A RARE 280-year-old Chinese dish, which was found lying in a Weston home, has been sold for £52,000. Auctioneers had hoped the Yongzheng dragon dish, which once sat in an emperor's palace, would fetch up to £120,000 at an auction last week. But the dish's

A RARE 280-year-old Chinese dish, which was found lying in a Weston home, has been sold for £52,000.Auctioneers had hoped the Yongzheng dragon dish, which once sat in an emperor's palace, would fetch up to £120,000 at an auction last week.But the dish's small scorch marks and hairline crack meant bidders, telephoning Clevedon Salesrooms from across the globe, would not go above £70,000, which did not meet the reserve price.As the dish was not sold at the auction, it was sold privately afterwards for £52,000 to a buyer based in Britain.Although the dish sold for less than expected, the dish's former owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is said to be over the moon at her surprise windfall.The Weston woman had kept the dish in her display cabinet and was shocked when she was told its true worth. Her father bought the dish in the 1920s.And the dish, which is one of only five in the world, is the most valuable item to have been sold at Clevedon Salesrooms.More than 100 people crammed into the auction rooms, in Kenn near Clevedon, to watch the sale take place last Friday.The room hushed as bidders battled it out over the phones and despite auctioneer Marc Burridge's vain attempts to hoist bids up to £75,000 the final bid was £70,000.Valuer Toby Pinn said: "Unfortunately the marks on the dish meant it didn't go as high as expected but we are still happy as it is the biggest sale we have ever made. "The lady who owned the dish was still over the moon at the sale.