Some Women Should Just Not Wear Shorts

Dear Husbola and I have returned from a good Elkhorn Antiques Market this past weekend--the weather was grand, the crowd was relaxed--quite a bit slower than the market in May--which gave us some time to reflect on some observations--not all related to antiques.

What is that shopper going to do with the broken sawed off ladder we saw them hauling to the exit?  Or the wire egg basket that looked like it was run over by a truck?

I should have bought seller Chippy Shabby's incredible blue french chairs-and they were marked SOLD early on Sunday.

I had been dreaming about a Lion's Club brat all week--with kraut--and it did not disappoint.

The 1940s  INCREDIBLE chippy aluminum flamingos are now in our living room.

Lady Who Also Sets Up in Our Building?  Your  loud voice grates on my nerves ALL DAY LONG.

We sold more "men's things" than "women's things" this month--and we have to remember that.  Two fabulous hunting watercolors and a folk art painted wall tackle box from Canada.

Good stuff sells at Elkhorn.  Not just the aforementioned egg basket like items.

Tattoos  Tattoos Tattoos.  Still makes me wonder  what they will look like on 80 year old arms.

I am married to a very very VERY good and indulgent man.

Shoppers at Elkhorn skew younger and edgier.  THANK HEAVENS.

And--last but oh so not least--Some women should just not wear shorts.

An Acre of Tables and Blue Ball Jars

Continuing with my weekend auction report of last week, we ventured about 65 miles to an estate auction in Wisconsin that promised five generations of untouched glory.

Auctioneers know that nothing gets the patrons juices flowing more than tantalizing--just a little bit--in their advertisements and promising there are untold treasures in the estate--and many have not seen the light of day for decades. Five generations of dusty treasure.  Well it worked--and off we went.

Arriving very early--we were able to get a parking space directly across from the property.  This is essential if you are buying and have to hike your mother lode back and forth to your vehicle.  The auction grounds greeted us with a heavily tree shaded house and rows and rows and rows of set up card tables--each table piled high with stuff.

Oh this is THAT auctioneer.  This is a well known auctioneer who does not auction items one by one.  He stands next to a card table and offers choice.  So you might be bidding on on items and your neighbor bidding on another--you don't know till the auctioneer says SOLD and you claim your prize.  You also have the option of taking more items from the table at that price.  The auction is a mad house--with people jockeying from one table to the next--and it is easy to miss items.  There were a couple of auctioneers working two rings--no snoozing here.  And they do get through a great deal of inventory quite quickly.

Nice day--hot but dry--and we picked up a bunch of treasures.  Some incredible unused--11 yards to be exact-screen printed classic 1960s fabric--a beautiful splint basket  and a great lamp to name a few.

Summertime---estate auctions--auctioneer hyperbole--it doesn't get any better.

Reflections from an Auction Filled Weekend

This weekend was wide open for us--and we quickly filled it with an auction on both Saturday and Sunday.  This is prime time to select good area auctions--and to find two good ones in one weekend can be a challenge most of the year--but not in the beginning of beautiful June weather.

First auction was way west of Chicago off of Highway 34.  A large house built in late 1800s that had always been in the same family. A grocery store magnate built it for his sisters and it has been in the same family all these years.  The auctioneer was one I was not familiar with--but it was a father son duo with a few other relief auctioneers.  A tree shaded yard and 12 flatbed wagons--plus rows and rows of furniture welcomed us--and our good parking place right across from the house.  There were about 150 bidder cards--and many of the other patrons knew one another--including a large handful of dealers.  I am not known in that part if Illinois--and I love floating around and listening to snippets of conversation:

1.  "I don't know what got those five chickens--we do have some fox around here though."
2.   "Call Ron in the city--he'll know what these kind of trunks bring."
3. "Barbara-how high do you want me to go on that box of fabric?"  "Not more than 15 bucks."  (box won for $22.50.)
4. "What time do they start serving lunch?"  "Not till 10am-but you can have a bismark from the BP right now if you want."
5.  "How long till they get to the furniture?  It is going to get way hot and I want to work in the garden some today."
6. "Did you see the wood-work in the house?  And the walk out attic?  I only dream about woodwork and an attic like that."
7.  "Let's rent out our house and buy this one."

Gotta love it.  What a crossroads of humanity.

We were diligent and did not bid on "just stuff" that we might have bid on a few years ago.  Shops, malls and shows are chock full of "just stuff"--and we are looking for the unusual.  Even if we come home with less inventory--I want it to be sellable.

Loot for the day-- several goodies including two fabulous  did I say FABULOUS  painted Scandinavian trunks--one dated 1867 and one dated 1814.  Just love a good country auction.

Next post:  Sunday's loot.

(zucchini blossom photo at top of blog?  In France and Italy you find these treasures in farmer's markets.  They are INCREDIBLE stuffed with all sorts of fillings or even fried up with a dipping sauce.  Can't find them in northern Illinois markets though--)