I could practically stand in one place and see the offbeat but pleasing items waiting for me to notice them. How could I avoid an elongated chair that reminded me of the sleek build of a dachshund. Or the BBQ grill made from the rear end of a classic car. Or the oversized metal rose with the huge red petals.
They were among the first unusual items I saw in one spot at this particular auction house on a Sunday morning. I had seen others at a different auction house, but they were not so obvious or easily found.
Every now and then, I come across these kinds of items – ones that entice me to come hither and admire their distinctiveness. We’re like nothing else here, they seem to be saying. Most times they aren’t, and they make a trip to a mundane auction worth the drive.
Here are some of those unexpected items I’ve seen lately:
Universe Car tin toy, battery-operated and made in China in the 1980s. The lithographs on the body and the lighted dome set it apart. I couldn’t resist the space-age look with the ’57 Chevy fins.
A bar and stools with playing-card motifs. What card player wouldn’t enjoy this.
McCaskey cash register with hanging files. A 1910 version is in the Smithsonian. I had no idea what this was.
Lounger in the form of an Egyptian couch with Anubis jackal frame. I liked the shape of this piece of furniture.
The Surge cow-milking machine. It took me a second or two to figure out what it was. By the 1900s, most such machines had a reputation for “ruining cows.” The Surge changed all that. Its tug-and-pull movement was similar to the motions of a calf, and the machine was easy to clean and sanitize.
UGG-style boot chair. It’s probably as comfy as the shoes.
A four-foot metal rose. Too bad it wasn’t fragrant.
