been passed down
through generations of the same family.
"It's
always quite astounding to think that it kind of still happens, that
these treasures can be discovered," Ms McAteer said. "It's always really
exciting for us as specialists when something we didn't even know
existed here appears seemingly out of nowhere."
