Vase Bought For $3.99 At US Thrift Store Sells For Over $100,000 At Auction

A US woman who bought a glass vase for $3.99 at a local Goodwill charity shop has seen the piece auctioned off for more than $100,000 after it turned out to be a rare piece of Italian glassware. According to the Independent, Jessica Vincent had bought the item at a Goodwill thrift store in Virginia and had a feeling that the piece might have been worth a little more than usual as it had a small 'M' on its bottom which she suspected might stand for Murano, an Italian island near Venice famed for glasswork. 

"I had a sense that it might be a $1,000 or $2,000 piece," she told the New York Times. She added that she had "no clue how good it actually was until I did a little more research". 

Ms Vincent joined Facebook groups to ask for advice. She was told it could be an artwork by renowned Italian architect and designer Carlo Scarpa. She was then directed to Wright Auction House and sent photos to Richard Wright, the president of the auction house, who "had a really good feeling" the moment he saw the pictures.

According to the outlet, the expert told her that the piece could be part of the "Pennellate" series that the artist designed in the 1940s. However, Mr Wright said that it is not known how many vases were made in the series. 

"If it had a chip - even a small chip - it would have probably sold for under $10,000," Mr Wright said. "This was like a winning lottery ticket," he added. 

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The vase was auctioned off last week to an unidentified private art collector in Europe for $107,100 - a sum which was divided between Ms Vincent and Wright Auction House. According to the Independent, the 43-year-old received $83,500 from the auction. She said she could not have taken the risk of keeping the case at home, knowing it was expensive and rare. 

"I knew I wanted to get it back in the art world. They didn't know it existed," Ms Vincent said, adding, "I feel like I saved it from obscurity". 

"We are pleased to present this Carlo Scarpa Pennellate vase which is one of the rarest pieces we have offered in more than a decade of auctions with Wright. Carlo Scarpa designed the Pennellate series for Venini in 1942 and pieces from this series are exceptionally rare to see," the auction wrote in the description of the item.