Yesterday I heard an instructive tale from my aunt about her old friend Mary. Mary's second husband (doctor number two) happened to mention to her one day that his French father was happy to give him his large collection of Ming porcelain. Mary, not one to hesitate when it comes to artefacts that enhance status and/or wealth, immediately set out on the road to the South of France, with caravan and husband in tow to collect this birthright.

Three days later, the caravan, now stacked to the gills with porcelain, creaked back into their driveway. Soon, there was not a mantel or window ledge in the house that was free of its very own mini Ming museum. The stunning collection quickly drew much admiration from the many visitors – the exquisite craftsmanship, the ornate designs, etc etc…

Then came the auctioneers.

The expert judgement was rapid and severe: "This is modern Ming. The whole lot would probably fetch you only a couple of hundred quid at auction."

Now, the Ming – no longer beautiful or exquisite – has been packed away, awaiting a new fate courtesy of eBay. The moral, of course, is to bring in the auctioneers before the visitors.

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