Doorknobs bought for £20,000 are rare Italian collection worth £2m

A builder certainly knocked on the door of good fortune when he discovered the £20,000 he paid for a brass collection of doorknobs and other objects were rare pieces worth £2 million.

Doorknobs bought for £20,000 are worth £2 million Image by Bobby D White / CC BY 2.0

Brian Cairns (55) bought the 12-tonne load that been kept stored in a basement for 40 years.

The MirrorOnline reports that the doorknobs and handles have since been identified as an Italian vintage made by Valli and Columbo and will be sold by the British builder from South Shields in a series of auctions.

Brian said when he looked closely at the stuff he bought for scrap from a millionaire in Penzance, Cornwall, he realised they might be vintage and he sent his inventory to experts for evaluation.

He was told the collection of brass goods –as well as light switches, hat stands and letter boxes – was worth £2 million.

They are now to go on sale at Jarrow Auction Rooms.