Thrift Store Vase Purchased for £2.50 Expected to Fetch £9,000 at Auction
A small vase, measuring only 10 centimetres (four inches), which was bought for a mere £2.50 ($3.30) from a thrift store in the southeastern county of Surrey, UK, is anticipated to be sold for up to £9,000 ($11,800) at an upcoming auction. Canterbury Auction Galleries revealed in a press release that the couple who spotted the item had stumbled upon a remarkable find on the edge of London.
According to the seller, identified only as Karen, she and her partner Ahmet visited the charity shop out of curiosity. While Karen gravitated towards the books, Ahmet explored the art and vintage section. Despite not being an expert, Ahmet possessed a keen eye and an instinct for recognizing genuine treasures. He presented Karen with the vase, urging her to inspect the base. The etched marks caught their attention, and although they were uncertain of its significance, they felt it might be worth investigating further.
After purchasing the item for a meagre £2.50, Karen and Ahmet sought the expertise of the auction house for a valuation. Specialists at the auction house identified the vase as the handiwork of Namikawa Yasuyuki, a renowned Japanese ceramist and cloisonné artist who lived from 1845 to 1927. Namikawa Yasuyuki was among Japan’s most celebrated artists during the Meiji period.
Cliona Kilroy, co-director of Canterbury Auction Galleries, highlighted the significance of Yasuyuki’s work, stating that his Kyoto studio produced exquisite pieces highly coveted by collectors. Kilroy noted that Yasuyuki, along with Namikawa Sōsuke, was one of the most famous cloisonné artists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, which is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of enamelling in Japan.
Cloisonné is a meticulous enamelling technique that involves soldering delicate metal strips or wire in the shape of a design onto a metal surface. The enclosed spaces are then filled with coloured enamel paste, and the piece is fired, ground, and polished to achieve a smooth and glossy surface. The auction house emphasized that Japanese cloisonné is particularly distinctive for its highly polished, glass-like appearance.
Regarding the vase attributed to Yasuyuki, Kilroy remarked on the exceptional craftsmanship and the naturalistic portrayal of roosters and hens against a black backdrop, with birds in flight overhead. Such depictions were considered a trademark of Yasuyuki’s work.
The vase will be available for bidding during a two-day auction taking place from July 29 to July 30. The couple who discovered the valuable artefact intends to make a generous donation to the charity shop where they initially found it, demonstrating their gratitude for the extraordinary find.
Notably, a larger vase created by the same artist was sold at Canterbury Auction Galleries for £29,000 ($38,000) in April 2019, underscoring the enduring allure and value of Yasuyuki’s masterpieces.
