Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of the items that they own. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but…
Author: sherry
When I enter an auction house and see documents and papers, I immediately head to them. I love flipping through the old stuff to see what bit of history is embedded in them. Who knows,…
I was so fixated on the wide backside of the gray elephant that I didn’t even see the snake. I don’t often come across a life-size baby elephant – real or otherwise – at auction so…
What torturous chair is this?
Posted in furniture, Health & Medicine, Medicine, and Unusual
The metal chair with the white seat looked like some kind of torture equipment – used either by the prison system to end a mind or some sadistic hospital to control it. I stumbled onto…
I had seen the oil painting of a lush green landscape hanging on the wall, but it looked so much like the tourist art I see at auction that I didn’t stop to take notice…
Readers ask about portable confessional & refrigerator
Posted in Kitchen, Reader questions, and Religion
Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of their items. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but I can do…
Artsy 1930s Fortune magazine covers
Posted in Art, and Ephemera/Paper/Documents
On first glance, the image reminded me of a mural I’d perhaps seen of workers building a skyscraper in Chicago. I don’t remember where I saw the work – I’m sure it was during a…
A vampire-killing kit? You’ve got to be kidding
Posted in collectibles, Religion, and Unusual
It was a simple note in an email from my auction friend Rebecca: “Take a look at the auction site of Brunk Auctions, the March 23rd auction. Lot #23. Interesting item for your blog.” Rebecca…
I was flipping through some magazines at auction last week when a familiar cover willed me to stop. It was an August 1965 copy of Ebony magazine with the silhouette of a man’s face in white against…
Blacks in the West, Panthers’ banner, soldier’s letter
Posted in Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Photos
The collection was awesome. Laid out in the glass case in front of me, the display of photos of African Americans who journeyed west in the late 1800s was both expansive and illustrative. The collection included…