Estate Auction Over The Weekend

Over the weekend, on Sunday I went to an Estate Auction, my friend Joni asked me if I wanted to go with her to drop off couple of items.  A mutual friend of ours B. was having an estate auction, as her aunt who lived next door died and her and her husband being the only family left was sorting it all out.

This is a friend who over fifteen years ago, lost within one and half years, her mum, her sister and her dad.

So we went over for moral support and out of interest, other friends were there to.  Lots of dealers, of course you do not realize that to begin with, when this is one’s first estate auction.  I think they could become addictive.  Many things really went for a song and my friend Joni was sorry she put her items in the estate sale as they fetched next to nothing, Etsy or Ebay would have been better.  She asked the auctioneer if this was typical and he said yes.  Furniture also seems very hard to sell, which is surprising to me, but generations change.  I guess it’s all Crate and Barrel for the younger generation.  Not all of course, because some realize the value of taking an older piece and doing it up, but many I don’t think have the vision or want to take the time. 

Bidding is interesting, you have to register beforehand and have your credit card swiped and show ID, you are given a card with a number and are now able to bid.  I bid early on, on a honey pot, you know typical older pot shaped like a beehive with a bee on top, my old one got broken.  Along with this though other things kept getting thrown in as nobody was bidding, so I landed up with the honey pot and other additional items that had been added to the tray, all for $1.00.  Then I bid on two Vaseline vases, one was chipped and repaired, these are old and the glass was made with some Uranium in them.  I thought that I bid $3.00 for the two, but they were $3.00 each, but these are things you don’t realize when you are new, is it a lot, or is it an individual price, eventually you catch on.  An old jewelry box with a mirror inside the lid, a lot of bracelets and then something I really wanted which I thought I had and did not, a Japanese biscuit barrel, oh well!  Then onto garden stuff, three old tile side tables, the tiny ones from the thirties and forties, that are big enough to just hold a drink.  One in quite good condition, one in medium to bad and one in a totally dreadful condition, along with thrown in a metal two tier trolley and an old TV stand, all for $1.00.  Also bid and won a terracotta pot, which I think houses a water hose, but I will use it for a plant pot.

One item I did get, nobody else seemed to want it, was a card table, with beautiful red poppy picture on the top.  Joni liked this too and I said in September we will take it outside and use it for afternoon tea.  Love those red poppies.  I bid on a dinner service $5.00 but lost that, you must speak up.  Of course I truly need that like I need a hole in the head. My last item which I do very much like is an Eastlake kind of style, Edwardian era plant stand.  I was restrained in my bidding, but such buys, now it makes me want to go to another one.  Well maybe something to think about for retirement, for a little income.  Of course not so good for my friend, but the auctioneer had told her what to expect and it was not that much.  The house was also auctioned off, but with a reserve and that was not met, all that sale is video recorded for.  All new to me and quite interesting.  B’s husband even had a Harley Davidson motorbike up for sale, but nobody bid on that.

Was fun and afterwards we all went out to eat Mexican.

Will post pics when get to camera.

Christy