Door-stop vase discovered in Birmingham could fetch £1m at auction

The vase has been valued at £300,000-£500,000 but is expected to fetch much more at auction

A rare 18th Century Chinese vase that was used as a door-stop could be sold for £1m.

Auctioneers Hansons discovered the "spell bounding" vase, which they believe was made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong between 1735 and 1799, at a house in Birmingham.

It has been valued at £300,000-£500,000, but auctioneers said it could sell for much more if "Far Eastern heavyweight collectors" contest bids.

The vase will be auctioned on 1 July.

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Adrian Rathbone, from Hansons in Derbyshire, said: "Our client inherited the vase from a great aunt who had acquired it during her life in Cornwall in the 1920s.

"Important Chinese porcelain removed from China during the 19th Century is being bought back by Chinese billionaires today."

The 66cm (26in) vase will be auctioned on 1 July

He believes the large vase was made in the imperial kilns for the Emperor's summer palace.

"The design became one of the most favoured designs for all the noble Palaces in the period by his son Emperor Qianlong," added Mr Rathbone.