Rare Qing Dynasty Porcelain Plate Under Sofa Sells for £30k

A massive Qing dynasty porcelain plate destined for Beijing's Forbidden City could command £30,000 after being unearthed beneath a sofa in a north London residence. This rare imperial artifact was originally crafted to celebrate the birthday of an Empress Dowager and arrived in Britain via Chinese immigrant Wing Lung Goo during the early 1900s. It has since remained with his descendants for generations.

The piece itself is impressive, spanning two feet across and weighing 30lbs. Mr Goo's relative kept it stored under the living room sofa of their townhouse in Barnet. Now that a relative approached auctioneers with photographs of the object, estimates suggest a price between £20,000 and £30,000. The dish features Imperial yellow coloring accented by green and aubergine enamel details.

John Axford, an Asian art specialist familiar to viewers of BBC's Antiques Roadshow, first took notice because of the object's sheer size. He arranged a visit to inspect it in person. Upon closer study, he discovered a four-character Chuxiugong zhi seal mark on the bottom, which reads 'made for the Chuxiu Palace.' This location is also called the 'Palace of Assembled Elegance' and served as one of six Western palaces within the Inner Court of the Forbidden City.

Axford determined the plate was produced in the 1880s to mark the birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi. He noted the family likely hid it away simply because its dimensions made wall mounting or shelf display too risky. While he admitted keeping something so large under a sofa wasn't the smartest move, especially since photos showed dirt covering the surface, the potential prize forced him to check it out himself.

Once cleaned, the plate emerged in near pristine condition. Axford called the discovery truly extraordinary, noting that finding an imperial dish of such monumental scale stored beneath a London living room sofa is a unique story. The artwork depicts two dragons facing off over a flaming pearl amidst pin clouds and flames. A floral border surrounds the outside with lotus, prunus, peony, chrysanthemum, and hibiscus blooms, while six more dragons and flaming pearls decorate the rim.

A spokesperson from Woolley & Wallis described the item as rare, stating it is the only known example where the base is also glazed in yellow. They emphasized that combining imperial provenance with a direct link to Empress Dowager Cixi's court, along with its exceptional size and potentially unique base glaze, places this dish among the most significant late Qing palace porcelain pieces seen at auction recently. The item will go on sale on November 10.