Woman's 'broken porcelain' in attic sells for £160k after 20 years
A woman in Lincolnshire discovered that a box of inherited Chinese porcelain, which she had labeled as 'broken' and stored in her attic for 20 years, was actually worth over £160,000. The collection was sold at auction after the owner finally sought an expert appraisal.
Why it matters
This story highlights the potential hidden value in inherited family heirlooms and the importance of professional appraisal for antique items.
A Lincolnshire woman has sold a collection of inherited Chinese porcelain for more than £160,000 after keeping a box labelled “broken porcelain” in her attic for more than 20 years. The pieces fetched £196,992, including fees, at auction.Gill Stewart rediscovered the box while looking for Christmas decorations at her home in Benniworth, near Louth. She had repeatedly wondered what to do with the items but did not take them to an auctioneer until earlier this year.“I brought it up to Lincolnshire [in 2002] and since then it's just lived in the attic,” Stewart told the BBC. “Every time I went up to get the Christmas decorations, I thought 'I must do something with that box'.”Stewart eventually took the collection to John Taylors Auction Rooms in Louth to find out whether it was worth selling.
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