Summary
A man named Gary Quittenton-Shaw bought a £40 job lot and discovered two rare buttons made by artist Alberto Giacometti for designer Elsa Schiaparelli. He auctioned them for £61,000. These buttons were highly valuable because they were rare and unique pieces.
Key Facts
- Gary Quittenton-Shaw bought a batch of items, including the buttons, for £40.
- The buttons were made by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti in the 1930s for Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli.
- Giacometti was famous for sculpting thin and fragile-looking human forms.
- Quittenton-Shaw discovered the buttons' history after research linked them to Schiaparelli's 1930s designs.
- Auctioneers initially valued the buttons between £5,000 and £8,000 due to their rarity.
- The buttons sold at a London auction for £61,000.
- The auctioning process involved verification by the Alberto Giacometti committee before the sale.
- Quittenton-Shaw plans to save the money and expressed disbelief at the sale outcome.
