Going, going, oh I’m so gone.
Posted on June 17, 2007 - Filed Under auction, just for fun
Saturday was auction day. I had never been to one before, well except for charity auctions (not the same). John had attended one a few months back–an Estate Sale, house and all contents. He was drawn by the coin collection mentioned in the auction listing. We discussed a budget which he went over (unusual for my poker-faced, know your limits, play your own game husband). What is it about fast-talking auctions or even silent ones like eBay that makes you bid even when you shouldn’t? It’s very competitive and deceiving. Just one more dollar over your limit, then another, then another, then oops! Needless to say, he came back with several lots of gold and silver coins, and a hankering for more. So since then he has been scoping out the auction listings…and there are a lot of them.
I don’t know if it’s this area, the economy, bad money management, a lot of elderly people whose time has come or what, but there are a lot of auctions to attend around here. You could easily attend one a day within a 50 mile radius of our house. We went to two on Saturday.
The first was lame. It was held in a restaurant. None of the contents up for auction were actually on site to see. Of course, when we arrived they were auctioning off lot after lot of metal chains (farm type, not jewelry type) going for $10 each, so there wasn’t much I really wanted to see. The big draw for this auction was a humongous Barbie doll collection. We’re talking hundreds of different Barbies: WalMart Barbie, Christmas Barbie, DayGlo Barbie, Versace Barbie…who knew there were so many to choose from? Again, not interested.
The second auction was in the evening. Now this was what I expected of an auction. It was held in a huge old syrup mill (crumbling brick, high ceilings, wood beams) and there were thousands of items filling every available space: furniture, instruments, cameras, glassware, toys, pictures, jewelry, coins, guns, books. Everything. There were maybe 50 people milling about and bidding. Bids started at $10. We had not set a budget.
The urge to bid was strong. Never having bid before, I was a bit intimidated at first. I didn’t want to be innocently scratching my nose then finding I had committed to purchase a 1982 crockpot that didn’t work for $50. But once you intentionally bid and buy that first item, you’re hooked. We watched a scitar go for $150, a standing xylophone for $125 (I was in the bathroom or I would have bid. I will not go to the bathroom at an auction again), an antique solid wood china cabinet for $120, a standing lamp with a tiffany-style glass shade for $25–there were deals to be had.
John, of course, went immediately for the gold and silver. He got some good deals and even an unexpected “gem” mixed in with one of the lots of silver that we think (hope) is worth way more than we paid. I spent $140 and got: a wood trunk lined with velvet, a full-size self-standing mirror, 2 wooden folding rocking chairs and a handmade twig porch swing. Four hours later, we left, but the auction was still going strong. I think I could have gone a few more hours, but I don’t know if our checkbook could.
I can’t wait to go to the next one.
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