THE ETERNAL HUNT--AUCTION TIME

This is what the first hour of my favorite weekly auction looks like. A huge pile of stuff. Fortunately,  as the the day and the auction progresses, the items (lots) are more organized and you can see what is being auctioned. This is basically the "Junk Pile", but I have discovered some amazing "sleepers" in these piles. If you are really on the hunt, then you have to arrive early and be prepared to spend the entire day.  And it is always wise to preview the day before.... That said, this particular pile, does not look very inviting or promising; so I won't be coming too early.

I'm going to give you a close-up of that "pink thing" on the right--it's labeled "pink glass lamp table"--I don't think that I have ever seen anything quite so tacky as this guy--but it has an actual gold leafed wood base--go figure??

Coming up just after The Pile are a pair of period Art Deco stools/ benches that are starting to call to me. They are in rather poor condition, but I love the waterfall lines and the rosewood veneer.

I'm considering what I have at hand to reupholster the leather seats and how much time Roberto will have to spend restoring the finish. (I never strip unless the surface is in very bad condition.) Roberto is a miracle worker when it comes to finish restoration.

I have an Edelman leather faux snake skin hide that I think will look great on the benches.... it's an off-white/ivory shade. Of course, Edelman leather is top notch.

So it's decided: I'll bid on these benches. I really do not need any more chairs (my friends are instructed to physically restrain me from buying any more chairs of any form). What I really need are some case pieces and these are hard to find. (Madame Victoire is the most gorgeous of all case pieces, but not an easy piece to sell because of her price point). I'm looking for mid-century case pieces and I just don't see any today--which is fine because I spent "my wad" on Madame Victoire.

I'm going to show you some of the variety of objects that I spied today. They run the gamut from the tacky pink lamp table to sweet bronze cherub candlesticks and a very cool Minton for Tiffany & Co. dinner service.  Take a walk with me.......

 I covet this large 19th c. Japanese Tansu--just look at that amazing hand wrought iron strap work detailing--the iron pulls and the little drawers to the right side. It needs quite a bit of surface work, and it is a beautiful case piece, but I think it will go pretty high (we'll see....)

Next up is this very fake PreColumbian covered jar with a turtle? iguana? (note the repaired neck)--finial. I am sure there will be a buyer for this beauty. The lamp behind Mr. Precolumbia is really pretty and vintage and inspired by an antique chinese form, like the super desirable Christopher Spitzmuller lamps. But it is almost impossible to sell single lamps (I personally think that matched pairs can be rather boring--but what do I know?).

Next up are a few items (lots) from the higher-end portion of the Auction --the good stuff.

I am in love with this English Minton for Tiffany & Co. porcelain dinner service.  Do you see where Versace got his design inspiration for his highly desirable dinner services?  Minton's quality cannot be equaled.  Versace's designs are way over the top for porcelain services--Minton's is much more classic and with finer execution.

LOOK at the fine detail on the classical greek urn and the greek key pattern...just count the several rings of the border...GORGEOUS.

And finally, here is a sweet pair of 19th c. French bronze cherub candelabra...the bronze is finely executed and the children have wonderful character and patina--they form part of a French bronze and marble clock suite.

I love this pair of candelabra-- at one point I had a very large collection of 17th c. through 19th c. candlesticks and candelabra--and I know this set will sell very high.

Wish me luck--I'll give you an update tomorrow.......

Thanks for visiting.     Mary