Japanese jugs fetch an incredible £ 20,000
An astonishing bidding war for a pair of wee Japanese jugs ramped up the price - to 66 TIMES the lowest estimate.
The vases had been inherited by an auction seller from Ayr who was expecting to take home between £ 300 and £ 500.
But the hammer at Thomas R Callans saleroom thumped down at £ 20,000, making the lucky seller’s Christmas.
Auctioneer Michael Callan said: “As an auctioneer and valuer its times like these that I love being wrong.”
The atmosphere in the Smith Street saleroom of Thomas R Callans Auctioneers was electric during the bidding for the Cloisonne Vases, which dated from the Meiji period 1868- 1912.
The special sale on Saturday was also live online on a platform that attracts six million people across 150 countries.
The lady vendor watched in astonishment as the price climbed.
For ten minutes the war between a phone bidder and an internet buyer ensued.
Michael added: “It made it extra special that the vendor was in the room.
“She’d inherited the pair of vases and a single Japanese cloisonné vase.
“She was hoping to get around £ 800 for all three .”
“That’s the excitement of auctions – the unknown. You can do your homework, make comparisons and then it can be turned on its head and just go crazy on the day. ”
There was a lot of pre- sale interest shown for small pair, just 15cm high.
Cloisonne is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork with coloured enamels which are then fired in a kiln.
One was perfect, the other was badly damaged and had been repaired.
But antique expert Michael said they were of the highest quality, decorated with Ho Ho birds to one side and flowers and butterflies to the other. The single vase, bigger at 18cm, went for £ 5000 and was also trousered by the same lucky lady.
Other highlights of the special autumn sale were a David Shepherd ( British 1931 – 2017) oil painting of polar bears at £ 18,500 ( estimate £ 15-£ 20,000.)