We have a new "attraction" in our local village. It's an English-style auction house - or shed. They do house-clearances, and anyone with something to sell can put in through the auction. I entered an outside streetlight style thing with a matching wall light. It got to 70 euros!!! Would have been chuffed with 20! But at the time of blogging still waiting for the cheque.
You meet all sorts of bargain-hunters, English and French. It's a pity the "Essex" man who does the auction can't speak French. The lowest you can bid is 2 euros, so it's not that out of the way. At the first auction I went to I saw a lovely blue pot that would adorn my new dresser, it was lumped in with other bits of pottery.
Auction day - I duly went and got my registration number, saw other would-be bargain hunters and took my seat. A quite nice mirror went through, with another one to follow. "Where can I put a freestanding pine mirror?" thought I, and got the next lot, a freestanding pine mirror, for 3 euros! That is now in a guest bedroom on top of the pine chest of drawers, as if it were part of a set!
A silver-coloured photograph frame and clock came next. Now LD had bought us one for Christmas one year, I put a photo of OH and I on our wedding day in and it was great. "LD needs a clock" thought I. Snapped it up for 2 euros.
My blue pot came along. No-one was interested (except moi). Another massive 2 euros!!
Well chuffed with my purchases, I paid, collected my purchases and went home (after the lamps got 70 euros). On getting home I showed OH what I had bought, and justified them all. Well, girls, you know what it's like. Short of saying "couldn't afford not to buy them" he was quite happy.
I then inspected the pottery I bought for 2 euros - the blue Stilton pot that I actually wanted, a soap dish with a cracked lid, two naff teapots, wait for it ...... two Wedgewood egg cups and two Royal Worcester trinket dishes! All, but the teapots, are now proudly displayed in our house and have their own tale to tell.
The teapots have now gone into "stock" as I am also bitten by the Brocant bug. This is out of necessity as my eldest daughter is getting married next year and I have promised to buy her flowers and wedding cake. The dress is already hanging upstairs (waiting for her to slim into it). It's amazing what you can get just selling "things". I still have boxes waiting to be unpacked, so don't think I need to buy too much stock yet. Anyway, can't sit here blogging. Have to prepare the "stock" for the next brocante/vide grenier. Wish me luck!
2 comments:
I've not been to an auction for years - our house is already stuffed and I am far better at buying than selling. Spending - what? 5 euros and gaining 70 is hardly a bad day's work.
If only everyday was so productive!
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