Monday 23 May 2011

Magpie Monday - Auction Fever

It's years since I've been to our local auction house, but on Friday afternoon, finding ourselves footloose and fancy-free (read Ruby was at my Mum's) we decided to pop in for the viewing session to see what delights were on offer.

It used to be a regular weekend activity. We'd go on Friday evening, jotting down interesting lots on notebooks then scurry home to look them up on eBay.  On the Saturday morning we'd join the throng of wheelers and dealers and clear up on the 'retro' items which hadn't reached the radar yet of the aged regulars. 

My auction house experiences go back a lot further than that though. As kids my parent's would often take us round the Friday evening viewing and we'd cavort about bashing hell out of the pianos, jumping on the piles of antique rugs and getting told off by the grumpy porters.  My dad would sometimes come home with a manky looking chaise longues or Victorian drop-end sofas spewing their horse-hair stuffing, and take them to his upholstery evening classes.  My mum's not averse to buying the odd item - chandeliers, bookcases, and famously, a pianola (which she bought for the box of rolls which came with it!).

Having made my list of items of interest, I turned up on Saturday morning on a rare trip out sans child.  Even though I hadn't been regularly for at least 4 years, there were still loads of faces I recognised, and I even got a couple of 'welcome back' hugs from some of them!

If you've never been to an auction, then you really should.  Nothing is quite the same - the smell of mothballs and camphor oil, the eclectic mix of people, the banter and the oddly hypnotising sound of the auctioneer: "Five, five, ten? Ten anywhere? Ten, fifteen, fifteen, who'll give me twenty..."

Times have changed though, I could no longer face joining the queue of flat-caps for a greasy egg and bacon butty and a polystyrene cup of gnats pee tea. Instead I sneaked out next-door to the Italian coffee house for a panini and a cappuccino - how very middle-class!

I won my first lot which was for two mirrors - only one of which I wanted.  I did get a little carried away and ended up paying £22 for it, but I love old bevelled mirrors, and this was such an unusual shape.



It's hard to photograph, but you get the idea - it has a scalloped edge to it, almost a flower shape.



Unfortunately, there's a small chip at the bottom which I'm pretty sure wasn't there when I viewed it the day before, but that's the risk you take.

Next up was a wooden 'tool chest' which I thought would make a great box for keeping my sewing machine, fabric and scissors in.  Some moron decided to paint the interior in white gloss and didn't stop when they reached the lip, so you can see white all around the lid, but I'm hoping some Nitromors or a good sanding will get rid of it.  I was just about to take this out to the car when I thought to ask the porter "I don't suppose you have the key to this do you?"  He produced a selection of keys from the pocket of his white overall and lo and behold found one to fit.  Bonus! I now have a lockable chest.  I paid £24 for it but shhhh, I told the old man it was less than £20!




If you go along to an auction, I dare you to bid on a 'mixed lot'.  It's like a lucky dip for 2nd-hand junkies.  Invariably it will mostly be toot, but there's always sure to be one or two worthwhile items in there.  One mixed lot was called out by the auctioneer as "a gentleman's ebonised cane, a tummy trimmer, a board game and a pair of court shoes".  Something for everyone methinks.

I had my eye on a huge pitcher jug, but unfortunately it was bundled into a lot of two cardboard boxes full of tat.  Still, I managed to get the lot for £6 and instantly sold two other hideous vases to a dealer for £6, making it free, yipee!!  There was another dealer hovering who said he'd give me a couple of quid for the rest because there was some cutlery he might be interested in.  I bet!  When I got it home there were some solid silver spoons in there!  Luckily the dealer had disappeared so I didn't sell it on.  There were one or two other bits of kitchenalia which I might put on eBay (a Tala icing set and a vintage wooden handled bread knife) so I may even end up in profit!  After all, I only wanted this 12 inch jug with it's turquoise band.




I happened to be standing next to a box of old papers and magazines, and had been flicking idly through them.  The 1923 copy of the Poultry Keeper was a riveting read, and when the number was called and nobody bid, my hand seemed to just mysteriously go up.  The box was mine for £2.

