1658OE03N.jpg
This Ming period ‘Official’s Hat’ chair, sold for $85,000 (£49,945) by Skinners of Boston on July 17.

Enjoy unlimited access: just £1 for 12 weeks

Subscribe now

This may well be true, but if so, one wonders why they were valued at just $1000-1500, as was another lot from this collection, a painting table of similar age which went on to sell for $38,000 (£20,540).