Siblings stunned as Chinese vase sells for €51m

A BROTHER and sister who unearthed a Chinese vase in a clear-out of a suburban house were stunned when it sold for a world record-breaking £43 million (€50.64m).

The 18th-century piece of Qianlong-era porcelain was expected to fetch between £800,000 (€94,200) and £1.2m (€1.4m) when it went under the hammer on Thursday evening.

But the total price, including commission and VAT on the commission, was £53,105,000 after bids in the packed auction room went sky high.