Drilling hole in rare vase proves costly mistake

A family drilled a hole in an old vase to use as a lamp only to find they had damaged a piece of rare Chinese porcelain.

The 250-year-old 15 inch high vase is now set to sell at auction for £20,000.

However, if it hadn't been damaged and if its matching vase hadn't been lost, the pair would have been worth £250,000.


Photo from here.

It is thought the vase was bought by the owner's great-grandfather in the Far East in the early 20th century.

Thinking it was worthless, the family made the 8mm hole to run an electrical cable through and used it as a lamp in their south west London home for the last 40 years.

It was only when it was spotted by a family friend who thought it could be valuable that its potential was realised. The unnamed woman took the vase to experts who identified it as coming from the reign of Emperor Qianlong, who reigned between 1735 and 1796.