Excitement at the Auction

It was a very exciting Saturday at the local auction house in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The Atlanta Auction Company has become my go to "Saturday" place for finding treasure these days and I was able to bid and win some great pieces.  About every six weeks, a live, internet auction is run in conjuction with the floor action and often brings the most marvelous pieces up for bid.  This Saturday was one of those live, on line auctions and there was some hot auction bidding going on. 

The first piece offered from the on line catalog was this marvelous, turn of the century cut crystal inkwell.

 Big, heavy, and with a monogram etched into the bronze lid, I was delighted to be the winner of this lovely piece.  For the Sea Witch, this was a sign of auction possibilities.

Gorgeous Saint Louis crystal was offered and an online bidder won most of these beautiful pieces.  This was one of those times when I wished I had a deep pocketbook, sigh.

Still, I was the winning bidder of this pair of Victorian button hooks with sterling handles.  So pretty and I was also the winner of this great, 1882, Harvard quadruple plate cup.

However, the most exciting auction piece offered, at the auction, was this lovely Russian enameled icon.

Image courtesy of makeitloudsites.com

The bidding started at a few hundred dollars but quickly rose to a few thousand...and...then...the bidding war began between on-line internet bidders and a telephone bidder.  $2,000, $4,000. $9,000, $11,000, $13,000...and it kept going.  Finally the bidding reached $17,000 and you heard the words, $17,000...$17,000, once, twice, SOLD! and the gavel went down.  The audience cheered and clapped for the winning bidder.  So exciting to witness this bidding war over this lovely historic piece.  Even though I was not a bidder, I and other auction participants could feel the energy that his piece brought to the floor.  It is an auction moment I will never forget.

Most folks know I am weak in the knees for beautiful linens and this gorgeous battenburg piece was a "must win" for me.  It is in spectacular condition.

Recently sold my last silverplated pedestal cake plate so I was delighted to be the winning bidder with this one.  It's now in my Victorian booth at the Buford Queen of Hearts.

 

Gorgeous, vintage Fisher, silverplated pedestal compote looks like it was never used.  Lovely showpiece and is also in my Victorian booth at the Buford Queen of Hearts.

 

Be still my heart.  Yeah!  I was the winning bidder for this smashing, antique French parlor table.  Heavily carved cherub legs and lots of flourishes along the tabletop edge.  Amazing piece in beautiful condition.

Last but not least, I was also the winning bidder on this lovely, old pawn Zuni cuff bracelet. The Zuni are known for their shaped turquoise jewely and this big cuff has sixty, rich turquoise blue shaped stones set in silver.  Nice mid century cuff is a lovely example of Native American craftsmanship.

It was an exciting auction and such a joy to see so many lovely pieces come up on the block.  Additionally, it was good to see that our economy is still chugging along in spite of the present climate.  Antiques continue to be excellent investment pieces even in these up and down economic times.  To quote myself,  "They do not provide food or shelter that we may live. Why then do we "need this?"  Because they make our lives worth living with the joy of the hunt, the successful acquisition, and most of all...the history, the beauty, and the energy these pieces bring from another time and place."  

Blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch