Joining the ranks of all-time great barn find moments (whether your preferred subject matter be Romanée-Conti jeroboams or a $400,000 Rolex Daytona) a thrifter in Brookneal, Virginia has just sold a rare Murano vase — designed by renowned Italian architect Carlo Scarpa — to the tune of ~$160,000 (US$107,100).
Jessica Vincent, the aforementioned Virginia resident, happened upon her payday at a run-of-the-mill thrift store in Hanover County. Discarded among a hodgepodge of lamps, glassware and old VHS tapes; Vincent managed to convince the Goodwill attendant present to part with this Italian masterwork for ~$5.94 (US$3.99).
Initially attracted to the vessel’s arcing whirls of green and red, she soon found the base was decorated with a small M-shaped hallmark. Armchair experts on Facebook quickly identified this as evidence of the object’s origin from Murano — a chain of small islands north of Venice that, since the 19th century, has been home to the most “expertly made glass found throughout Western Europe“.
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Vincent subsequently brought her findings to the attention of New York-based Wright Auctions, who publicly facilitated the sale of this rare, Murano-made Carlo Scarpa vase for $160,000.
All told, after costs, Vincent walked away with around $126,482 (US$85,000): a tidy return on a principal so modest that it wouldn’t even cover the cost of your next single-origin cold brew coffee. At least, not in this economy.
![Goodwill Carlo Scarpa vase](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/12/Carlo-Scarpa-IL1.jpg/w=900,h=1200)
Aside from obvious factors, such as weight and intensity of colour, Wright’s specialists indicated that one of the key factors in this work’s record performance was — cue mock surprise — its overall condition. Richard Wright, the eponymous house’s President, was effusive in his praise on that front. “If it had a chip — even a small one — it would have probably sold for under [US$10,000],” he said.
“This was like a winning lottery ticket.”