A floral bowl purchased for $35 at a Connecticut yard sale was identified as a 15th century Chinese antique and is expected to sell for up to $500,000. Photo courtesy of Sotheby's
The porcelain bowl was identified as a "lotus bowl" from the court of the Yongle Emperor, who ruled from 1403 until 1424. Sotheby's said only six other lotus bowls from the same period are known to still exist.
The bowl is scheduled to be auctioned March 17. The auction house said the bowl is expected to fetch a high bid of $300,000 to $500,000 -- up to 14,300 times the amount of money it sold for at the yard sale.
