In Search of Canadian Symbols

A PROJECT TO COLLECT ANTIQUE, VINTAGE AND NOSTALGIC ITEMS WITH CANADIAN SYMBOLS

THE BEAVER, THE MAPLE LEAF AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

I HAVE TO CONFESS SOMETHING. I HAVE HAD THE BOOK, "THE MAPLE LEAF FOREVER - A CELEBRATION OF CANADIAN SYMBOLS," 2006 BOSTON MILLS PRESS, BY DONNA AND NIGEL HUTCHINS, ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND SOLD ALL BUT THE ONE I JUST PURCHASED TODAY. I MADE A VOW NOT TO SELL THIS ONE. IT'S A PRETTY POPULAR BOOK, AND I'VE SOLD TWO OF THREE TO MY AMERICAN BOOK CUSTOMERS. THE OTHER ONE STAYED IN ONTARIO. THE FOURTH, WILL REMAIN HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW. THIS IS A WONDERFULLY DESIGNED AND WELCOME RESOURCE BOOK FOR COLLECTORS OF A WIDE ASSORTMENT OF CANADIAN SYMBOLS ON AN EVEN WIDER ARRAY OF VINTAGE ITEMS…..FROM SOUVENIRS TO HISTORIC MEDALS, BUTTONS AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS…..BOTTLES AND JARS, TO TOBACCO CUTTERS……TIN HOCKEY PLAYERS FROM THE FORMER EAGLE TABLE-TOP GAMES, TO CANADIAN AUTOMOBILE CLUB TIN ORNAMENTS…..THE LIST IS A LONG ONE. LOOKING THROUGH THE FULL COLOR GRAPHICS OF THE BOOK, I FOUND MANY ITEMS THAT I'VE OWNED AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER…..AS A KID, AS A COLLECTOR, AND AS ONE WHO BUYS AND SELLS, AND THEN REGRETS HAVING A DEPLETED COLLECTION. I'VE OWNED PLENTY OF ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE SOUVENIR DOLLS, FROM WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER…..WITH TRAVELLING PARENTS WHO VISITED ALL KINDS OF HISTORIC SITES IN THE PROVINCE…..WITH THEIR OWN ATTACHED GIFT SHOPS. MY SECOND TABLE TOP HOCKEY GAME WAS A 1965 VERSION OF THE EAGLE BRAND TABLE-TOP HOCKEY GAME THAT I ABSOLUTELY ADORED. UNTIL THE FATEFUL DAY A FIGHT BROKE OUT IN MY ROOM, AFTER A STANLEY CUP WINNING GOAL, AND I PUSHED MY MATE DOWN……AND RIGHT ONTO MY RIGHT WINGER. CUT HIS BEHIND. BROKE MY GAME. IT WAS NEVER THE SAME AFTER THAT, BUT I PLAYED WITH IT ANY WAY. I'VE HAD A SELECTION OF BEAVER JARS, AND ALL KINDS OF BUTTONS WITH BOTH BEAVERS AND MAPLE LEAFS, BUT I NEVER REALLY APPRECIATED THEM AS COMPONENTS OF ANY KIND OF COLLECTION…….UNTIL I READ THIS EXCELLENT BOOK.

