A Lincolnshire woman has sold a collection of inherited Chinese porcelain for more than £160,000 after keeping a box labelled “broken porcelain” in her attic for more than 20 years. The pieces fetched £196,992, including fees, at auction.Gill Stewart rediscovered the box while looking for Christmas decorations at her home in Benniworth, near Louth. She had repeatedly wondered what to do with the items but did not take them to an auctioneer until earlier this year.“I brought it up to Lincolnshire [in 2002] and since then it’s just lived in the attic,” Stewart told the BBC. “Every time I went up to get the Christmas decorations, I thought ‘I must do something with that box’.”Stewart eventually took the collection to John Taylors Auction Rooms in Louth to find out whether it was worth selling. The auction house divided the pieces into separate lots, which attracted far higher bids than expected.
Grandfather’s notes helped identify the pieces
Stewart inherited the porcelain after the death of her grandfather, Brigadier Robert Kellie, who had collected the items while stationed in China around the turn of the 20th century. Some pieces had been damaged over the years, leading to the box being labelled “broken porcelain”.Kellie had kept detailed notes about the collection, including the reign marks, designs and damage to individual pieces. Reign marks record the Chinese dynasty and the emperor’s reign during which an object was made.The notes also recorded who had broken some of the items. Stewart told the BBC that her grandfather’s records showed her grandmother was responsible for damaging several pieces, including some of the most valuable ones.Auctioneer James Laverack, from John Taylors Auction Rooms, said the collection’s appearance did not initially suggest its eventual value.“It’s the sort of stuff you would hear about people finding in charity shops or carboots. Most people wouldn’t think they’re worth more than a pound or two, but they’re rare, highly collectable and therefore highly valuable.”Laverack said the auction house sought advice on the pieces because Chinese porcelain can be difficult to assess. Although the team expected interest, it did not anticipate the final result.
Porcelain lot estimated at £50 sells for £59,000
One of the strongest results came from a lot containing 16 porcelain pieces, including four “month cups” of the type produced at imperial kilns during the Kangxi period, which ran from 1662 to 1722.The lot had been estimated at £50 to £100 but sold for £59,000. The two highest-selling lots went to a UK dealer who was present at the auction, according to The Guardian.Another lot demonstrated how damage did not necessarily prevent the pieces from attracting bidders. One item had been broken and glued back together. An expert told the auction house it could be worth £20,000 in good condition, but its damaged state led to an estimate of just £100. It ultimately sold for £5,000.Laverack said interest in the collection became increasingly clear as the auction approached, although the team remained uncertain about the outcome until the sale.He called Stewart after her lots had finished selling to tell her the result. Stewart had not watched the auction and was taken aback when she heard the figure.