Could this be the bargain buy of the year?

A RARE 11th century rock crystal ewer, misidentified as a 19th century French claret jug, sold for £220,000 (€296,237) at auction, more than one thousand times its pre-sale estimate, the Art Newspaper said yesterday.

But experts believe its real value could be nearer £5 million (€6.7m).

The ewer was sold last Thursday at an auction held by Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne, Somerset.