Well, I don't have a Gypsy Wagon parked in my driveway, but it went really cheap, and if I thought the guy who was bidding (on the phone, even; he wasn't at the auction) would have stopped, I might have gone a bit further.
It was really neat inside, though. Maybe someday.
(It went for $425. Dirt cheap. But I couldn't justify any more to myself.)
However, after that disappointment, at the very end of the auction, I scored something I have wanted for years and years and years: a rope bed. And not just any rope bed--a cherry four poster rope bed with the rails--and yes, it needs to be stripped of that awful green paint and restained--for $80. Dad says it's from the early to mid-1800s.
I have wanted a rope bed for years. And I've bid on them before, and seriously thought about buying one at Burlington last year (for $100--it was a reproduction from the 20s, so still old, but even then) and bid on one or two at auctions as well, over the years.
Today, I found my rope bed. My current bed will eventually become the spare bedroom bed once my sister and Ethan move out, and then I also bought another bed--a walnut spindle bed--for $10! I also got a collection of carved wood for $20, and a butcher block countertop--literally--for $30. And a chair that needs new caning for $4. So I didn't spend all that much, really.
My painting went for $185, so that was way out of my price range. However, I did save the picture of it, so at least that can console me. And one day I will have a tiny house, when I can justify it better. I almost decided to bid more. But I had a feeling that the guy bidding against me wasn't prepared to quit.
I didn't buy any of the walkingsticks either, which was okay, since only one or two of them were decent enough for my tastes. The one with the snake went for a whopping $350, I think, which was way too much, but hey, what can I say? I didn't buy it.
Dad also bought a table for $6, which he turned around and gave to me. I wasn't going to bid on it (although I was really thinking about it) because I didn't want to feed my table fetish, but obviously that didn't work. Ah well. I'm sure I can find a place for it somewhere, right?
The most surprising thing (at least for me) at the auction was a scrimshaw powderhorn that went for $2000. The girl holding it up looked a bit peaked when it went up to $1500--I could almost see the thoughts running through her head--If I drop this right now, they're going to kill me!
We had one huge gust of wind, but no rain. It rained just a little at my house (I'm hoping for more here--it's getting somewhat dark) but it was rather hot at the auction. But I'm home now, and I should really start thinking about supper...
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