A cracked vase, made during China's Qing Dynasty (AD 1644-1912), was auctioned off for £87,000 (approx. $117,000) in the UK, according to the Daily Mail on May 13, 2018.

A cracked antique vase from the Qing Dynasty was sold for £87,000. [Photo: VCG]

The final auction price has come as a great surprise to the vase's previous owner, who had intended to donate the piece to a charity store. 83-year-old Anne Beck inherited the ornately decorated but partially cracked vase from her grandfather. Neither she nor her grandfather had tried to repair it, which had been sitting in Beck's garage for 11 years.

As Beck thought the vase had become too damaged, she planned to drop it off at a charity store. On her way there, she stopped at an auctioneer's valuation event and was persuaded to put the item up for sale.

A cracked antique vase from the Qing Dynasty was sold for £87,000. [Photo: VCG]

The vase was initially advertised on the website of Eastbourne Auctions with an estimated price of between £90 and £120. However, it was eventually sold to a Germany-based Chinese buyer for £87,000 with all fees included.

The vase dates back to the 18th century and was made for Emperor Qianlong. Experts said it could have fetched up to £500 million if it hadn't been damaged.