BEVERLY, Mass. – It’s the story antique hunters dream about: Rare maps found in garage sell for $24,000. Two dark, ripped images in poor condition in Kaminski Auctions’ Oct. 1 sale turned out to be just that. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Several astute collectors on the phones and Internet recognized the pair of panels (above) for what they were, parts of a map produced for the Korean market of a famous Matteo Ricci derivative map.

The pair of maps has found a home with Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps (RareMaps.com) in La Jolla, Calif. The buyer spotted the maps only a day before the sale while doing a routine search for antique maps in upcoming auctions.

The two panels were first described as “two 19th century hand colored prints of the world” on closer inspection an astute cataloger recognized they were in fact maps and changed the description on Internet catalogs.

The maps were reportedly purchased 20 years ago at a Brimfield antiques show and wound up in the garage of a home in Palm Desert, Calif.

The buyer concluded the pair of maps was the 1708 “Korean edition” of Ricci. Twenty-five hand-painted copies were reported to have been done between 1605 and 1608, one of which survives in the Nanjing Museum.

Matteo Ricci was an Italian Jesuit missionary and one of the founding figures of the Jesuit Missions in China. Arriving in Macau in 1582 he began his missionary work. He was the first European to enter the Forbidden City in 1601. His skills in astronomy and calendrical science caught the attention of the Wanli Emperor who granted Ricci a stipend in 1601, which allowed him to begin creating maps for the ruler.

In 1602 Matteo Ricci’s published a World Map (Kunyu wanguo quantu), or “Map of the Ten Thousand Countries of the Earth.” It is the oldest surviving map in Chinese to show the Americas.

The last example of the Ricci map to come to market was sold by Bernard Shapero Rare Books to the James Ford Bell Library for $1 million around 2008. There are approximately six known complete examples of the Ricci world map.

In 1708 the Ricci map was copied for the Korean market. The Gonyeomangukjeondo is a Korean hand-copied reproduction by painter Kim Jin-yeo.

There are only a few known surviving examples of the Korean copies and it appears they are more rare than the 1602 Ricci. Two are located in Korea and one in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The maps are part of a six-sheet world map. The 1708 Korean Ricci map is noteworthy for its addition of sea monsters, sailing ships and other decorative embellishments, which helped the buyer identify it.

Upon receiving the maps and examining them firsthand, Ruderman suspects they may be original Ming Dynasty hand-painted copies.

“If these do prove to be originals from 1605-1608, it would be an even more exciting find. We are not aware of any of these maps appearing at auction or otherwise. A printed Ricci is obviously an exciting thing, but one of the hand-painted Ming Dynasty era copies, extra illustrated with sea monsters and sailing ships, would be an even more extraordinary find,” Barry Lawrence Ruderman told Kaminski Auctions.

Signed mid-century modern furniture continues to bring in the buyer’s. A Frank Gehry for Knoll bentwood table with four chairs (below), stamped 06/19/93, had numerous Internet bids and was finally hammered down at $4,800.

A large collection of drawings and paintings (below) with assorted correspondence all relating to the Boston Symphony Orchestra by the artist Donald Carlisle Greason was consigned to the auction. The orchestra won the collection for $7,200.

A 19th century Italian classical marble sculpture marble unsigned of a male torso from a Rome estate was hotly contested on the phones and Internet and was finally hammered down at $14,400.

A circa 1920 Art Deco diamond, emerald and platinum Jabo pin, from a New York collection, sold for $10,200. Jewelry as a category did well in the sale with a 10-carat platinum and diamond bracelet selling for $5,700, and a 14-carat yellow gold, diamond and ruby necklace, with 49 natural step-cut oval and pavilion rubies selling for $4,800.

All prices include a 20-percent buyer’s premium.

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