It had tonnes of gazetteer editions, which I thought I might use the maps from for something crafty. But I got home and found they were from 1892, I don't think I'll be able to bring myself to cut them up - after all they've survived intact for over 100 years.  They do have lots of postcard style advertising inserts for various soaps, so I'll probably frame a few of them up - perhaps not the wildly inappropriate and racist ones though!




Also in the box is a 1921 edition of Punch, full of beautiful illustrations.







A beautifully art deco copy of Hutchinson's Story Magazine, featuring novellas by the likes of Rider Haggard.



A 1920's copy of the New Magazine with a glorious front cover




and the one that tickled me - The Wide World - the magazine for men



which carries some hilarious advertising of the time, like the publication "Manhood - the Facts of Life presented to Men".




"Sanely written, in strong, clear, crisp language, full of force and directness, yet dignified and free from course allusions, the book enlightens on the great sex-topic.  Untold misery has been caused by ignorance; this book will banish the darkness."  - Strong stuff no doubt for 1919!

The adverts all suggest that the readers seemed to suffer from the same conditions, they all being concerned with shortness, stammering, nervousness and 'fatness'.



Seriously, I have spent hours chuckling at these.  I love the ones promising that the application of electrical probes is a panacea for all ills, and will restore vigour.



And how about this for a bit of 1920's thriftiness - when your husband's suit is looking worn and tired, don't throw it away, simply get it turned inside out!




So there we have it.  Those are the items I did buy.  I managed to show restraint when the pretty little Japanese lacquered jewellery box I was after reached the dizzying heights of £55 and bowed out gracefully at £20.  There was one item however, that I was so sorely tempted to buy.  Just for it's pure, unadulterated kitschness.  I mean, it's not often you see a 3ft china statue of a flamingo is it? Some lucky beggar got him for £2.  When I mentioned to the old man that I was very tempted, he replied "oh, I'm glad you didn't buy it, it had a bleedin' great crack up it". Ha!  I take that to mean this was the only problem with said 3ft flamingo.  So, if you ever see a pristine model flamingo on your travels, be sure to give me a shout, because that comment from him is about as near to permission to purchase as I ever get!



And please tell me I'm not the only person to see this and then be completely unable to get this song out of my head.

If you've been buying anything 2nd-hand, I'd love you to grab the badge and link up.

Me and My Shadow
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*check with your local auction house - some require you to pre-register before bidding, and most will charge a buyers commission of around 10% of the hammer price. As well as being a fruitful ground for people-watching, you can pick up some amazing furniture bargains. I saw a pine dining table & four chairs sell for £15, a leather double bedstead for £10 and a pine TV cabinet for £5.

33 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a great time. I'd love love love to go to an auction but think I'll be waiting until my little one is older. I can just imagine having to pay for all his breakages!

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  2. Oh yes! There's no way I'd risk taking Ruby, somehow in a warehouse full of tat she's sure to home in on the one rare, antique item and break it!

    It's great fun though, if you get the chance you should go. x

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  3. I haven't time to click as I'm heading off on the school run - but is it the one that goes "Doo doo doo do doo...Pretty Flamingo"?!

    Will be back for a proper read later but looking like a great haul!
    x

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  4. Ahh yes, that's the one! It's stuck on a loop in my head!

    Thanks for linking up x

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  5. Sounds like a fun afternoon out to me! sadly my oh don't share my enthusiasm for bargain shopping he wont even get off his butt and come to a carboot sale at the weekends so i miss out :(
    Ive nothing to post up at the moment but gonna pop up the hospice shop today so hopefully i'll find some nice bits.

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  6. OMG you weren't kidding about the bird! LOVE IT! I too now have Pretty Flamingo in my brain - Thanks! :)

    I needs to gets me to an auction and soon, great booty! x

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  7. Haha the flamingo was quite something to behold! Perhaps however you'd need a pair - stood either side of the fireplace? LOL x

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  8. I can see you had a great time. We went to an auction recently too and I agree they are great fun. Our favourite one was in Sheffield many many years ago when we had just started in the cutlery business......

