Chinese lotus bowls sell for thousands

A walk-in valuation at Chorley’s auctioneers in Gloucestershire yielded a huge surprise for a lucky local vendor this week.

A rare pair of Chinese ‘lotus’ bowls had been in the owners’ family for generations, but were destined for the tip after the owner had first checked with experts.

Auctioneer Thomas Jenner-Fust recognized that the blue and white bowls were in fact pieces from the reign of the Emperor Kangxi from the period 1662 to 1722.

Thomas explained: “Although the bowls were both damaged, with one in particular having been glued together from several pieces, we immediately knew they were valuable. A pair of ‘lotus’ bowls of this type are rare and, even in this condition, there was hot competition between internet platforms and four telephone bidders. The owner was bowled over by the eventual price of £16,666 including fees, which shows that it is always worth checking those antique items with a reputable auctioneer before throwing them away.”

The pair of Chinese blue and white ‘Lotus’ bowls feature the Kangxi mark and period. The pair is painted in underglaze blue with a central medallion of a lotus and with lotus scrolls to the sides and exterior, both are 19.5cm diameter.