$5.8 million paid for flask from 14th century

A blue-and-white porcelain flask dating from 14th century China sold at auction for more than $5.8 million, the highest price ever fetched by a piece of Chinese porcelain, auction officials said.

The 14 1/2-inch-tall pilgrim flask sold for $5,831,500 on Tuesday at the Doyle New York auction house as part of the 30-piece F. Gordon Morrill collection of Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, auction house spokesman Louis Webre said.

The flask, from the mid-1300s, features a blue dragon. It is the only one of its kind in private hands, Webre said.

The new owner of the flask was described only as a prominent London-based collector.

The previous record for Chinese porcelain was set in Hong Kong in October 2000, when a 16th century Wucai fish bowl and cover sold for $5,657,640, Webre said.

From Associated Press