It was my very first time ever at an auction and I really didn't know what to expect. I was nervous about raising my number to bid. I didn't fully understand what the auctioneer was saying. I was trying to work two rooms at one time. It was overwhelming.
By the end of the night, I was a pro and was leaving with a lighter wallet and a van full of really neat things. I won this gorgeous pair of side tables, which were originally joined to make a vanity. They were already a perfect shade of aqua and I simply added some painted details and glaze to put my stamp on them.
Trust me when I tell you that I hauled these all over my house to try to find a spot for them, but I did not have room. I took them with me to the Lucketts fair last year. For two days, they were drooled over and fawned upon, but, much to my dismay, they didn't sell. I could hardly handle the thought of taking them home. I was so certain they would sell.
Just when I thought all hope was lost, I spotted a woman with "that look" and a tape measure. She wanted them and knew where they were going to go and wanted to make sure they would fit. She "hmmm'd" and "hawed" and walked away. I started preparing myself again for the fact that they were going back into my minivan and back into our shop. Then, she came back. And she bought them.
A twinge of sadness accompanied my joy. These beautiful pieces of furniture were no longer mine. I even gave the purchaser a business card, so she could send me a picture of them in their new environment. Silly, I know, but it was hard to watch them ride away in her SUV. They were going to a new home and they served the purpose I bought them for...to make money for my business.
Such is the life of an antique dealer.