SO ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER PROJECTS THIS SPRING, AND OVER THE YEAR, I'VE DECIDED TO MAKE A SPORTING ATTEMPT TO COME UP WITH A REPRESENTATIVE COLLECTION, OF THESE CANADIAN SYMBOLS, ON VINTAGE PIECES MYSELF…..AS A TEST, TO SEE JUST HOW CAPABLE I AM, AS A SENIOR COLLECTOR / DEALER, TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM MY NORMAL RANGE…..THAT WHILE NOT PARTICULARLY RESTRICTIVE, IS GETTING A LITTLE STALE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. SO MAYBE IT'S TIME TO GET CRAZY, AND DROP PARAMETERS, TO SEEK OUT THESE ICONIC CANADIAN COLLECTIBLES. SUZANNE HAS AGREED THAT WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER, BUT SHE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THOSE SAME NATIONAL, HISTORIC SYMBOLS INSTEAD, BY SEARCHING THROUGH VINTAGE FABRIC, CLOTHING, QUILTS, BLANKETS, BUTTONS, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT SHE CAN FIND WHILE WORKING IN THE FIELD SHE IS MOST COMFORTABLE. I HAVE A SCATTER-GUN APPROACH TO EVERYTHING, SO I'LL JUST LOOK FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. SHE'S GOT AN EAGLE EYE FOR VINTAGE CRAFTS AND QUILTS, SO IT WILL BE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE EVEN ON A PARTNERSHIP SCALE. SHE LOVES BEATING ME AT THE ANTIQUE HUNT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO COPY-CAT-COLLECT WHAT VISUAL ITEMS ARE IN THE BOOK….UNLESS THEY'RE ALL WE CAN FIND. WE'RE NOT SETTING OUT TO BUY LOTS OF MOUNTIES OR EVERY ITEM TO EVER WEAR A MAPLE LEAF OR BEAVER. WE'D LIKE TO COME UP WITH UNIQUE ITEMS……NOT IN THE BOOK, IF THIS IS POSSIBLE. THIS WILL BE A HECK OF A CHALLENGE ON ITS OWN. AND WE DON'T INTEND ON SETTLING FOR ANTIQUE SHOPS ONLY, AS PLACES TO SHOP FOR THESE SYMBOLIC PIECES. THAT'S NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HUNT AT ALL. WE WANT TO FIND THEM ON THE CHEAP, BY LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACES, AND WHILE THAT DOESN'T PROHIBIT ANTIQUE SHOPS, IT WILL DEMAND OF US THAT A MAJORITY OF PIECES, BE PURCHASED FROM SOURCES THAT DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE THE FULL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ITEMS. AT FLEA MARKETS, YARD SALES, GARAGE SALES, ESTATE SALES, CHURCH FUNDRAISERS AND AT SECOND HAND SHOPS. YOU NEVER KNOW BUT IT'S ALWAYS WORTH A TRY.

WHAT WE'LL DO, ON A REGULAR BASIS, IS GIVE YOU SOME VISUALS ON THIS BLOG-SITE, OF INTERESTING FINDS WE MAKE, HERE IN THE REGION OF MUSKOKA. WE'LL CONFINE OURSELVES TO A MUSKOKA SEARCH ONLY, AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE FOUND THE ITEMS…..AS WE ARE PROUD OF THE ANTIQUE AND SECOND HAND SHOPS WE HAVE HERE IN THE DISTRICT. I'LL DO A BIG SPREAD ON THIS BY THE CANADA DAY HOLIDAY, IN JULY, WITH PHOTOS, AND THEN AGAIN, AT NEW YEARS, 2013, TO SEE WHAT A HALF YEAR, AND A FULL YEAR CHALLENGE, CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN IT'S DEEMED IMPORTANT. I THINK THIS IS WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT OF TIME AND MONEY. POSSIBLY YOU'LL FIND THIS AN INTERESTING PURSUIT YOURSELF, OR MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS BEFORE US. I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US ANYWAY, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IT WILL BE AN ADVENTURE. I CAN JUST TELL.

YOU CAN FIND THIS BOOK ONLINE. EVERY CANADIAN COLLECTOR…..GEEZ, EVERY CANADIAN SHOULD HAVE THIS BOOK. IT'S A GEM. I'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED.

THE AUCTION THAT WAS NO FUN AT ALL -

SOMETIMES CIRCUMSTANCES GET IN THE WAY OF FAIR PLAY AND FAMILY HISTORY -

AS I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, AUCTIONS FOR ME HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOCIAL / CULTURAL EVENTS, THAT CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE RECREATION ON THE SIDE. THERE'S THAT ECONOMIC SIDE AS WELL, AND CONSIDERING I'M AN ANTIQUE COLLECTOR / DEALER, IT'S CERTAINLY THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR SPENDING MOST OF A DAY IN A BARN OR STANDING IN A WINDSWEPT FIELD SOMEWHERE IN MUSKOKA.

