A bowl bought at a New York yard sale for $3 in 2007 was sold at a Sotheby’s auction on Tuesday, after owners discovered the 5-inch ceramic piece actually hailed from China 1,000 years ago.
It’s a rare “Ding” bowl, and a prime example of Northern Song Dynasty pottery, auction officials said, as reported by CNN.
“At the time [of purchase], the purchaser had no idea that they had happened upon a 1,000-year-old treasure,” said Cecilia Leung of Sothebys, in CNN’s report.
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After displaying it for several years, the owners decided to have the bowl’s value assessed. Sotheby put it between $200,000 and $300,000, CNN reported.
But London dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi battled four other bidders and ultimate bought it for $2.25 million.
CNN says the British Museum in London is in possession of the only other bowl of its kind.
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