A decorative box that is believed to have been bought by an army major shortly after World War II is up for auction again.
The box, made for the 15th century emperor Xuande, has been sitting in the attic of World War II Major Edward Coplestone Radcliffe’s family home since 1967.
Radcliffe purchased the box during an auction in London in 1946 Believed to be one of five ever made, the box «bears the incised six-character marks of Xuande,» something that is rare among these types of boxes.
Emperor Xuande was the fifth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The colorful box has drawings of pomegranates and gold branches throughout, and is believed to be worth roughly $10,000 today.