WHEN I WAS THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE, IN BRACEBRIDGE, I LOOKED FORWARD TO AUCTIONS AS AN ESCAPE FROM COVERING LOCAL POLITICS AND WRITING-UP BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES…….I DREADED THESE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE AS A NEWSPAPER STAFFER. I'D HAVE WRITTEN OBITS OVER BUSINESS PROFILES FOR SPECIAL ADVERTISING PROMOTIONS. HALF THE PLACES I HAD TO WRITE-UP WERE ON THEIR LAST LEGS ANYWAY, SO IT ALWAYS SEEMED ODD THAT THEY SENT ME IN, TO SAVE THE DAY. I DIDN'T REVITALIZE EVEN ONE OF THOSE DIRE-STRAITS ENTERPRISES. BUT BY TIME I GOT TO FRIDAY, I WAS ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE WEEKEND AUCTION LINE-UP. BACK IN THE LATE 1970'S,1980'S, AND THROUGH MOST OF THE 90'S, THERE WERE FREQUENT AUCTIONS, UNLIKE TODAY. I USED TO ATTEND TO BUY, AND WRITE ABOUT THE SALES FOR MY COLUMN (THE AUCTION ROLL), AND TO FORGET ABOUT THE ARSES WHO USED TO SEND ME TO DO THOSE BUSINESS FEATURES I HATED. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THAT AFTER YOU'VE SPENT FOUR HOURS COVERING A LOCAL COUNCIL, YOU NEED SOMETHING TO GLOM ONTO……NOT JUST THE JUG OF BEER I USED TO ENJOY AT THE OLD BRACEBRIDGE ALBION HOTEL. SO I WENT TO AUCTIONS, AND THEY WERE A GREAT DEAL OF FUN. IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE MONEY I HAD IN POCKET, I ENJOYED THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE DAY, THE OFTEN PICTURESQUE PASTURES AND BARNYARDS, WHERE MANY OF THESE OPEN-AIR EVENTS WERE BEING HELD. AS I'M CLAUSTROPHOBIC, AND THRIVE IN WIDE OPEN SPACES, I REALLY DID SAVE MY JOB IN THE NEWS INDUSTRY, BY SPENDING SO MUCH QUALITY TIME ATTENDING COUNTRY AUCTIONS.

IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE THE SALE WAS BEING HELD, EVEN INDOORS, IF IT AFFORDED ENOUGH ROOM TO MOVE ABOUT EASILY, AS I'M CONSTANTLY "WANDERING AIMLESSLY," AS SUZANNE NOTES OF MY HABITS AND HOME AND ABROAD. IN-TOWN SALES ARE OKAY AS WELL, ESPECIALLY ANY THAT ARE OF AN HISTORIC CHARACTER, THAT CAN OFFER UNIQUE ANTIQUE PIECES, FROM OLD BOOKS AND ART, TO FURNITURE AND OLD STEAMER TRUNKS (WHICH I LIKE TO RESTORE). ON ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WHEN BOTH ANDREW AND ROBERT WERE STILL QUITE YOUNG, WE ATTENDED A SALE IN BRACEBRIDGE THAT SEEMED SPECTACULAR AT THE TIME, BUT BECAME A LIVING NIGHTMARE BEFORE IT WAS ALL OVER. BUT THAT EVENT CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT AUCTION-GOERS AND THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN.

