A vase bought from a Goodwill store in Virginia for $3.99 was auctioned for more than $100,000, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
When 43-year-old Jessica Vincent saw the striking green and burgundy striped vase at Goodwill, she felt drawn to it and immediately bought it, according to The Washington Post. She was intrigued by a small ‘M’ mark on the vase’s base, suspecting it might be a product of Murano.
Little did she realize she was holding a piece of history, crafted by the Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa. After some research, Vincent discovered her $3.99 purchase was, in fact, a rare artifact from Scarpa’s 1940s “Pennellate” series. Richard Wright, president of Wright Auction House, expressed disbelief at the find, calling it a “gift from the thrifting gods,” according to WaPo. (RELATED: Over 80 Items Linked To JFK Assassination Up For Auction)
A woman bought a vase at Goodwill for $3.99. It was a rare piece that just sold at auction for more than $100,000. https://t.co/WQz0c9Mwsn
— CBS News Miami (@CBSMiami) December 18, 2023
“It was pretty thrilling to think I sort of had a masterpiece on my hands. For me, it felt like a disappointing day thrift shopping, so this turned that day around quickly,” Vincent told WaPo. “This is really going to help me so much. It just felt like the universe was conspiring to help me get down the road a little bit further.”
The vase was then set for auction. Initially estimated to fetch between $30,000 and $50,000, it sold for $107,100 to a private European art collector, The Washington Post reported.
“It was definitely the star of the auction,” Wright said. “[Vincent] is a very cool person, and not everybody is as nice as her. I’ve done this a long time and this is a really sweet story.”