Rare 'teapot' found in garage of a Derbyshire home during lockdown worth up to £100,000

The rare Beijing-enamelled object, which resembles a teapot and dates back to the Qianlong period (1735-99), stunned experts at Hansons Auctioneers when it was taken for free valuation at its Etwall Auction Centre, near Derby.

The tiny 15cm object is due to be sold on September 24 with an estimate of £20,000-£40,000 but such is the demand for imperial works of art from wealthy Chinese buyers, it could make £100,000, according to Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers.

But if it hadn’t been for lockdown it would have remained boxed up in a garage and probably taken to charity shop.

Charles said: “This has to be the best lockdown find ever. It is such an exciting discovery, an imperial 18th century wine ewer which would have graced a palace in China and was, perhaps, handled by Emperor Qianlong, considered by some to be the greatest Chinese emperor.

“Two almost identical teapots, both with Qianlong reign marks, exist in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, and the Palace Museum in Beijing, China.

"It’s truly astonishing to find an emperor’s wine ewer in a Derbyshire home, an object used to serve warm wine during important ceremonies.”

Hansons’ valuer, Edward Rycroft, said: “I knew it was special and persuaded the vendor to leave it with us so we could carry out some research.

"We were delighted to tell him later that it could be worth tens of thousands of pounds.”

The teapot’s owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I admit, we’d been thinking of sending everything to a charity shop.

"But then lockdown came along and I finally had time to go through the boxes in the garage.

“I’d always thought the teapot, which is what I’ve always called it, was special.

“When I took it to Hansons I was still unsure so dug out a few other bits and pieces for them to value in case they laughed at me when I pulled out the teapot.”

The wine ewer is due to be sold on September 24.

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