This handout photo obtained courtesy of Sotheby's shows a small Chinese pottery bowl that started as a $3 tag sale only to turn into a massive windfall that sold for $2.2 million during an auction at Sotheby's on March 19, 2013 in New York. (AFP PHOTO/COURTESY OF SOTHEBY'S)

NEW YORK - A 1,000-year-old Chinese bowl that was bought for a few dollars at a garage sale in New York state sold for more than $2.2 million at auction on Tuesday.

An unnamed New York family bought the “Ding” bowl, which is from the Northern Song Dynasty, for no more than $3 in 2007 and displayed it on a mantelpiece with no idea as to its real worth, Sotheby’s said.

After consulting with experts, the owners consigned the bowl for auction. Sotheby’s estimated it would sell for $200,000 to $300,000. London dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi paid $2,225,000 including commission for the bowl, which measures just over five inches (12.7 cm) in diameter, at the auction in New York City.

Sotheby’s said the only known bowl of the same form, size and almost identical decoration has been in the collection of the British Museum in London for more than 60 years.