KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In some stores in East Tennessee, interior doorknobs can cost as little as $10. But a set of 17 doorknobs from Villa Collina sold for $4,400 on Saturday during an online auction. Those doorknobs were originally estimated to sell for up to $1,000.
Other items sold for prices beyond estimators' expectations on Saturday. A set of assorted items that included a teapot shaped like the White House and a print of Abraham Lincoln was originally estimated to sell for $100, according to the auctioneers' website.
It sold for $1,600 on Saturday.
A set of bathroom fixtures, including a golden toilet lid, sold for $4,400. It was one of the few that met estimators' expectations — selling for under $5,000. The set also includes a marble pedestal sink, faucets, a marble toilet and a toilet paper holder.
But a pair of cast stone lions holding shields also sold for $4,400, far exceeding the original expectation of up to $800.
But the item that sold for the most on Saturday was a bronze bank vault gate and wall table from the Old Hamilton Bank Building in Knoxville. Estimators thought it would go for $3,500, but one bidder said they would pay $20,000 for it.
A second auction will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16 where people can buy some of the building's systems, doors, fireplaces, cabinets and more. People will be able to bid online, and people will have a chance to view items from Dec. 13 through Dec. 15.