BAINBRIDGES SELLS FAMILY VASE FOR RECORD £53 MILLION

IT WAS JUST AN OLD CHINESE VASE THAT HAD BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR OVER 80 YEARS. IT TURNED OUT TO BE MUCH MORE. WHEN THE INTRICATELY PAINTED 18th CENTURY PIECE WENT ON THE THE BLOCK AT BAINBRIDGES, A SMALL SUBURBAN LONDON AUCTION HOUSE, IT SOLD FOR A RECORD £53 MILLION THURSDAY, SCOOPED UP BY A CHINESE COLLECTOR. 'HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE CHINESE MARKET?', ASKED THE SHOCKED AUCTIONEER, PETER BAINBRIDGE. 'IT'S TOTALLY ON FIRE.' THE SALE PRICE WAS MORE THAN 40 TIMES THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE AND A RECORD FOR A CHINESE WORK OF ART, AN OUTCOME BAINBRIDGE CALLED 'A FAIRY TALE' FOR TEH FAMILY WHO OWNED THE VASE. THE SELLERS, WHO WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS, ARE THE SISTER AND NEPHEW OF A DECEASED ELDERLY WOMAN IN THE WEST LONDON SUBURB OF PINNER. THE VASE HAD BEEN IN THE FAMILY AT LEAST SINCE THE 1930s, THOUGH THEY DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS ACQUIRED. MANY CHINESE ARTIFACTS SURFACED IN BRITAIN IN THE 19th CENTURY, HAVING BEEN LOOTED FROM BEIJING'S SUMMER PALACE WHEN IT WAS SACKED BY BRITISH AND FRENCH TROOPS AT THE END OF THE SECOND OPIUM WAR IN 1860. PAINTED SKY BLUE AND IMPERIAL YELLOW AND ADORNED WITH MEDALLIONS DEPICTING LEAPING GOLDFISH, THE 16 INCH CASE DATES FROM THE QING DYNASTY, A TIME WHEN CHINESE PORCELAIN-MAKING WAS AT ITS PINNACLE. MADE FOR THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF EMPEROR QAINLONG AND BEARING THE IMPERIAL SEAL, EXPERTS SAID IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL PIECE. STILL, NO ONE EXPECTED WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE DELICATE ENAMELED VASE WENT ON THE BLOCK. BAINBRIDGE SAID THE ATMOSPHERE WAS 'ELECTRIC', WHEN THE HAMMER CAME DOWN ON THE WINNING BID HE STRUCK IT SO HARD THE GAVEL BROKE. 'THERE WAS A SILENCE THAT WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE SALE AS THE FIGURE GREW SLOWLY BUT SURELY UP TO THE SKY', SAID BAINBRIDGE, WHO SPECIALIZES IN HOUSE CLEARANCE SALES, AND WHOSE PREVIOUS RECORD SOLD FOR £100,00. THE VASE, BOUGHT BY A CHINESE BIDDER ON BEHALF OF AN UNDISCLOSED BUYER, BEAT THE PREVIOUS RECORD FOR CHINESE ART, A 45 FOOT LONG 11th CENTURY SCROLL ELABORATELY DECORATED WITH CALLIGRAPHY SOLD FOR ALMOST £45 MILLION IN BEIJING IN JUNE. WHILE THE VASE SOLD THURSDAY IS NOT EXTREMELY OLD, IT DATES FROM AROUND 1740, IT COMES FROM A PERIOD WHOSE WORKS ARE COVETED BY CHINESE COLLECTORS.