IT WAS THE KIND OF SALE I ADORE, BECAUSE IT WAS A HODGE-PODGE OF SO MANY DIFFERENT VINTAGE ITEMS, MOST OF THEM IN QUITE ACCEPTABLE CONDITION. VARIETY AND CONDITION ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE DEALER / COLLECTORS. FOR THOSE JUST INTERESTED IN PICKING UP DECORATOR PIECES, NOSTALGIA, OLD TOYS, BOOKS ETC., THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY BUT LIKELY TO ATTRACT SUBSTANTIAL PRICES. I WAS PREPARED. MY INTEREST, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS, WAS TO FIND LOCAL, OUT-OF-PRINT MUSKOKA HISTORIES, MUSKOKA MEMORABILIA, FROM POSTCARDS TO MAPS, INVOICES FROM OLD BUSINESSES, STEAMSHIP COLLECTIBLES AND FOLK ART CREATIONS, PAINTINGS TO WOOD CARVINGS. THE SALE WOULD TAKE UP A LARGE PORTION OF THIS SUNDAY, AND FORTUNATELY THERE WAS A SNACK-BAR SET UP TO PURCHASE THE BOYS A FEW TREATS THROUGH THE AUCTION. THE YARD OF THE OLD TURN OF THE CENTURY HOME, WAS FULL OF EAGER BIDDERS AND NEIGHBORS OF THE FAMILY. I RECOGNIZED THEM, AS IT WAS MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, FROM THE 1960'S AND EARLY 70'S. I KNEW THE FAMILY HOSTING THE AUCTION, AND I HAD SEEN A DAUGHTER TALKING WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE BEFORE THE AUCTION, THAT CAUSED ME TO WONDER IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF PROBLEM. SHE WAS TRYING TO SORT SOMETHING OUT, THAT'S FOR SURE, BEFORE THE AUCTIONEER GOT THE SALE GOING. SUZANNE AND I BOTH AGREED SHE LOOKED QUITE AGITATED, AND THAT SET OFF AN ALARM FOR ME, BECAUSE THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MATERIALS ON THE LAWN LOOKED "DUMPED THERE" AND NOT ORGANIZED, AND PLACED WITH SIMILAR ITEMS…..SUCH THAT CHINA WAS WITH CHINA, BOOKS WITH BOOKS, FURNITURE WITH, YOU GUESSED IT……OTHER FURNISHINGS. THIS WAS A HELTER-SKELTER ARRANGEMENT, THAT LOOKED AS IF THE HOUSE HAD TO BE EMPTIED ON A BUDGET OF TIME, AND THAT THIS WASN'T PLANNED WEEKS EARLIER……AND IT SHOWED. MY AUCTIONEER FRIEND WAS FASTIDIOUS ABOUT HIS PRE-AUCTION SET UP, AND EVERY TABLE WOULD HAVE HAD A CLOTH COVERING THE SURFACE, AND THE BEST ITEMS PULLED FROM BOXES, AND POSITIONED TOGETHER…..SUCH AS CUPS AND SAUCERS, PLATTERS, CHINA SERVING DISHES, AND GLASSWARE.

WE GOT CLOSE TO THE FAMILY MEMBER, AS SHE WAS TALKING TO A HALF-CIRCLE OF FRIENDS NEARBY, AND LISTENED FROM A COMFORTABLE DISTANCE, TO A SAD, UNFORTUNATE STORY, THAT COULD NOT BE STOPPED FROM UNFOLDING. DUE TO THE FACT THERE WAS NO WILL, OR POWER OF ATTORNEY, AND THE WOMAN'S MOTHER HAD RUN UP A HUGE BILL, RESIDING AT A LOCAL NURSING HOME, THE PROVINCE HAD THE PROPERTY, HOUSE AND CONTENTS SEIZED, ON ORDER TO LIQUIDATE ALL ASSETS, ON THE INSTITUTIONALIZED MOTHER'S BEHALF. THE DAUGHTER WAS FORCED OUT OF THE HOUSE, FOR STARTERS, AND OUTSIDE OF A FEW KEEPSAKES SCOOPED UP ON THE WAY OUT, COULDN'T PREVENT THE INEVITABLE FROM HAPPENING. I FELT AWFULLY SORRY FOR THE AUCTIONEER, A FRIEND OF MINE, FOR HAVING TO WORK AGAINST THE DAUGHTER, IN THIS PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY. SO IT BECAME QUITE AN EMOTIONAL SITUATION FOR MANY OF US THAT DAY, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T REALLY LEAVE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE FIRST INSTINCT UPON HEARING OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES. BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS QUITE NEAT.

