Cup found in attic sells for £80,000 - 29/03/2010

An intricately carved cup dating back to the 17th century has sold for £80,000 at auction.

The container, which is made from a rhinoceros horn, had been sat in an attic in North Lincolnshire for 25 years, according to the BBC.

The value of the vessel, a Chinese libation cup dating back to the 17th century, was discovered when the owners took the item to an antique valuation day.

Auctioneer Craig Bewick, of Brown and Co auctioneers in Brigg, said that the item was one of exceptional rarity.

He said: "It's a fantastic thing. Libation cups were communal drinking vessels that were used on important ceremonial occasions. Rhinoceros horn examples of this age are extremely rare, to put it mildly."

Incredibly, the piece was valued in the 1980s at only a few hundred pounds, a reflection of the change in popularity of Chinese libation cups.

The piece had initially been given a presale estimate of between £20,000 and £30,000.