A Cartier tutti-frutti brooch bought at a car boot sale for just £38 ($60) sold for £10,800 ($17,493) at Hansons Auctioneers on September 26-27 - an increase of 28,321%.

It also beat its estimate of £8,000 ($12,957) by 35%.

Bargains are hard to come by these days, but 'are still clearly out there'

Isabel Murtough, head of the UK auction house's jewellery department, commented: "The brooch is a fascinating find and a real rarity to uncover. We are very excited to be handling it at auction".

She described the art deco piece as "flavour of the month amongst the high end jewellery buyers of Paris, London and Geneva.

"Despite all the television shows it just goes to show what can still be uncovered at jumble sales, flea markets and even car boot sales. Although bargains may not be so frequent today, such exciting finds are still clearly out there."

In December last year, a Cartier bracelet belonging to Wallis Simpson sold for £230,500 ($375,138) at Sotheby's London.

Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about watches and jewellery auctions.