MANY OF THOSE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO SHE HAD BEEN TALKING TO, PRIOR TO THE SALE, SUZANNE AND I INCLUDED, BEGAN SETTING UP AN INTERESTING DEFENSE. THEY ASKED HER WHAT SHE DESIRED TO GET BACK…..WANTED TO HAVE AS PERSONAL PROPERTY RETURNED…..AND NEEDED TO HAVE BACK FOR THE INTEGRITY OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTING AND FAMILY RECORDS. EVEN HER OWN POSSESSIONS WERE BEING SOLD AT THE SAME TIME AS HER MOTHER'S COLLECTION OF HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. WORD WENT AROUND THE SALE, LIKE A GIANT TELEPHONE PARTY-LINE, NOT TO BID-UP ON CERTAIN BOXES AND HEIRLOOM PIECES SHE HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST. ONE BIDDER WOULD TRY TO WIN THE LOTS AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE. AT THE TIME, SHE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY TO BUY THESE PIECES BACK HERSELF, WHICH WAS MORE THAN A LITTLE UNFORTUNATE, AS A LOT OF STUFFED BOXES WENT FOR UNDER TEN DOLLARS. SCRAPBOOKS, PHOTO ALBUMS, HANDWRITTEN LETTERS, OLD GREETING CARDS, VALENTINES, EVEN HER SCHOOL REPORT CARDS AND CERTIFICATES WERE BEING SOLD-OFF IN FRONT OF HER…..AND NO ONE COULD BLAME HER FOR CRYING ABOUT THE LOSS OF FAMILY HISTORY. LIKE WATCHING SAND DRAINING THROUGH AN HOUR GLASS, SHE STOOD THERE AND STUDIED THE UNFOLDING EVENTS, NOT SAYING A WORD, LOOKING AS IF EVERYTHING SHE VALUED IN THE WORLD, WAS SUDDENLY THERE BEFORE HER……AND THEN GONE JUST AS QUICKLY.

WHAT SHE DIDN'T REALIZE, AT THAT POINT, WAS THAT FOLKS WERE BUYING BOXES ON HER BEHALF, AND TRYING TO GET BACK IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS AND FAMILY ALBUMS. POSSIBLY SHE DIDN'T SEE THE PILE OF MATERIALS BEHIND HER, PURCHASED BY KINDLY AUCTION PATRONS, WHO HAD HEARD OF THE INJUSTICE, AND WERE HELPING HER FINANCE AT LEAST PART OF THE RECOVER. SUZANNE AND I PURCHASED SEVERAL BOXES OF SCRAPBOOKS AND OTHER PERSONAL FAMILY ITEMS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND LETTERS, THAT WE PAID FOR, AND PRESENTED BACK TO HER, AS A SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS. THERE WERE QUITE A FEW ACTS OF KINDNESS THAT DAY. IT COULDN'T MAKE UP FOR THE UNHAPPINESS SHE SUFFERED, I'M SURE, BUT I ALWAYS HOPED IT SHOWED HER ABOUT COMMUNITY GOODWILL AND NEIGHBORLINESS….AND THAT WE ALL FELT BAD ABOUT EVEN BEING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE PURPOSE AFTER THAT, WAS TO WORK TOGETHER TO BLOCK BIDS FROM OUT OF TOWN DEALERS, ETC., AND CROWD OUT OTHER BUYERS WHO COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SALE…..REFUSING TO LET EMOTION AND SENTIMENT GET IN THE WAY OF ANTIQUE SPECULATION. WE DID SPEAK WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO HAD PURCHASED JOB LOTS OF PAPER MATERIALS, ASKING POLITELY IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO SORT THROUGH THEM, AND RETURN ANY ITEMS OF PERSONAL FAMILY RECORD, PHOTOGRAPHS OR LETTERS THAT GOT JAMMED INTO THE MIX. SUZANNE AND I WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE THE CO-OPERATION. YES, A LOT OF HEIRLOOM AND IMPORTANT PIECES WERE LOST THAT DAY, REGARDLESS OF THE EFFORT MANY OF US PUT-IN, TO SAVE CRITICAL ITEMS…..FROM HER OWN TOYS FROM CHILDHOOD, TEDDY BEARS AND DOLLS, TO MILITARY PHOTOGRAPHS OF HER GRANDFATHER AND FATHER. BUT WE TRIED.

I FOUND MYSELF ANGRY FOR WEEKS AFTER THIS. I TALKED TO MY AUCTIONEER FRIEND, AND HE CONFESSED THAT THE DAY HAD BEEN PRETTY MUCH AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER-COASTER FROM BEGINNING TO END. BUT HE WAS WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE PROVINCE, AND THE MONEY RAISED WAS TO COVER NURSING HOME COSTS IN ARREARS, AND TO ACCOMMODATE EXPENSES IN THE FUTURE. HE ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A HEARTLESS ASPECT TO IT ALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DAUGHTER WAS DENIED ACCESS TO HER OWN PROPERTY, THAT HAD BEEN STORED IN HER MOTHER'S HOUSE AT THE TIME OF THE SEIZURE. LET ME TELL YOU FOLKS, THIS SALE PROMOTED A LOT OF AUCTION-GOERS THAT DAY, TO CONSULT THEIR OWN LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, AND POWER OF ATTORNEY ARRANGEMENTS…….AND MORE THAN A FEW I TALKED WITH THAT DAY, DIDN'T HAVE A LEGAL WILL OR POWER OF ATTORNEY…..BUT WERE PLANNING TO MAKE THAT CORRECTION PROMPTLY, AFTER SEEING JUST HOW UNFORTUNATE IT CAN BECOME WITHOUT SAFEGUARDS.

