A Chinese jade dog, estimated to be over 600 years old and possessing a 'magical history,' was discovered at a car boot sale for just $1 but is now expected to achieve up to $12,000 at auction.
The hand-carved figurine, made from mottled black and green stone, is believed to date from the early Ming Dynasty, approximately between 1380 and 1420. The dog is depicted in a recumbent position with its head turned back and its tail and legs curled.
It is scheduled to be auctioned at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire. Experts anticipate the piece could sell for approximately 10,000 times its initial purchase price.
Charles Hanson, an auctioneer, described the object as having a 'magical history' and highlighted its significance. He noted that one of the auction house's clients acquired the piece very late in the day at a car boot sale, finding it in a box on a stall.
'What we've got is what we might call an archaic seated recumbent dog in black and green jade,' Hanson stated. 'But it's Chinese and it's a really important late Song, early Ming.' He added that multiple methods were used to confirm the dog's age, believed to be from the late 14th or early 15th century.
The vendor reportedly had an inkling the item might be jade and suspected it was old, underscoring the potential for uncovering valuable items.
Hanson further commented on jade's cultural importance in Chinese society, referring to it as a 'mystical, magical substance' traditionally associated with good fortune. He pointed out that despite some minor scratching, the artifact's condition is remarkable for an object potentially made during the era of the Black Death and centuries before the reign of Henry VIII.
He concluded by emphasizing that the dog holds a 'magical history from China' and remains revered by the Chinese today, who have long admired jade and collected hard stone animal figures.