Chinese cup set to sell for more than £20,000

The 17th century Chinese drinking cup – once written off as nothing special – is expected to fetch more than 20,000 when it goes to auction on Saturday.

Experts at auctioneers Brown & Co were astonished when a visitor produced the exotic treasure which is carved from rhinoceros horn, at a public valuation session in Brigg.

Auctioneer Craig Bewick said: "It's a fantastic thing. Libation cups were communal drinking vessels that were used on important ceremonial occasions. Rhinoceros horn examples of this age are extremely rare, to put it mildly. It is worth a fortune.

"This cup was bought in China in the twenties or thirties by the seafaring grandfather of the present owners.

"Apparently they did think of selling it thirty years ago but an expert at one of the London auction houses was unenthusiastic. He told them that there wasn't very much interest in that sort of thing and if it went up for auction it would probably make just a few hundred pounds.

"They were so discouraged by the pessimistic valuation that they decided not to bother selling and the cup went up into the loft, which is where it stayed until a few months ago when they decided to bring it in to the valuation session."

Mr Bewick said: "I think it is absolutely wonderful. The craftsman who carved the piece really went for glory, covering the piece with incredibly detailed scenes from seventeenth century Chinese life – and cutting deep into the horn to leave parts that stand clear of the main body of the piece.

"The carving even extends over the lip into the interior of the vessel, which is very unusual. It is a real tour-de-force."

Sadly the craftsman didn't leave his mark and its maker will remain anonymous forever. Had there been a mark the cup could have been worth another 10,000.

The cup is to go under the hammer at the Spring Fine Art and Antiques Auction at the firm's premises in Market Place in Brigg on Saturday and the sale is attracting a lot of interest from Chinese market.