CAR BOOT BOOTY

We all dream of uncovering a valuable item at a car boot fair – and for the owner of this small glass vase, the dream actually came true.

The woman bought the 5in-high vase for £1 at a car boot sale because she liked the plant stored in it. When the plant died the vase was put away, then unearthed during a clearout. ‘We were going to bin it; we thought it was a heap of junk,’ she said. Luckily, she instead took it along to the show at Dumfries House in Scotland in 2008, where Eric Knowles recognised it as the work of 20th century glass designer René Lalique. This 1929 vase was made using a cire perdue process, which involves a wax pattern and plaster mould that can be used only once, making the piece unique. ‘This was the stuff of dreams,’ said Eric.

VALUED AT: £20,000.

CURRENTLY: It went for a commission-inclusive price of £32,450 at a London auction house.