Widow cashes in on $340,000 paperweight

The jade artwork depicts a reclining horse. Photo / Mallams Auctioneers

A widow whose late husband bought an old paperweight for £70 (NZ$143) while teaching in Hong Kong in the 60s has seen it fetch £170,000 (NZ$348,342) at auction.

Made of jade, the artwork, dating from as far back as 1368, is three inches wide and depicts a reclining greyish-green horse during the early Ming dynasty.

The item was sold along with its original receipt from an antiques shop called Dunt King, in Hong Kong, dated December 14, 1962.

The item's seller, who is from Cheltenham, did not want to be identified.

Robin Fisher, of Mallams Auctioneers in Cheltenham, said: "On a good day, I thought it might have sold for around £40,000 (NZ$81,963), but not as much as it did."

The paperweight drew six bidders worldwide and was sold to a buyer in Hong Kong.

- Mail On Sunday