Friday, January 25, 2013

Auction with Quilts

Block detail from one of the star quilts
Have you been to a live auction?

We went to one last weekend and I thought you might like to see some details.

What does this block have to do with the auction?  Well...there were quilts at the auction.  This was a consignment auction, meaning anyone can consign items - it wasn't just one household.

Unlike an online auction you get to see who's bidding and buying, always interesting.



Front of the room during preview period

If you arrive early enough, you can inspect the items before the auction - the auction preview period.  This is auction was at a county fairgrounds and all of the items were brought in early that morning.

You register, and are assigned a buyers number - this paper 'tag' is what you hold up when placing a bid.

Each item auctioned is a 'Lot' with a lot number.  At this auction the auctioneer did not go in numeric sequence by lot number.


7" Doll dresser and 12" glass front cupboard 

My rule is I always decide my top price before bidding starts.  Otherwise, in the heat of the moment when you only have a second to decide...really one second - you know your top dollar.

Besides the winning bid price there is a buyers premium (generally 6-30%) plus state sales tax.
All of this is paid when you check out - in this case - cash only.



One of four textile 'walls'


This is one of the quilt 'walls' on wheels.
When this side was completed, the wall was wheeled around to the other side - also filled with quilts.


Would you like to see a few detailed pictures of the quilts?






Coverlet border detail
I have a small collection of coverlets

Interesting piecing - created a nice secondary pattern when the quilt
was viewed from a distance

Star quilt with zig-zag sashing
Embroidery detail 1914 quilt with initials and horseshoes

One of the star quilts
 Gray coping strips added to some of the star blocks
hand pieced and hand quilted
Do you have any auction tales to tell?
Or is it more ... what happens at the auction stays at the auction?

Have a great weekend - Dawn






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24 comments:

  1. YankeeQuilterJanuary 25, 2013 at 8:57 AM

    I love going to live auctions. There is always so much to see and such a crowd of characters! Like you I make a list of what I am interested in and then I write down my Max bid...so easy to get swept up in a bidding war! A few months ago I so wanted a pink vintage sewing machine...so did two other bidders. My "max" was $50 but the bidding has passed 100 and I was still waving my number when my friend elbowed me and brought me back to earth. Phew...what was I thinking!

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  2. KyleJanuary 25, 2013 at 9:18 AM

    I haven't been to a live auction for a long time. Recently I've enjoyed watching " Market Warriors" on PBS and have remembered the excitement of bidding for a treasure. The question is what did you bring home?

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  3. Janet O.January 25, 2013 at 9:47 AM

    I'm having issues with blogger this morning and most of your photos won't load. Shucks!
    I have never been to an auction, but I have also enjoyed Market Warriors--and when we had Netflix I used to watch Treasures in the Attic now and then. I can see how it would be easy to get caught up in the moment and bid on. : )

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  4. WoolenSailsJanuary 25, 2013 at 10:22 AM

    I have never been to one, but it looks like fun.
    I usually hit the consignment stores, that way if i like something and the price is right, I can get it and no one can steal it from me, lol.

    Debbie

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  5. reganJanuary 25, 2013 at 10:29 AM

    I love going to auctions! They're my favorite entertainment! lol Did you get anything at this one? Half the furniture in my house is from auctions, and all the depression glass! I recently got 6 boxes full of linens, that I hope to use in some projects, for $2....total! It was a very good day! :o)

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  6. BrowndirtcottageJanuary 25, 2013 at 11:04 AM

    Oh wow....good stuff!! Love that star quilt for sure!!

    Auctions are our friend.....

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  7. MargaretJanuary 25, 2013 at 12:06 PM

    Cool! Never been to a real auction. I think I'd go nuts in the heat of the moment, like you said. lol! Did you buy anything? Nice quilts!

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  8. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2013 at 12:28 PM

    We used to have a wonderful auction here weekly but the place closed a couple of years ago. I got some really nice things there including a wonderful sterling baby cup. I even got a working sewing machine (which I donated) for $5.

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  9. KarenJanuary 25, 2013 at 12:33 PM

    What did you buy?

