Opium Wars

Opium Wars were two wars that took place during the mid 19th century. The first opium war was between China and Britain while the second was between Britain and France against China. The vase was most likely taken away from China in the 1860s, during the second Opium war.

Going For A Song

Where the vase went after it was taken from China is unknown, however, there was one incident where the vase made an appearance. Going for a Song was an antiques quiz show broadcasted by the BBC from 1965-1977. In the 1970s, the vase was featured on the show. It was assessed and inspected by an expert, who declared it a very good imitation and valued it at £1300.

Find Of An Explorer

According to an article by the Daily Mail, it was revealed that the vase belonged to an elderly man who inherited it from his uncle, an explorer who traveled frequently to the Far East. When the man died it was left as part of his estate to his sister, who was in her seventies. The question of how or where the explorer found it is still not answered.

Mysterious Journey

But the mystery that still lingers to date is that nobody knows how that vase ended up, of all places, in a box in an attic in a suburban home, in Greater London. This is perhaps the most interesting yet undiscovered twist of the whole story. Unfortunately, this mystery has not been solved yet and as the auctioneer said: “The vase is a masterpiece. If only it could talk.”

The Mystique Of Antiques

Collecting antiques is a passion shared by many people. Some may be casual collectors while some are actual dealers who are in serious business. No matter how modern this world might get, the admiration and passion for these pieces fail to diminish. It is difficult to say what people love precisely about antiques, the historical significance, the mystery or just the plain beauty of it. It is hard to tell.

No Additional Updates

There have been no further reports about where the vase is displayed or kept by the anonymous buyer. There is no news from the siblings either, about what they decided to do with the massive sum of money. According to the auctioneer, neither of them was expecting it to get this big until the moment the hammer went down. And to think of it, they just spotted it in a dusty attic which gives a good impulse to do some cleaning ourselves! You never know what you may find hidden away in the nook and cranny of your house.