Antique Tools Auction

If you follow my blog at all, you know that in April I was in Ohio for the first of several auctions of my dad's things. Dad's "stuff" filled four buildings--tools, collections, antiques, junk. Well, the first auction was of tools.

The second auction, on May 31, was the sale of antique tools. Again, Anna and I were present to help my brother--mostly we help with moral support, as he does most of the real preparatory work of sorting--he and the auctioneer workers, that is. Well, the sale began at 4:30 pm on that Thursday, estimated to take about three hours. It actually went over four hours. The auctioneers finished just before dark.

The sale had been well advertised. There were some collectors from out of state.The fellow in the orange shirt was from Tennessee. He arrived at 10 am to look things over, consult his books and "do his homework" so that he would be ready to make intelligent bids.

Anna got in on the action this time. She signed up to get her "number" so she could be a bidder. When she saw that the last of the wooden levels were going for $5 she got herself one. She chose one with Dad's initials painted on it. Most likely it was one he actually had used himself. So she took home to Oregon in her suitcase this prized memento of her grandfather.

Then she began to bid on a leather bag of leather-working tools. When the price had run up to $40, Anna said no. But when the auctioneer egged her on with "Aah, come on, Anna." she capitulated. As soon as the auctioneer said, "Sold!" the fellow against whom she had been bidding came over to her and asked to see the contents of the bag. He purchased some of the awls from Anna and both ended up happy with what they got.

The auction was a success and we felt good about it. There is more to come, to be announced.