WHEN I WROTE IN YESTERDAY'S BLOG ABOUT PRACTICING SENSITIVITY WHEN ATTENDING YARD, FUNDRAISING AND ESTATE SALES, THIS STORY WAS BANGING ABOUT IN MY MEMORY BANK. I WATCHED AS MUCH CRUEL BEHAVIOR THAT DAY, AS BENEVOLENCE, AS BUYERS LAUGHED ABOUT THE "CRAP" THEY GOT IN JOB-LOT BOXES, WELL WITHIN EAR-SHOT OF THIS PARTICULAR FAMILY MEMBER. SHE EVEN WENT TO CHECK GARBAGE BINS, TO SEE WHAT HAD BEEN CAST OFF, AS PEOPLE LEFT THE SALE WITH THEIR PURCHASES. WE WATCHED PEOPLE SORT THEIR BOXES, AND I GRABBED UP WHATEVER WAS DISCARDED ON THE GRASS, AND IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MATERIALS WE RETURNED AT THE END OF THE DAY. LET'S JUST SAY A LOT OF US HAD OUR FAITH RENEWED THAT AFTERNOON, BECAUSE THERE WERE MANY ACTS OF PERSONAL KINDNESS SHOWN TO THIS WOMAN. WE WISH THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE.

THIS WAS BY NO MEANS AN ISOLATED CASE. WE HAVE ATTENDED OTHERS THAT BECAME VERY NASTY BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BLOWS……AND MANY THREATS OF LEGAL ACTION BANDIED ABOUT, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AUCTION. THE HOST WOULD ASSURE US EVERYTHING WAS FINE, BUT KIN-FOLK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BARN-YARD WEREN'T SO COMPLIMENTARY. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE COUNTRY, TURNED OUT TO BE A TEMPEST IN A PASTURE FOR ALL CONCERNED. WE WERE VERY CAREFUL WHAT WE PURCHASED THAT DAY, AND AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, FAMILY WAS OFFERED ITEMS WE HAD PURCHASED……WHEN WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE SERIOUS OWNERSHIP CONFLICT BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS, MUCH WE HADN'T BEEN AWARE OF DURING THE SALE ITSELF. IT ALL WORKED OUT IN THE END, AND THE MAJOR PIECES, WE HAD ACQUIRED, EVENTUALLY FOUND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE DISSENTING RELATIVES. IT WASN'T THAT ANYTHING ILLEGAL HAD OCCURRED, JUST A MORAL INTERPRETATION OF WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO FAMILY FIRST……BEFORE IT MADE IT TO AUCTION-DAY INVENTORY. IT'S A REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING, WHEN YOU'RE BIDDING ON AN ANTIQUE PIECE, A PAINTING, OR A QUILT, AND REALIZE YOU'RE BEING CHASED IN INCREMENTS BY A FAMILY MEMBER GIVING YOU THE EVIL EYE. AS I ALSO POINTED OUT, IN A PREVIOUS AUCTION, WE HAVE BEEN AMONGST THOSE "GIVING THE EVIL EYE," AS OUR OWN FAMILY HAD TO BUY BACK HEIRLOOM PIECES, WHEN SUZANNE'S FATHER PASSED AWAY SOME YEARS AGO NOW. YOU START OUT IN A CHIPPER MOOD, AND THEN, WELL, IT JUST SUCKS AFTER THAT. SO MUCH FOR GOING TO AUCTIONS FOR SOCIAL / CULTURAL / RECREATION ENJOYMENT. GOOD THING THAT THESE EVENTS ARE THE RARITY, AND NOT THE NORMAL FARE.