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  9. Love the mirrors...I'm watching a few like that on ebay for my bedroom wall x

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  10. This is such a wonderfully evocative description of an auction! I love your childhood memories too! Sounds like you really have bargain hunting in your blood. Funnily enough I was discussing auctions with one of the school mums yesterday and she's recommended a couple so I am really going to do it!
    Thanks for this - love the mirrors and the jug!!!

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  11. I really need to find an auction, you've made it sound like a bit of good fun. I cant believe someone got that flamingo for £2! I am so jealous, i'd have nabbed that! Scarlett x

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  12. Thanks everyone. If you've got a local auction you should pop in - I promise you a good time :0)

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  13. Wow - I bet you are having a great time with the box of papers and magazines, they are fabulous!

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  14. Cant believe you got all those old mags etc for so cheap well done on that.Shame about the flamingo crack or no its a fine specimen.

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  15. I love the box, a treasure chest to stuff the rest of your auction house goodies in!

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  16. Auctions look so exciting, my Dad used to go & come back with those mixed boxes you mention. Love the chest, nitromors & a good scrape should do the trick!

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  17. I love the chest. Should hold a lot of treasures in it. Looks like you had a very good time.
    Madison xxx

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  18. A fabulous haul. Love the box and mirror. Thanks for sharing those old ads, I love that kind of thing. Haven't been to an auction for an age. They are so much fun and, I'll bet, addictive.

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  19. I've never been to an auction. It sounds amazing, and some lovely buys! I'm afraid that if I'd seen a 3ft flamingo about to go for £2, I would have bought it, crack and all...

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  20. How amazing is the lockable chest!! :-D

    Jem xXx

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  21. I do not remember that song, but now I have Do-Wah-Ditty going through my head! And I will spend a lot of the day virtually playing 45s.
    I had to smile when you referenced making lists and running home to look things up on ebay. That is still the method I would have to use. With new technology and special apps the modern auction goer has the information on their phone in less than 30 seconds.
    All great treasures but I think the paper ephemera is my favorite. Maybe you will scan and share some of the best?

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  22. I love your auction haul, but am now beginning to doubt whether it would be a good idea for me to go to one. I so know I would end up getting carried away and bidding on totally inapproapriate items like that flamingo, crack and all !
    Great experience though xx

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  23. Amazing goodies, I love the vase (can see why you wanted that) and I'd be in heaven going though all those old magazines - even Poultry Keeper, I've always fancied having some chickens!

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  24. Old magazines are so funny...love the old advertisements!!! I haven't been to an auction in a long time....sounds like you had so much fun!!!

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  25. Oh I've never been to an auction, it sounds so exciting, you got some great goodies too :))

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  26. lovely finds, have always been tempted by those mixed lots but I have never been to an auction. Love all the old magazines, I recently spotted someone on ebay sell them by the page /advert to frame up :)

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  27. Fabulous bargains, Lizzie. I've never been to an auction, but as one of the things on my 43 things list is to go to one, I ought to be thinking about going to one pretty soon. Your post full of goodies has encouraged me to get on with it!

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  28. Fab post, I've never been to an auction either...I'd be terrible, and end up bankrupt! Love the mirror, and the chest - you already know I would snapped the flamingo up!

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  29. Thanks for all your lovely comments. I'm so kicking myself for not buying the flamingo! Maybe the buyer will put it back in next week hoping for a profit! ;0)

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  30. I've never been to an auction, but might consider it now. You really have got some gems there, I particularly love the old magazine, I bet it's fascinating to look through.

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  31. Oh I love auctions!
    Unfortunately we don't have one locally anymore. I have to make do with the local second hand shop or ebay.
    New to this blog hop, looking forward to being a part of it!

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  32. Oh my God! What utterly amazing finds! I'm really late, I know. Big apologies! I've always wanted to go to an auction but we don't have any around here, plus I think I'd be too scared!!

    I am very tempted after reading this though....ooooo!

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