Why is this tiny jade dog worth up to £10,000? Bought for just £1 at a car boot sale, 600-year-old treasure set for auction

A small Chinese jade carving bought for just £1 at a UK car boot sale could turn out to be a centuries-old artefact worth as much as £10,000 at auction.

600-Year-Old Jade Dog Bought for Just £1

The 8.5cm-long carved dog, made from mottled black and green jade, is believed to date back to the early Ming dynasty, around 1380 to 1420. The carving shows a seated, recumbent dog with its head turned backwards, while its legs and tail are curled towards its body.

The unusual discovery was made only two months ago when a buyer came across the seemingly ordinary object at a car boot sale in the UK.


The jade dog is now set to be auctioned at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, on Wednesday.

Buyer Spotted Jade Carving Inside a Box

Auctioneer Charles Hanson said the discovery demonstrates how valuable historical objects can sometimes be found unexpectedly at car boot sales.

According to Hanson, one of the auction house's clients arrived at the sale relatively late, close to midday, instead of early in the morning. While browsing a stall, the buyer noticed the small animal carving placed inside a box.

Hanson described it as an “archaic seated recumbent dog” carved from black and green jade. Experts believe the piece dates from the late 14th or early 15th century.

“We believe this little dog to be probably late 14th, early 15th century and there’s many ways we’ve been able to confirm that,” Hanson said.

Seller Suspected It Was Jade

The person selling the carving reportedly believed that the object was made from jade and had some suspicion that it could be an old piece.

Despite this, the small carving was sold for only £1, making its potential value at auction particularly striking.

Why Is the Chinese Jade Dog So Valuable?

Hanson said the carving's distinctive black-and-green colouring makes it especially unusual. Its possible age further increases its historical and cultural importance.

The auctioneer estimates that the tiny jade animal could sell for as much as £10,000 when it goes under the hammer.

He also pointed to the deep cultural importance of jade in Chinese history, describing it as a “mystical, magical substance” that has been associated with good fortune and treasured by generations.

Despite some scratches on the carving, Hanson said its condition is remarkable given its possible age.

Jade Dog Could Date Back to the Time of the Black Death

If experts' dating is accurate, the carving could have been created around the period of the Black Death. That would make the tiny dog more than a century older than the reign of Henry VIII, adding considerably to its historical significance.

Auctioneer Calls Discovery a ‘Magical History’

For Hanson, the unexpected find illustrates how pieces of history can sometimes remain unnoticed for centuries before resurfacing.

“This dog has a magical history from China and it’s revered by the Chinese today who, as back then, adore jade and collect these hard stone animals,” he said.

[With TOI inputs]