Fun Auction

I was trying to figure out how long I have been going to auctions sales. I'll have to double check with Mom, but I believe she first started going around 1968. Dad was posted in a small town, surrounded by farming country, and there were lots and lots of sales. Mom was interested in green Depression glass and her friend was collecting Victorian Japanese china with the cobalt blue and gilt and full blown pink roses (so understated! but pretty). I simply loved to go with them. Some auctions were held in church halls or town meeting halls, but many more were held right on the farms.
The old farmhouses were crammed with the possessions of the families who had probably lived there for 80-100 years or so, and I would guess that the "kids" weren't interested in farming or living in a big old drafty house, so the contents would be sold off. These were days when kids could wander about unattended without worry, so we would explore the farm and have a thorough look at everything of interest (kittens, chickens, cows, climb-able apple trees, old flowerbeds, outbuildings, streams) and of course all the curious, interesting, pretty or inexplicable old things offered for sale. Wire bustles, glass baby bottles, chamberpots, spittoons, cream separators, stuffed birds under glass domes, petticoats or coffin plates, there was no way of imagining what might turn up.
The local "church ladies" usually had food for sale, sandwiches, hot dogs and home made pie were our favorites, and tasted so delicious.
To this day the scent of crushed grass and Creeping Charlie evokes those first auction sales. Of course it also evokes the auction sales I still go to today.
A new world of opportunity is opening to me-now that I am driving, I can get to sales that weren't possible for me before. On Wednesday I headed out at dawn for a sale about an hour and a half away, and had so much fun!
This was one of the good ones, and a living sale (meaning the owner was simply downsizing, not "late"). And she had saved everything, pretty much, bless her soul!

The furniture was lovely and everything was so well cared for and clean. Some auction sales are festering pits of grime, this one was lovely, immaculate, a pleasure. It was held by Jack Morris Auctions, and it was a really well-run sale by people who really know their business. Fast paced, well organized, friendly! The staff were so pleasant! (Sometimes...not frequently, but it does happen...the staff at auctions act as though the bidders are a big nuisance. Not here!)
I coveted this pretty green hooked rug for my office. However it went too high for me. It's so important to stick to some kind of a budget at sales, and never to think of an object as "mine" until you have won the bid. Otherwise...disastrous overbidding may result, but we've all done it! This sweet love seat was upholstered in flawless 40s bark cloth, as fresh as the day it was made. Sigh. Much of the furniture went very inexpensively. Will you cry when I tell you that the family piano sold for $2? I knew I could not fit a piano into a PT Cruiser.
The jewelry table, always lots of action here. There were some real treasures. And I scored a few of them. Heee!

My heart started to pound when I spied all these 1940's and 1950s shoes. With matching handbags.

Art, schmart. Give me the shoes. I had to wait hoooouuurs before they came up. But I wandered and poked through boxes, talked to people, discovered more things to bid on.

I coveted these too! Made of silver wire filigree with little wire "easel" backs, they were place card holders. I bid but dropped out at $40...they sold for $180. What excellent taste I have.

BOXES of flawless lingerie, and stockings in the original packages. I bid high, didn't get them, but really, really tried!

Furs and coats, sweaters, other goodies.

Pink and black 1950s bathing suit...with matching lacy bathing cap. OH MY!! I bought these. Can't wait to get photos on the mannequin!!

Lots and lots of linens. I have a lot of nice linen on hand so I didn't bid on these ones, but I did buy 4 very fancy embroidered large matching runners trimmed with lots and lots of bobbin lace.

Christmas ornaments, all 1940's and 1950's. Lucked out a tiny bit here...they whole table was sold as one lot but the buyer sold me the few bits I wanted.

The books were wonderful. I got that enormous 10 pound bible for 25 cents, because its full of great engravings, chromolithographs and illustrations, lists, dictionaries, and so much more. If you would like some pages for mixed media work I would be happy to send you some for free, just let me know. Seriously. The pages of ancient coin illustrations are going to Gail L. The bible is falling apart and has no "book" value as it is, but the pages can be used for all sorts of wonderful creative purposes!

What a great space-age cover!

If I didn't already have a very nice pink canister set for the pink kitchen in town, I would have been all over this! It was flawless!

There was so much more I didn't get pictures of. Piles of hats and gloves, curtains, pristine wool blankets, picture frames and pictures, tools, and masses of old glass and crystal and silver and statues and figurines and fancy china. I forgot to get a picture of this enchanting owl tea set so I pinched this picture from the auctioneers website. Isn't it delightful? I really had to sit on my hands so I couldn't bid...but I don't really deal in china, and I don't need a tea set. But this was so charming...I am sure one would have to serve thin sandwiches, and cookies cut in the shape of owls.

I had a great time. I love to find treasure to sell. I don't think I bought a single thing to keep for myself, (which is GOOD, I don't need more stuff!), but I don't care, I love to have great stuff for my customers! I'll share more pictures of my finds as soon as I get them photographed.