A damaged flower pot has been sold for Rs 56 lakh ($66,000) at an auction in the UK after it was revealed to be a "lost" masterpiece of an avant-garde 19th-century artist. The 4ft pot, found abandoned in a garden, was created by Hans Coper, who fled to the UK from Germany in 1939 while he was teaching at the Camberwell School of Arts in south London in 1964.
Chiswick Auctions in London initially pegged the flower pot to fetch anywhere between Rs 6.7 to Rs 11 lakh, but the interest from several parties led to an auction war with a US-based bidder emerging victorious.
"Everyone is thrilled. The vendor didn't expect the vessel to achieve its estimate so they are over the moon. There was a bidding war involving a bidder from America, Denmark and a lady in the room," Maxine Winning, head of design at Chiswick, was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
"The fact that you can sell a really damaged ceramic for that sort of price goes to prove how collectable and highly regarded Hans Coper is."
Also Read | Man Finds Woman He Was Dating For Four Years Is 48, Not 27 Years Old
History of the vase
The stoneware was created by Coper in 1964 after being commissioned by an unnamed female client. The owner treasured the vessel and kept it in her possession for many years until it was damaged. However, instead of discarding the pot, the woman pieced the vessel together and kept it in a garden at the back of her London home as an ornamental flower pot.
After the owner passed away, her grandchildren, who inherited the property, recognised the vase as an item of interest. Subsequently, they contacted Chiswick for a general contents valuation, particularly the flower vase.
Jo Lloyd, a ceramic specialist at the auction house, visited the property and examined the vessel. While it had been damaged and crudely repaired, the bottom portion still had Coper's seal on it. She added that the vase is one of the tallest works ever made by Coper as most of his work usually ranges from 10cm to 40cm in height.
As per other experts, it could cost approximately Rs 9 lakh to fully restore the pot.
