Fabergé sedan chair bought for £75 sells for £380,000

The chair is only three inches high

A tiny Fabergé sedan chair that was bought for £75 nearly a century ago has sold at auction for £380,000.

The "exceptionally rare" gold, jade and rock crystal model was acquired in the 1920s by a Mr Wollcombe-Boyce and has remained in his family ever since.

The miniature, which was made between 1899 and 1903, fetched nearly four times the highest pre-sale estimate.

Elizabeth Poole, of the Cotswold Auction Company, said: "It was a surprise it made that much."

The 3in high (8cm) chair is one of only a small number of models of miniature furniture made by Fabergé.

Experts at the Cirencester auctioneers said it was "highly likely" it came from the Russian Imperial collections, which were sold off by the state after the 1917 revolution.

"There are only six or 10 of these in the world," said Ms Poole.

"They're like hen's teeth; they don't come up very often."

The chair has rock crystal windows engraved with curtain tassels, a hinged door with working handle and a mother-of-pearl lined interior.

It was put up for auction with a pre-sale estimate of between £60,000 to £100,000.

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"We had six buyers on the phone from all over the world and one in the the room," said Ms Poole.

"It was a surprise - we didn't know it was going to make that much, but the descendants are over the moon."