Wine vessel¹ sells for 390K pounds

乾隆年间酒壶拍出高价

A tiny teapot-shaped antique, discovered in a garage in England during a lockdown clear-out, sold for 390,000 pounds Thursday, after its owner took it to an auctioneer for a free valuation.

有人在英格兰的一个车库里清理出了一件茶壶形状的小件古董，之后将它拿到一个拍卖行免费估价，并最终以39万英镑（约合人民币342万元）的价格成交。

Described by British auction² house Hansons as the "find of the year," the item was identified as a rare 18th-century wine vessel - known as a ewer³ - that carries the mark of China's Qianlong Emperor.

这件小古董被英国拍卖行汉森称为“年度最佳发现”。它被鉴定为18世纪的一种罕见酒器，也被称为执壶，上面还印有中国乾隆皇帝的印章。

Weighing just 362 grams, the enamel⁴ and copper⁵ antique is decorated with a floral motif⁶ and features a small handle and spout⁷.

这件古董重362克，由搪瓷和铜制成，壶身绘有花卉图案，还有一个小把手和壶嘴。

The item's owner had inherited the item from his grandfather who, the auction house believes, "acquired" the item "while stationed in the Far East" during World War II.

该古董的主人从他的祖父那里继承了这件物品。拍卖行认为，这是他祖父在二战“驻扎远东期间”“获得”的物品。

The auctioneer had initially⁸ estimated that the rare receptacle would sell for between 20,000 pounds and 40,000 pounds, though prior⁹ to the sale it revised its estimate to between 100,000 pounds and 150,000 pounds.

拍卖行最初估计，这个罕见的古董将拍得2万至4万英镑，不过在拍卖之前，该拍卖行将预估价上调至10万至15万英镑。