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  10. MaureenJanuary 25, 2013 at 2:42 PM

    Very interesting! I've only been to school fundraiser auctions. Much different, I'm sure. This sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing what you saw there. Love that star quilt. Anything come home with you?

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  11. MaureenJanuary 25, 2013 at 2:43 PM

    Very interesting! I've only been to school fundraiser auctions. Much different, I'm sure. This sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing what you saw there. Love that star quilt. Anything come home with you?

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  12. MaureenJanuary 25, 2013 at 2:44 PM

    Very interesting! I've only been to school fundraiser auctions. I'm sure this is very different. Thanks for sharing the things you saw. Love the star quilt. Did anything come home with you?

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  13. audreyJanuary 25, 2013 at 5:46 PM

    Lovely quilts! When we lived near Bend Oregon, my husband went to a local auction almost every Thurs. night to help stock the collections/antiques booth he had at an antique mall. That's where I got my old 'artichoke' post bed frame that I love, ratty looking tho it is. We would have paid MUCH more for it if I had been the one bidding instead of my husband.:)

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  14. DorothyJanuary 25, 2013 at 6:52 PM

    And what did you buy?
    That's what I want to know!

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  15. One Minnesota QuilterJanuary 25, 2013 at 7:14 PM

    I used to go to live auctions quite a bit but haven't been to one for quite a while. Now we live in a much smaller place and can't find a spot for everything we would want to buy!

    I have never been to one where there were that many quilts. Have you been to the Kalona, IA quilt auction?

    Judy

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  16. Me and My StitchesJanuary 25, 2013 at 7:23 PM

    We used to go to lots of auctions, but DH tends to get carried away. He likes to win and I'm not always real happy about it! There are some dealers around here that always get the quilts so it's kind of frustrating. So, do tell...did any treasures go home with you?

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  17. KimmeJanuary 25, 2013 at 8:23 PM

    But Dawn, most importantly, what did you bid on?? And did you win what you wanted? Don't hold out on us :)

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  18. LoriJanuary 25, 2013 at 10:59 PM

    I love auctions although I don't need more stuff and haven't been in awhile. Looks like yours was pretty fun. I'm curious if there were other quilt collectors there and what the quilts sold for.

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  19. NathalieJanuary 26, 2013 at 5:07 AM

    Thank you very much for all the inspiration! I especially like the star quilt in blue and pink... Great to see it on pictures! I visit your blog often, like it a lot!

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  20. BarbJanuary 26, 2013 at 5:50 AM

    what fun. I loved the little furniture and the quilts looked awesome.
    Its been years since I've been to auction.

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  21. MiriamJanuary 26, 2013 at 7:13 PM

    DH and I used to go to live auctions many years ago when we were furnishing our new home. I just stood there very still in case I accidentally bid on something really expensive!!! Lol
    Did any of those quilts come home with you????

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  22. AnnieOFebruary 4, 2013 at 12:35 AM

    I've never been to an auction but there is an auction house about 15 miles away that I see ads for all the time. I always thought it would be fun! Thanks for sharing the photos.

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  23. libbyquilterFebruary 4, 2013 at 9:53 PM

    i haven't ever been to a live quilt auction except for local fundraising auctions which i'm sure are very different.
    this looks like it was a good one as far as quilt selection went or maybe it's always like that?

    what caught my eye even more than the quilts were the two little dressers. i may have had to have someone hold my hands down at some point on those sweet things.

    it was interesting to see the grey coping strips on the star quilt. it brings to mind quilts from Gwen Marston's "Liberated Quilts".

    thank you for sharing this interesting experience.

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  24. NancyFebruary 13, 2013 at 5:34 PM

    Just seeing your photo of the auction I wanted to be there! I love live auctions but for me, the best ones are the old farm auctions where there are no descendants and everything in the house and on the farm is being sold.

    Thanks for the great photo of the star quilt which shows off the Baptist Fan quilting so well. Maybe it will be my "role model" for Baptist Fans from now on.

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Thanks for your comments!

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