Thrift shopping is always an exciting experience because you always find something unexpected. Whether it’s a tapestry for the wall, vintage boots, or a scary ancient doll, nonetheless it is always something different and maybe even worth something. This man purchased a vintage vase for one pound and only when he got home did he realize just how twisted it was.
The Thrill Of Thrift Shops
Thrift shopping can be about finding the best bargain if you’re skilled at it. If you manage to score the best deals then this becomes an exciting adventure. This man was on the hunt for crocker when he was passing through the aisles that afternoon.
The Thrill Of Thrift Shops
Excited About His Find
When he found a strange yellow, Chinese vase he was excited. Then when he saw that it was just a pound he was even more thrilled! He was eager to bring the antique home and hoped he would even make a profit on it.
Excited About His Find
Getting To Business
After he got home he opened his computer right away and was excited to put the vase online to auction off. He didn’t expect to earn much, but any amount was helpful considering all his tea and coffee expenses.
Getting To Business
Confused Responses
His vase was online and ready to be auctioned when something strange happened. Many people responded, some of which being art collectors who urged him to remove the post. He couldn’t understand why.
Confused Responses
He Listened To Them
Although he wasn’t sure why they were encouraging him to take down his auctioned item, he followed their advice. In reality, he found out that the vase was worth way more than meets the eye. This vase was actually from centuries ago.
He Listened To Them
It’s Origin
The item came from the 18th-century and was handcrafted for a Chinese emperor whose reign occurred between 1735 and 1796. His jaw physically dropped when he learned this, given how much it was probably worth today.
It’s Origin
The Auction
He took the vase to a famous auction house called Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers, and let them handle the process. This is when big things started happening for him. The organization could not stop staring at the vessel and what an unusual find it was.
The Auction
Take A Seat
When he learned the object’s worth he had to take a minute to process. The minimum that they expected the vessel to sell for was $61,600 and the maximum was $98,000. Well, that is what they expected, but it wasn’t actually what happened.
Take A Seat
The Fine Details
When they looked closer at the vase they noticed that it was inscribed with an ancient Chinese poem. The writings praised “incense alongside a yuti mark and two iron-red seal marks reading Qianlong Chen Han (‘the Qianlong Emperor’s own mark’) and Weijing weiyi (be precise, be undivided).” It seems pretty official to us.
The Fine Details
Not The Right Use
The vase may seem like the perfect place to decorate a home with flowers, but it surely is not its intention. This precious gem should be against a wall on display. It is unexpected but the back is exactly round not flat.
Not The Right Use
Not A Coincidence
The colors of the vase are mustard yellow and crimson red, which were chosen specifically for the Qianlong Emperor. He passed away back in 1799, so it’s interesting to think where its been all these years and how it got to that thrift store!
Not A Coincidence
How He Chose It
The head of the Asian art department at Sworders, Yexue Li, explained that the man chose the vase simply because he liked how it looked. She was thrilled that such an item was in her charity store all this time.
How He Chose It
Not The Intention
Yexue Li was aware that the vase was not meant to be sold or exported since there was an inscription written on the bottom. This meant it was commissioned for the court and was not just your ordinary find.
Not The Intention
Clearly Valuable
She went on to say that it was clearly valuable given it was court commissioned, meaning it was worth a high amount when it was made in the first place. The man was so surprised to hear all of this, but he didn’t expect any of it.
Suprise Outcome
In November 2019, the auction began and a bidding battle took place. The vase price was increasing rapidly and nobody expected what happened. The Sworders themselves were also surprised to see how excited the auction attenders were.
Suprise Outcome
The Final Price
The historical vase surpassed everyone’s expectations and sold for $615,000. We doubt the Chinese Emperor who it belonged to even imagined it would sell for this amount! Maybe the buyer had a relationship with the vase or just wanted good karma.
The Final Price
Heartwarming Story
This story combines everything that makes our heart warm between auctions, bargains, and historical events, we are so pleased to have heard what happened to this man that regular day. The store owner explains that this experience made her extremely ecstatic.
Heartwarming Story
Where Is The Fortune Today?
The man who found the vase in the first place requests to remain anonymous. With the large sum of money, he decided to put it towards his daughter’s future. Wow, what an incredible guy he is! He is perfect to have found such an artifact.
Where Is The Fortune Today@
Piece Of Advice
After hearing this story we can learn a lot for our next thrift store adventure. Remember to keep your eyes on the bargains and keep in mind that you may find something that is more valuable than you realize at first!
Piece Of Advice
