A CHINESE porcelain bowl, which was used by an admiral for years as a place to keep his keys safe in, is expected to sell for thousands of pounds at a Dorset auction.
The item is set to go under the hammer at Charterhouse's specialist sale of Asian Art on April 8, with an estimated sale price of £8,000.
“I have seen and sold items which have been used as doorstops which, unbeknown to their owners, turned out to be valuable, but have never some across an item worth thousands of pounds which has been used as a place to keep keys safe,” said auctioneer Richard Bromell.
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The bowl has been owned by a retired Admiral who passed away last year. It was inherited from a family member who was in China in the early 20th century.
Discovered by Charterhouse while carrying out the probate valuation after the admiral passed away, the family were surprised to learn the bowl is worth thousands of pounds.
Once a grant of probate had been obtained, Charterhouse was instructed to remove items surplus to family needs and entered the bowl into its specialist sale.
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