This could be the most fortunate moment for a couple from London, after buying a hand-sized vase at a thrift shop for just £2.50 ($3.30) which could be worth £9,000 ($11,800) if sold at an auction, CNN Style reported.

Hand-Sized Vase Found by Couple in Surrey

The said hand-sized vase was spotted by a couple named Ahmet and Karen of the southeastern English county of Surrey without knowing that the artifact will cost them a fortune.

According to the report, the couple were sightseeing around the charity shop. Karen said she always looked for books, but Ahmet turned to the arts and vintage section at that time.

Karen detailed how Ahmet has a keen eye on stuff and insisted she looks at the hand-sized vase’s “etched marks”. They had a hunch that the etched marks were somehow significant but weren’t aware of the hand-sized vase’s price value.

Apparently, they bought the hand-sized vase and called the auction house to let experts evaluate the item.

Hand-Sized Vase Turned Out to Be a Treasure

The hand-sized vase which was about 10-centimeter (four-inch) turned out to be a masterpiece of Japanese ceramist and cloisonné artist Namikawa Yasuyuki, a prominent artist from Japan, whose life extended between 1845 and 1927, in the Meiji Period.

The complicated enameling method known as cloisonné entails welding thin metal strips or wire that have been twisted to form the shape of a design to a metal surface. Before the entire decorative item is fired, ground smooth, and polished, colored enamel paste is used to fill in the little gaps left in the enclosing outline.

“The exceptionally fine work and naturalistic depiction of cockerels and hens on a black background, with birds in flight overhead, was something of a trademark of his,” specialist Cliona Kilroy, co-director of Canterbury Auction Galleries said.

On July 29 and 30, there will be a two-day auction where art enthusiasts can place a bid on the hand-sized vase. According to the auction house, the couple selling it intends to make a “generous donation” to the charity shop where they purchased the item.

It was reported that a larger vase made by the same artist was sold at Canterbury Auction Galleries in April 2019 for £29,000 ($38,000).