“Whoa, that’s a gorgeous ceramic bowl! That’ll fit perfectly in my kitchen,” you think to yourself as you peruse a yard sale your neighbor is holding. You purchase it for next to nothing, thinking it’s simply an inexpensive new addition to you home. Or, is it?
When one New York family was sifting through all the no-longer-wanted items at a big garage sale, they bought several pieces for their kitchen, one being a small unassuming white ceramic bowl. For years it remained relatively untouched… until a previously unseen name on the bottom indicated it could be worth a small fortune.
Junk To Treasure
If you’re the kind of person who loves bargain shopping, few events get you more excited than a big yard sale. One person’s junk could potentially be your treasure — and one New York family discovered this for themselves.
Standing Out
While visiting a neighborhood garage sale in 2007, the family — who wished to remain anonymous — picked out several porcelain and ceramic bowls, as well as plates, to add to their kitchen. Most were basic white dishes, but there was one that stood out.
Fitting In Perfectly
One of the small dishes had unique floral patterning on the inside and outside that the others were lacking. They thought it might be a nice decorative piece for their mantle— little did they know, it was worth millions.
Piquing Interest
The family placed the bowl on a kitchen shelf, thinking nothing of it — it was just a bowl. For six years it was just an aesthetically pleasing part of the kitchen that sometimes held spaghetti… until a small detail piqued their interest.
Speaking To Experts
They couldn’t help but think the floral engravings might indicate the bowl was worth more than the measly three bucks they paid for it. After speaking with experts, they were advised to bring the bowl to Sotheby’s.
Garnering Attention
Sotheby’s is one of the most prestigious auction houses in the world, and the auctioneers who work with them are truly experts in their fields. The bowl immediately garnered massive attention when the family brought it in.
A Surreal Discovery
Not only did the experts at Sotheby’s tell them the bowl would likely sell for a lot of money, but the porcelain was also nearly 1,000 years old! The family was stunned beyond belief.
Northern Song Dynasty
The bowl apparently was crafted around the tenth or eleventh century during the reign of the Northern Song dynasty. It’s official name was a “Ding” bowl, and this piece was as rare as rare can get.
Rare Beyond Belief
The name “Ding” referred to the county of Ding in China’s Hebei province that housed all the kilns used to craft them. As the family learned more, they realized they owned one of only two remaining bowls on the planet.
Let The Bidding Begin
The only other one known by experts was on display inside the British Museum. Can you believe the second was lying on a table next to someone else’s yard sale junk?
Interesting Theory
The Ding bowl in the British Museum had been on display for over 60 years, and it was left to the museum by Henry J. Oppenheim, a famous collector. An author named Rose Kerr had an interesting theory about these pieces that only drove the value up.
Mimicking Royalty
Because only a handful of Chinese during the Song dynasty were able to live inside the palaces, these bowls were made to mimic the ornate gold wares royalty used. Curious buyers considered this when they started letting their bids fly.
Profound Occurrence
During the anticipated auction, the family was in a surreal state of shock about everything that went down. Would they really walk out with several hundred thousand dollars? They held their breath, and then… the bidding went out of control.
A Bid Like No Other
A London art dealer named Giuseppe Eskenazi stepped up to the plate and blew everyone else’s bid out of the water. This guy proudly offered $2.2 million for the bowl. A silence fell over the auction house. Could anyone outbid him?
No Stranger To Relics
Eskenazi was, after all, no stranger to forking over a boatload of cash for ancient relics. Eight years prior to bidding the Song dynasty bowl, he spent just over $23 million for a rare 14th-century glass jar. If he wanted something, he would have it.
A Proud Interview
With the $2.3 million bid, Eskenazi won the bowl. The proud new owner told CNN reporter Richard Roth, “There’s only one other. It’s also in perfect condition; considering its past history, it’s a miracle.” Others share his enthusiasm.
The Auctioneer Speaks
The auctioneer in charge of the sale, Henry Howard Sneyd, weighed in on the historic event. “The moment the box lid was opened I knew that I was looking at something completely special.” Still, the buyer had questions.
Where’d It Come From?
That only two of these survived a thousand years in perfect condition was almost unfathomable. So how did this particular bowl end up at an American yard sale?
An Astounding Payday
The answers weren’t clear. The New York family only knew it came from a garage sale — and that the previous owners of the bowl were surely kicking themselves. Still, they knew there were ways to track down an item’s history.
