My First Live Auction

I mentioned in a few past posts that my friend Bertie was having a live auction to clear out some of their belongings in preparation for a move back to Ohio (they're moving back to be closer to their children).  This is the first live auction I've ever been too...it was amazing but a lot of work!

Bertie, Ron, their daughter Robin and son-in-law Clyde have been preparing for this for some time, but our neighbors Charlie & Andrea and Johny & I have been helping them over the past couple weeks, the most intense being the past 3 days (you also see Robin's daughter Ashley, I think her Fiance Doug is behind her and Ron...Bertie was too exhausted to join us).  This is a celebratory dinner after we worked together with the auctioneers team much of Friday to get the auction room set up...look at that work gang!  Robin and Clyde treated us to a lovely family style meal at the historic The Jarrett House in Dillsboro...if you are ever in this area I highly recommend it...delicious food (the trout was perfection) and extremely charming!

On Saturday, several of us arrived early to take care of any last minute details.  The room was finally set and ready for interested buyers...there certainly was plenty for them to choose from (and this is only the tip of the iceberg of all of Bertie's treasures)...and you know what they say, one person's junk is another persons treasure!

There were even items outdoors, but I forgot to take pictures of them.

Here you have the "concession gang"...Andrea, Doug, Ashley and Robin...we were there to sell hot dogs, sloppy joes, chips, soda and cake/cookies to the bidders...you know, you want to keep there there as long as possible...

...you don't often have pictures with me in them, but Robin insisted...we 're showing our muscles, LOL!

People began milling about long before the 4:00 auction bell would ring...searching through all the treasures to see what they wanted and how much they were willing to spend.  It's quite a scene to watch.  Interestingly many of these people know each other, and many are dealers looking for great bargains.

This is security agent Ashley...protecting the jewelry and belt buckle tables as people started milling about...she's listening in on her secret imaginary head set!

This is Dodie the auctioneer, she's quite the character and a real hoot!

At 4:00 sharp, she introduced herself, gave the audience an overview of how the auction would run, when the big items like furniture would be put on the block and introduced her staff.

Then the first item was up on the block and the fast paced bidding began...

...exciting, entertaining and a real learning experience for me.  One of my favorite phrases was "sikity" for sixty!

I did get 2 treasures that I mentioned in yesterday's post a hand turned mortar & pestle and a garden statue (click on the link to see the pictures) but I had spotted a Griswold dutch oven that I was really hoping to snatch and a beautiful antique musical cigarette/pill case, but I ended up being outbid. Such is an auction!

The auction did go on and on and we were all getting pretty tired...Doug & Ashley were bug-eyed...

...and Andrea, Robin and I all in a daze.

I left before the auction action came to a close as my bed time had long come and gone, but much had been sold and everyone was beginning to pay the clerk, load their cars and head home.  Only the die-hard bidders waiting to get the end of the night bulk bargains that remained...well...and Robin.

Sunday afternoon was clean up time, and the work gang was back at it.  Hard to believe this room was once filled!  Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to sell everything, which left much to pack and move...again. 

But we did it!

This is Bertie and Dodie, talking about the sale after everything was boxed up.  Bertie did not attend the sale because she felt it would be best not to be present.

But she was there for the clean up and wanted us to pack up everything that remained and bring it back to her house so she could look through it again...my car and her car will also full!  She'll be bringing some things to a favorite thrift store of hers, but for now, it's in her garage.

It was great fun and I am definitely hooked on auctions.  I can't wait to go to another (and then probably another and another and another).  Finding a treasure and going through the bidding "battle" (sometimes it felt like that) is exhilarating somehow!  Do you like auctions?

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise