Family Finds $39,000 Antique Under Couch

An English family kept a porcelain dish under their couch for decades, brought from China by their ancestor in the early 20th century. Deciding to check its value, they sent photos to experts.

It turned out to be an extremely rare Qing dynasty artifact weighing 13.6 kg, made around 1889 for the Forbidden City on the occasion of Empress Dowager Cixi's jubilee. Its uniqueness is indicated by a rare mark on the bottom.

The auction estimate for the relic is £20,000–30,000 (about $26,000–39,000).