BIDDERS packed into Dukes auctioneers in Dorchester to vie for a collection of Chinese artefacts which sold for more than £2m.

Some buyers flew in from China to bid for the treasures which were discovered in the back of a Dorset family’s display cabinet.

Many of the artefacts originate from the summer palace in Beijing and were acquired by Captain James Gunter following the looting of the palace in 1860.

The top seller was a Chinese ‘white’ jade cup and saucer that sold for £530,620.

This was closely followed by a Chinese yellow jade pendant carved in the archaistic style with a dragon that sold for £493,600.

Matthew Denney, auctioneer and valuer, said: “The wholesale was in excess of £2million.

“We had buyers from all over the world including New York and Hong Kong.

“There were also people who flew over from China to be here.

“The vast majority were bidding over the phone and over the internet.”

He added: “We’re really pleased and delighted that we can reach an international market and sell items so well here in Dorset.

“These were world class items and the wholesale reflects that.

“It’s terrific, really.”

A blue and white moon flask that was at one point thought to sell for £1million on its own sold for just £123,400.

Andrew Marlborough, fine art valuer at Dukes, explained this was because specialist opinions were divided as to what year the vase dated back to.