$69 million Chinese Vase

I remembered looking at this story last year. Family members were clearing out a house of a recently deceased uncle. They didn't put much thought into the vase and just left it on top of a bookshelf.  It was when they took it to a local auctioneer they found the vase to be made in the 1740s, and was almost certainly made for the powerful Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799).


Art is not only an expression of thoughts and history but also a great place to invest as a storage of value. There must be thousands of items just like this one kept in dark corners of people's basements and attics. Only during garage or estate sales will they ever be found and sold.


"Chinese porcelain vase discovered during a routine house clearance has sold for $69 million, the highest amount ever fetched by a Chinese artwork." http://www.aolnews.com/2010/11/12/chinese-vase-found-in-storage-sells-for-69-million/