estate

I squeezed in an estate auction last week and it was way too fun. I could only stay a couple of hours (Marian had earned--for eating vegetables--a date with her dad to Monsters Vs. Aliens, so we had to leave), but too-quickly amassed a pile of goodies. You just motion as the price rises and then no one else bids and suddenly it's yours. Only once was my "oops" really sincere, and I was only out $4, so the horror factor was low (little bowls, not pictured).I've only been to a couple of auctions, and am so fascinated by the whole process: who attends, what this un-named individual has amassed during his/her/their lifetime, what items soar up in a bid war, what goes for $1. The people watching is really great, as is the watching of Valerie; I find my own mental machinations endlessly fascinating, and easily slip into a third-person self characterization. I put in an absentee bid (losing) for a great child's roll top desk, and have been spinning over its loss all week: I should have driven back and won it! Oh, my, what would I have ended up spending? Audrey would have loved it! An absentee bid is such a good idea: this way I cannot go over my limit ($25 over what Nathan suggested). Oh, it matched my desk... I should always do absentee bids on the big ticket items. Where would we store it before the move anyway? I want it. Give it up, little brain. Et cetera.

The linens above--most actually linen--I also bid on absentee, and won (exciting Monday phone message). They were heavily starched, and more yellowed than I realized until I soaked them and saw the water. The green striped are my favorite. The linens in the top picture are really delicate, and each a napkins-plus-small-tablecloth set. Tea parties only, I suppose. I cannot imagine washing greasy tomato sauce out of them...
This particular auction house--the closest to our home--holds regular Friday night auctions, and I have a practical reason for attending: garden tools. Dangerous, I think to myself...of myself.Box of linen linens: $5
Glass terrarium: $1
Box of child's 45 records: $4