This has been my week for estate sales. First, I got the opportunity to actually work an estate sale which was amazing. A couple of weeks ago as I was telling a friend about my interest in taking my thrifting/rehab addiction (furniture rehab that is) to another level. Surprisingly, my friend confessed she had recently started an estate sale business and needed help for an upcoming auction. I love serendipity.
My first introduction to the house was for a few days of pricing. I spent most of the afternoon pricing all things girl: purses, gloves, scarves, sweater sets, hair brushes and mirrors. Heaven.
The sale started on Thursday and by the time I got there at 8:30 (30 minutes prior to opening) there were cars lined up 2 streets away for the sale. The first hours were a mad rush of people grabbing, discarding, carting treasures throughout the 4,500 sq. ft. house. And, I mean this house was packed to the gills with furniture, books, smalls, artwork, needlepoint, and all things brass. They were loving it.
Now, in my head I had a list of things that I had decided that I would purchase if they were still there by the end of day on Friday. I wasn’t working the sale Saturday so that was my last moment to purchase. The list was quite long. The amazing Asian inspired needlepoints. The hanging brass lamp. Any one of the many purses I had sorted in order of desire. Landscape paintings. A stunning table lamp with etched nature scenes in the shade. But, I was there to make money so I would wait for the discount and leave it to karma. In the end, karma gave me the hanging brass lamp which I am thrilled with. Throughout the days, I got to see my objects of desire float by carried by people coveting their treasure. And, bizarrely I felt closer to these complete strangers.
However, the best part was meeting the different people who were each there to unearth something special. The book dealer looking for enough finds to pay for the gas investment and then some. The vintage personal shopper with a network of working women who loved vintage but couldn’t leave corporate America at 9:00 am on a Thursday morning. What a business idea! But, perhaps my favorite was a mid-century modern dealer who gave me advice on a good antique store to rent a booth in. He also told me to keep my prices reasonable, not to be greedy, and to build a clientele that knew they could get a fair deal and would come back over and over. And, finally the girl who fit into the emerald green alligator pumps. If I had a dime for every one who fondled those shoes, but they were apparently waiting for the perfect 9N wearing Cinderella to come along. And, she did.
It was like Cats, I would do it over and over again. Who knows, now that it’s out in the universe, maybe I will.
5 Dogg Farm 