Qing Dynasty plates spark huge bidding war in UK

Auctioneers amazed as pieces sell for far above estimate

An auction house in the United Kingdom is celebrating a record result after a drawn-out bidding war for a pair of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) porcelain plates ended in a 146,000-pound ($187,000) sale, up from an opening bid of 1,200 pounds.

The pieces sold in East Yorkshire at Hawleys, an auction house owned by former professional soccer player John Hawley and his wife Caroline Hawley, who often appears as an antiques expert on BBC shows Bargain Hunt and Flog It!.

Caroline Hawley said that the sale is the highest in the auction house's history.

"It was really exciting, a wonderful thing and a career high," she told China Daily. "I've had lots of highs, I've loved my job all the way along, I do quite a lot of work on the television with various shows, all of which I love, but I have to say this ranks right up there with the best moments."

The two plates were auctioned off from the estate of a deceased individual, whose family does not want to be named in the media. Hawley said the buyer also wishes to remain anonymous, though she did confirm that several bids came from Chinese individuals, both on-site and over the phone.

"When we first got the pieces, we thought they were good, but didn't know how good," Hawley said.

The plates were given an estimated value of 1,000 to 2,000 pounds in the catalogue released 10 days before the auction. Hawley said that there was immediate interest from around the globe, prompting her to guess at a possible sale of 40,000 to 50,000 pounds.