He enlists the help of his friend, auctioneer Jon Medley and the fun begins.
Over the years we've bought our Henri II reproduction chairs at this great auction. (despite the moniker reproduction, that still makes them 130 years old), a rug that the cat strangely loved, candlesticks, postcards, cutlery and other weird stuff.
Sometimes the deals are fantastic - sometimes not - depends on the crowd. But we're filled with remorse when a 19th Century solid oak table comes on the auction block and it sells for $200. "But do we have anywhere to put it?" we whisper amongst ourselves.
We got these hand-tooled leather Henri II-style chairs for $110.00 each. And below on the left is a terracotta platter we bid $70 on.
And an exquisite wooden urn that I keep my Chinese Checker marbles in. That set us back $80.
I think the best thing I ever bought though was a strange assortment of postcards and photos of French World War I soldiers. That was the source of hours of enjoyment for me.
Here's the link for more images. http://www.frenchantiqueauction.ca/
10 comments:
I think that I don't care about objets or accumulating anymore "stuff" . . . but then I read this post and suffer the twin agonies of envy and temptation!
BTW, have I ever mentioned how much I love that Margaret Atwood quotation? I think that must be true of almost everyone. (Maybe there are some people who truly do feel like grown-ups?)
Excellent finds, Pup. I wish I were there, I'd love to go. My mother & I used to go to auction a lot. There are some good ones down here, too. But not as much fun by self. No one currently in my life enjoys this activity. So what am I doing with them? I don't know. I will find out. (BTW, cats are well-known carpet experts.)
Are you looking for anything in particular on this Tuesday's trip?
ciao
Me again. I should've waited until I looked at what's on preview first. I just saw several things I'd love to have & could use. Wah.
Ooooohhhh yes.
There is a buzz about auctions that cannot be replicated in any other method of buying antiques, like shops, ebay or garage sales. Everyone is focusing on "their" lots, hoping beyond hope that they have done their homework better than every body else and that their highest bid will secure their treasures.
You have bought some lovely things, but surprisingly I loved the idea of WW1 photos and postcards best of all. A 19th Century solid oak table is beautiful but most normal houses and flats these days can't fit it in. Since starting this blogging caper, I have found that WW1 photos are absolutely filled with poignant historical information and can be filed away easily.
i love that Atwood quote too! are there grown-ups who feel grown up? I'd sooner think not.
lovely stuff - I'd like to see some of the postcards.
Hi everybody.
Thanks for visiting today. I'm getting a lot of comments on the Atwood quote this week. Maybe it shows better on the new background. I try to tell my son that he'll probably feel the same when he's 66 as he does when he's 16. Sometimes I still feel like I'm playing house.
Lettie, it's possible to see at least some of the post cards via my Link Within.
Very interesting! The chairs are circa?
Oh, how I would like to go! I would definitely bid on that dress form. I love your finds, I'm such an antiques and treasure hunts enthusiasts, have fun on Tuesday!
P.S. I received my Dora Notebook! I love it! The colors are so vibrant, it's a pleasure to use it.
Wonderful finds! I've never been to an auction. I think I'd be too nervous that I'd slip up and end up spending a fortune (you see, I have a very compulsive nature at times).
Kat
What a coincidence! We were checking out auctions this weekend as well...
http://toronto.empireauctions.com/
Hope to bid on a leather chair Monday night; picked up a Kurelek today.
Houses just aren't big enough.
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