Was it a Wasted Day?

I had planned to go to the booth first thing this morning to add some stuff, clean and straighten it some and then hit a sale or two and then head to the big sale at Williamston Antiques...Then I found an ad for an estate sale just a few miles away, and an auction a little further away.

At the estate sale I got...

I also got a couple of old brass and crystal lamps, that didn't make it in from the car yet!

Then Kevin and I went to an auction. I've been DYING to go to one for a lonnnng time. We used to go every week when the boys were little and it was cheap entertainment for us. We got some cheap treasures, and had a fun time.

I forgot how long auctions take! There was about 140-150 people there and it was at a hall that was PACKED with mostly junk. There were some good things mixed in, but mostly flea market junk. I went because the ad said "Fiesta collection". It was all post 86 Fiesta (made after 1986), and there wasn't much of it. After sitting there for 3 1/2 hours I finally asked one of the runners to ask the auctioneer if he would sell the Fiesta.

They did, and only the back up auctioneer was bidding against me-probably because they didn't want it to go so low. I got the pieces I wanted and flew out the door to the car. Kevin waited out there almost the entire time-he got bored inside, so he went out to read his book.

I think the prices were ok, but not fantastic. I got some harder to find pieces that will be good for the booth, so for that I am happy, but when I add up the cost of the gas, and the time I just sat there watching junk go for crazy high prices....I wonder if it was worth it after all.

I saw another couple from the antique mall where I have my booth. They really loaded up on one pattern of vintage china. I thought they paid way too much, but they seemed thrilled with their pieces. I can't imagine that they could make a profit at the prices they paid, because I've seen some of the pieces they bought in our mall and others for the same price.

I think I'll try a couple more auctions to make up my mind, but so far I think garage sales and estate sales are out-weighing auctions. I get a LOT more stuff in a lot less time, and I get better prices! This auctioneer wouldn't sell anything less than $3, and a lot of things he said "No interest? Then we'll move on" and the items didn't sell.

When we left, they still had about half again as much stuff to sell! I don't think I would ever sit for 8 hours at an auction-no matter how much I wanted the stuff!

Here is the Fiesta I got today...

What do you think? Was it a wasted day? Do you like auctions? Do you have any tips for me since I am (for now) attending them as a reseller and not just someone looking for cheap stuff and cheap entertainment? The box lots at this sale were stuff I would have just thrown away, I can't believe they were selling that stuff!