144: Crystal's Memories

Well, the auction was only meh.

I did buy this photo album filled with not very good photos taken at various tourist spots in New Mexico for $5. It was my first time bidding at an auction, so that was fun. (Actually, I wanted to bid on a box of rocks to give it to my brother for Christmas, but when the bidding reached $7.50, I decided that was too rich for my blood.)

I also bought these plates (tagged with the lot number 72--my bidding number was 144) that I'm going to use as molds at the studio. They're slip cast--not very well--but I like the shape and can easily see making a set of them using the red clay I love so much.

The auction went on for about two and a half hours, with the pottery coming up about half-way through. Some of it--a little less than half--sold in lots. At one point, the auctioneer, disappointed in the response of the crowd--said something like, "I really expected these to sell."

Yeah, well, me too. (Though I guess I have to remind myself that it was mostly a hodgepodge of pieces didn't sell in two or three studio sales and a yard sale, and that we were going to either donate them to a local charity for sale in their thrift shop or simply smash them into pieces and put the pieces in a dumpster. Got to keep moving forward.)

Anyway, here's a terrible picture of the auctioneer, far away, in a salmon colored shirt and a pale yellow straw hat.

I got a bit of video on my cell phone of the auctioneer's patter because I think it's funny. I actually enjoy listening to it. And I'm sure, from a quick search on youtube, that I'm not the only one. There are many, many videos of auctioneers/bid callers as well as videos teaching you how to develop the skill.

I'll go on Monday and pick up whatever didn't sell as well as a check for what did sell.

The rest of the day was not nearly so exciting. I slept in, did a few chores, finished my book (Harpo Speaks!) and made tempeh sloppy joes and salad for dinner.