Chinese plate from 'granny's wall' valued at £60,000

The plate has survived years in a wire plate holder without damage

A porcelain plate that until recently hung on a woman's wall has been valued at £60,000, ahead of its auction.

The item, which carries the reign mark for Chinese Emperor Yongzheng, has a white-on-blue floral design and dates back to 1723-1735.

The plate was bought by Scot Alexander Robertson, who made his fortune in the US in the early 20th Century.

The current owner said it had been passed down to a relative who had kept it on her wall in an ornamental holder.

Alexander Robertson became vice president of a major Chicago bank in 1906

Making his money in banking, Robertson collected fine art and it is believed he purchased the Chinese plate in 1911.

He had no children and on his death in 1922 his possessions were divided between Scottish relations.

Despite being valued at £20,000 on the Antiques Roadshow in the 1990s, the plate remained on everyday display.

The owner, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "My auntie, who lived with my granny, used to hang it on the wall but I was too scared to have it on show when my family inherited it two years ago. I put it away in a box inside a cupboard.

"I hope someone buys it who will cherish it - and be brave enough to have it on display."

Charles Hanson, of Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, said: "The plate is exceptional and it's in good condition - even though granny did put a metal plate mount around it.

"A similar dish is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York."

The plate has a guide price of £40,000-£60,000 but Mr Hanson thinks it could well fetch "far more" when it is auctioned on 29 September.