Did you see the confessional? the co-owner of the auction house asked me as I stood there talking to another auction-goer. The auctioneer conducting the bidding had looked for me when it came up, he…
Tag: auction
The wide-eyed wonder of a child
Posted in Asian, auction sounds, Family, Personal items, and Toys
“Wow, guns,” I heard the little boy say loudly in the uninhibited way of children. I was close by, sifting through some items in the box lots during a preview for an upcoming auction. I glanced…
I had almost passed by the framed message sitting atop some jewelry stands on a table at the auction house. It wasn’t a piece of art – which would have grabbed me instantaneously – so I…
African American painting? I think not
Posted in Art
Something about the child wearing a yellow raincoat in the painting was endearing. I couldn’t put my finger on it, though. Maybe it was the sense of isolation, a solitary child alone in the rain.…
1939 Coke “Springboard Girl” tray
Posted in Art, and collectibles
The man was visibly perturbed. The auctioneer had just ended bidding on the vintage Coke tray at $55 and given it to an absentee bidder. The man was heatedly protesting. He had accepted the final bid, he…
Black Americana folk-art dolls
Posted in Dolls
The dolls seemed to be crudely made by hand and had a folk art feel to them. One looked like a man wearing a red-checkered dress with a lace collar and a bow on his…
A $699 wedding dress for 10 bucks
Posted in Clothing
The veteran auction-goer had given the dresses a cursory glance and basically turned up her nose. Nothing here, she answered as I approached her and asked about them. The racks didn’t reveal any dresses she’d…
A whimsical Cat in the Hat in school play
Posted in Books, Performers, and theater
The young man playing the Cat in the Hat was tall and spindly, and prowled the stage like, well, a cat. He was here, he was there – filling in the blanks in the story,…
A friend sent me an email about the May 22 auction of furniture and other items from singer Alicia Keys’ home in Muttontown, NY. I’m sure she was really asking if I’d like to drive to…
Save money by buying at auctions
Posted in Auction Tips/Find an Auction, dishware, furniture, and Home
I’m always astonished at not only what turns up on the auction tables but also at how little it sells for. I’ve watched many times as dinnerware sets go for 5 or 10 bucks, or practically…