We have all heard stories of something being found in an attic or at a car boot sale that turns out to be highly valuable and this is something that many collectors seek. When you look at the antique world, and what some things have been sold for, it may surprise you to find these items’ value.
Below are several of the most valuable antiques to be sold at auctions throughout the world. After reading this, the thought of selling your antiques may make you search your attic or your grandma’s to see if you have anything similar.
A Patek Philippe Supercomplication Pocket Watch
This antique pocket watch has set two world records for the price it achieved when sold at auction. The Patek Philippe pocket watch was created for Henry Graves Jr. in 1932. The pocket watch went to auction in 1999 and sold for a record-setting fee of $11 million, which it would go on to eclipse when sold at auction in 2014 for a staggering $24 million. The supercomplicated pocket watch has been a record-setting antique for many years, and it may even go on to break its record if sold again.
A Rug Fit For A Palace
In 2013, a Persian rug came up for auction at William Andrews Clark’s estate sale, along with many other items. The Persian rug was seen as a high-value item due to its age, pattern, and condition, and the pre-auction estimated value of it was set at $5 to $7 million. When the final hammer came down, the rug had been sold for a whopping $33.76 million, making it the most valuable antique rug of all time. If you’re interested in getting an antique rug for your home, there are plenty of trusted dealers that sell them. Search online and you’ll definitely find a rug whose classic elegance would match that of vintage furniture UK homes have.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Cartier Necklace
Elizabeth Taylor is a personality that many people associate with the number of weddings and engagements she had, having owned some beautifully exquisite engagement jewelry in her time. Some of the most valuable jewelry she had was the Cartier La Peregrina pearl necklace Richard Burton gave her in 1969. The necklace, which dates from the 16th century, set two records when sold at auction. One record for the value of the historic pearl and another record for the pearl jewelry when it was sold for more than 11 million dollars, which made the eyes of antique dealers water.
Expensive Chinese Porcelain
Antique Chinese porcelain is something else that is valuable, depending on where and the era from which it comes, as well as the age. There is a brush washer bowl, for example, that is a 900-year-old Ru Guanyao ware that dates back to the dynasty of Northern Song. It set a world record for the price it sold for in 2017. The bowl, which only measures 5.125 inches, was sold for a staggering $37.68 million after some intense bidding in Hong Kong. The auction winner was seen taking a celebratory drink from their new acquisition once they paid for it.
These are a few of the expensive antiques that set records when selling at auction, but there are plenty of others besides. You may even have the next record breaker hiding in your attic, which has got to be worth investing the time to clear it out and see what you have.
