I took another stab at participating at an auction yesterday, got a little closer to actually buying something. I did register for a number and I stayed for a few hours to observe the ritual of the auction house, kind of like an anthropologist studying a unique society...and that is not far off.
Although I didn't buy anything I did get to have a cup of homemade ham and bean soup with my aunt Joan and cousin Gail...which made it worth the trip anyway...then poked through the offerings and watched, observed and studied, making mental notes.
Mental note number one: When in the room where box lots are being auctioned off, stay near the box you're interested in and don't move. There are about 20 people all huddled around the auctioneer and unless you are right there, you can not even see what is up for bid. I was so jealous when I saw a man walk off with arm-fulls of beautiful Pyrex bowls he bought for a $1, but I just couldn't get close enough to jump into the bidding.
Mental note number two: Take a little notebook (a suggestion from Joan) so you can make a note of which items you are interested in and how high you are willing to bid. The auction moves fast, so you want to make sure you're bidding on the right thing and you're not getting caught up in the action and go over what you wanted to pay for something.
Mental note number three: Mostly just for me...don"t get so caught up in the extraordinarily good people watching that you miss bidding on anything.
To understand better why I find this process a little intimidating and fast-paced, here's a little sample from yesterday's auction...
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