Auction!

We have a right mess at the moment. Stuff is everywhere, and most of it needs cleaning. I am sunburned and windburned and tired out, but we had a glorious time the past two days.

First auction was an online one. I've never done that before, and learned a lot. It's fun and easy because you can bid from home. When the auction ends, you go to a specific place to pick up your stuff. This one was in Glenville, WV, about an hour and a half away, so not too bad.

Here's some of what we brought home:

Pink Crinoline dishes by Hazel Atlas (circa 50's) is a hot item in collector's world these days. There are about 56 pieces total, I think. These are all listed on ebay now--after much washing up!

These are old goblets, Early American Pattern Glass from around 1900.

Lots more piled here in the sink! My favorite of this lot is the Fry Glass custard cups--they have a kind of opalescent look.

Lamp shades and fridge dishes and some fairly rare LE Smith goblets in the Baskeetweave pattern. The fridge dishes are Hazel Atlas Criss Cross pattern. The top lampshade is in the trash (found a crack).

One of thoe lots I should have passed up, as amber glass ust doesn't sell well.

More lamp shades. These will go on ebay after a serious bath.

A boxfull of Jumbo peanut butter jars. I didn't realize these jars have different sayings on the bottom about Jumbo peanut butter! There's also a Hazel Atlas cream and sugar in this box.

The coolest buy I think was this antique tricycle from the early 1900's. The doll stroller was pretty cute too, and the old fibre suitcase is almost pristine.

The canvas bag in this photo is a tent repair kit, complete, from WWII era. Larry couldn't wait to get into it!

 And three cool (and very dirty) old typewriters. These will take a little time to clean up, but aren't they awesome?

Then we went to a farm equipment sale yesterday. We go every year as this sale always includes a lot of vintage items that sell well in our booths. It's also a good opportunity to see friends, meet new people and hear stories. The tricycle in the photo with the tent repair kit was from this sale.

So was this one: a Brownie cyle. It's in pretty good condition, considering it's 100 years old.

There was a lot more from this sale, including 5 Amish buggy wheels, a sled, porch swing, tall kitchen cabinet, old doors and windows, a washtub, and on and on. The van was pretty loaded and it took careful packing to get it all in.

Some of the stories from yesterday:
Older man: "I worked all kinds of jobs, still work every day on my farm. I'm 82 this year. Had to have my back operated on and did fine but they sent me to this rehab place and that place like to killed me. I swear they were tryin' to. Gave me someone else medications, and didn't feed me. I figgered they ran out of food because you know how in school the teachers did everything alphabetical? Well, when your name starts with one of the last letters of the alphabet, that means you stand because they run out chairs, don't get food because they run out. I bet that nursing home run out by the time they got to me. I worked everywhere when I was young, always on the farm, but then when Arch Moore laid off 4200 state road workers, well, I was one of 'em. I worked a few other places, then one day I just got tired of working for other people. Studied on what I could do, went out and bought a well drilling rig and all the tools and started my own business. I taught myself and did pretty good."

Young mother: "He really wants that tricycle. He won't leave it. I hope we can afford it." The little boy waited for hours before the trike came up for sale. I watched his parents bidding, knowing hw much he wanted it, and sure enough they won! They also got the wagon they wanted, and I saw them later pulling it with both of their little children aboard.

Older man: "Young ones, they don't know what half this stuff is. I remember that (an antique tricycle, not the one the little boy got) from when I was a boy. They made 'em sturdy back then."

There were so many other conversations, with people of all ages. A young girl who was helping with the sale came over to talk to me several times. I'm not sure why, maybe I just looked approachable. She told me she'd worked 10 hours straight the day before and was going to work just as long or longer on this day. Two women and I dropped into conversation and found much in common--one of them split a lot with me as I wanted the old washtub and she wanted the metal trash can. I talked with men wearing Trump hats and wondered what they'd think if they knew they were talking to a liberal, but you know, in the end people are just people. We may have different ideas but the same goal--wanting what's best for our country.

I didn't win all the lots I wanted, and that's the way it goes--as a reseller, I can't afford to pay what someone who wants the item for the home or personal use will pay. But that's to be expected and I was really happy with what we ended up with.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.