Monday, June 6, 2011

A Country Auction

It was hot & humid on Saturday when I arrived at a country auction near where I live.
The auctioneer neglected to mention that the second & third floors of the barn had not been emptied, 
until he started the auction there.  It was accessible only by ladder.  
So, with no chance to preview, Kathy & I crawled up the ladder with about a dozen others.  There were interesting-looking items, but knowing that the only way I'd get stuff to the van was back down that same ladder,my purchases were limited to a few small items:  a partial wasp nest, a couple of feed sacks, a store display piece and a cherry can with unknown contents, (more about that later).  
There were a few people that that wanted the same things that I wanted. (Hate it when that happens!)
The fan and table were on my list but went far beyond what I would have paid. 
This sweet little doll trunk did come home with me.
I was charmed by the rosy paper inside.
The lid was firmly stuck on the aforementioned cherry tin.  Some guy guessed that it was probably filled with deer tails that the farmer had disposed of when he butchered.  It didn't seem all that unlikely!
So I gloved up and got to work on it yesterday.
This lid is the sweetest...perfect for the upcoming show in Door County.  You can imagine my relief when the lid popped off and inside it was packed full...
..of receipts from the 1940s & 50s. 
Love these 'egg tickets'. 
...and other fun stuff!  I also got these pretty hat boxes.
and in the spirit of whimsical summer fun I couldn't resist this little bank.
A few other things came home with me; overall it was a moderately fun but not 'heart-stoppingly good' auction...I'm still waiting for one of those to come along this summer! 
 It's gonna 'bee' a busy week here...I've got to buzz off now.  Have a lovely week!

***Pssst...by the way - I've created a sale section in my etsy shop and the items there have been marked down 30% to make room for new finds...check it out!  


9 comments:

  1. Love the receipts from the dairy! So perfect for Wisconsin! Joan@anythinggoeshere

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  2. I would have wanted the fan too. The cherry can and it's contents are just you Jan! I am glad there were no yucky contents. hugs♥O

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  3. Your Secret Find!!! ~ Soooo perfect for you - receipts & ephemera!!!
    Jeanine, ChiPPy!-SHaBBy!

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  4. Love your little doll trunk and the hat boxes!....
    Susan x

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  5. So glad to hear that there wasn't a nasty surprise inside the sweet cherry tin! I'm heading up to Wisconsin next weekend, and I hope to be able to catch an auction. Can you believe that I've never been to one?!

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  6. love those wisconsin farm auctions...whew back in the day the lady from
    California would kick butt at those and haul home lotsa stuff...now they have gotten a bit pricy. Oh joy at those papers in the tin...love those...take care have a fab summer...see you in Sept...

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  7. I'm trying to get past the visual of having to crawl up a ladder to bid! That truly is a farm auction.
    You brought home some really cute merchandise and thank goodness...no deer tails!
    Deb

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  8. Oh my goodness! Such treasures and what a cute bank!

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  9. Isn't it always the way, everything goes for $5 until its the thing that you are after...well that's what happens here anyway. How great is the little tin of treasure, to anyone else it would be have been overlooked. The doll chest is gorgeous too. Tam x

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