Estate Sale

(This blog is late since I do not yet have internet in my new home. It should be working by Thursday evening.)

I spent Friday and much of Saturday helping a friend with an estate sale she was doing for Vicky, a relative who had moved to assisted living. Vicky had been in the diplomatic corps so had lived in several different countries including India, China, Turkey and at least one North African country. As a result furniture, brass, clocks, artwork, linens, clothes, lead crystal dishes and much more from all over the world were for sale. I had a hard time imagining how all of the items displayed had actually fit in her 2-bedroom condo. Most of the time I kept an eye on the jewelry and helped with the cash box.

It was surprising to me how many things were actually sold. One woman bought two large sacks of vintage clothing to resell at her shops. Another man used his smart phone to check the prices against what the same item was going for on the internet. He left with one small clock. A woman from India came early on the first day and was delighted to find some things that reminded her of home. 

I am amazed at how much time some people can spend looking and re-looking at everything being sure not to miss anything. I identified more with the practical folk who looked through the kitchen things for something they needed and made a quick tour through the other rooms. At the end of the first day I spotted a couscousière on the floor in the dining room. I told the women in charge that if it didn’t sell I would take it. They responded that since I knew what it was, I could take it right then as long as I promised to invite them over some cous-cous. The fulfillment of that promise will have to wait until the weather cools down