15th-century bowl auctions for $722,000
ARLINGTON, TN
HARTFORD, Conn. – An exceptionally rare 15th-century porcelain bowl made in China that somehow turned up at a Connecticut yard sale and sold for just $35 was auctioned off Wednesday for nearly $722,000.
The small white bowl adorned with cobalt blue paintings of flowers and other designs – one of only seven such bowls known to exist in the world – was among a variety of Chinese works of art sold by Sotheby’s as part of its Asia Week events. The names of the seller and buyer were not disclosed.
Sotheby’s had estimated the artifact’s value at $300,000 to $500,000. Wednesday’s auction included 15 bids, starting at $200,000 from someone online and ending at $580,000 from another person bidding by phone. The official purchase price, which included various fees, was $721,800.
An antiques enthusiast came across the Ming Dynasty-era piece and thought it could be something special when browsing a yard sale in the New Haven area last year, according to Sotheby’s. The buyer later emailed information and photos to Sotheby’s asking for an evaluation.
- Mr. Larry Rhoads Jones, 68, of Arlington, TN, passed away Saturday, March 6, 2021 at his residence. He was CFO and Director of Operations with Carrier Mid-south Air Conditioning. He is survived by his twin brother, Jerry (Ellen) Jones of Germantown, TN; brother, Jesse Jones of Hollywood, FL; sister, Bessie Jones Schneider of Boerne, TX; several nieces and nephews, and girlfriend, Suzanne Harty of Arlington, TN. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dudley Jr. and Gladys Pauline Rhoads Jones, and brother, Dudley Jones III. Funeral services will be held Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 1:00 PM at the Brown Funeral Home in Clinton with Rev. Bobby Mcclure and Matt Latham officiating. Burial will follow in the Salem Cemetery. Friends may call after 11:00 AM on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at the Brown Funeral Home in Clinton. www. rdbrownfh.com.
Donations: American Heart Association, Kentucky Region, 240 Whittington Pkwy, Louisville, Ky 40222.