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80 Comments

  1. Janet
    July 9, 2014 @ 1:54 pm

    Never been to an auction, not even a 4H livestock auction. Even ebay manipulations bother me, trying to ramp up the frenzy and the prices. Congratulations for doing it for Elvis. That’s probably the only thing that would be me through one too, and our Saluki-crosses could sure use their own couch!

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  2. Jayne Z
    July 9, 2014 @ 2:29 pm

    Love that dainty setee — would be the perfect size for my two cats and miniature schnauzer!

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  3. Sunnie Mitchell
    July 9, 2014 @ 2:38 pm

    I must say Elvis looks splendid on the new sofa!

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  4. Diane Amick
    July 9, 2014 @ 2:58 pm

    I can’t believe I’ve never told you about auctions…one of my favorite entertainments on the planet! We have tons of them in northern Virginia (not so far from you), and some of them even speak in normal human voices that you can understand and follow. I have purchased so much fabulous junk at auctions – things I can’t live without. As a matter of fact, I’m going to a preview this afternoon for one of my favorite “Antiques at Auction” that is tomorrow in Berryville, VA. Go on AuctionZip.com to find all of the auctions in your zipcode – most even have photos of lots of the items in the auction. Watch out—–you could become addicted just like Craigslist.

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  5. Ellen
    July 9, 2014 @ 2:58 pm

    Gonna share auction location, Pleeeeze?

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  6. Linda
    July 9, 2014 @ 3:04 pm

    My dear, precious, funny man husband died 4 months and one day ago. With him, I laughed all the time. Now…not so much. Today was an exception. I am grateful to you Victoria Elizabeth. A public service, in addition to your other accomplishments for your resume.

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  7. Laura
    July 9, 2014 @ 3:43 pm

    Love! Thanks!

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  8. Cynthia
    July 9, 2014 @ 4:03 pm

    I just love short stories (or videos) with happy endings. And congrats to Ekvis for so obviously having the ability to choose a great family- with good raste to boot.
    I’m not telling my kitties that you found the perfect cat sized video victorian sofa and suffered an auction to get it for your feline. They would be so jealous and the pressure would be on for me to do the same.

    Great score!!!!!

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    • Cynthia
      July 9, 2014 @ 4:05 pm

      That should be ‘Elvis’ and ‘taste.’

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  9. Sharon
    July 9, 2014 @ 5:21 pm

    Hi Victoria:

    Loved the video. Needed the video–in a bit of a funk. Your blog always cheers me up. Please resuscitate yourself, return from the dead, we need you a bit longer. Hope that whatever it was, is now over so that you can remain undead.

    With the couch, Elvis is now Queen of All She Surveys, which is as it should be. Fantastic GFT find. I hear serial music, and the Announcer says”Will auctions be VEB’s new addiction? Will Elvis score more GFTs? Stay tuned!” I, for one, am not leaving my computer chair. Hugs to you and thanks for the chuckles.

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  10. Kate
    July 9, 2014 @ 5:26 pm

    This is great. Please-oh-please, if you attend further auctions, take photos of the things you loved/bid on/rejected outright, etc. It would be great to see what you’re sorting through. Keep the videos coming! We all need a little vicarious shopping fix now and again!

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  11. Patricia
    July 9, 2014 @ 5:43 pm

    My auction mistake was going to an auction in southern Oregon when we live eight hours away in Seattle. I bought with a corner cabinet that wound up upside down in the back seat of the convertible (with the top down of course). Luckily it was summer. Alas it started raining 120 miles from home.
    We lived. So did the cabinet. At least it didn’t weigh 2000 lb and require a fork lift …

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    • Laura J
      July 15, 2014 @ 2:41 pm

      Ha!

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  12. Suzanne Melton
    July 9, 2014 @ 6:30 pm

    I’ve been going to auctions and bidding online for about three years.

    Last Sunday, I won this garden bench for five dollars. FIVE DOLLARS!:
    https://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?ahid=6529&aid=82242&lid=20425090&title=Wood-Iron-Lawn-Bench—Needs-TLC#

    Apparently, people don’t realize wood can be replaced and cast iron can be powder coated! The iron is even more detailed than in the auctioneer’s photo.

    Don’t give up on auctions. My advice:
    1. If you’re interested in something and the auctioneer starts the bidding at ($50 for example) and no one bids, WAIT for him to drop the opening bid to $40. Or $30. Nerves of steel, lady!

    2. If you miss an item, YOU WILL SEE IT AGAIN! This goes for auctions and estate sales.

    3. Most bidders have a maximum bid in mind that is a round number. That is how I won a new 27″ wide Villeroy & Boch farmhouse sink for $210. At another auction, I won an 1895 double-round barber chair, also for $210.

    4. If possible, preview the auction before the bidding begins. Always keep YOUR maximum bid in mind. Don’t tell Paul, though, because you won’t want him to know when you’ve over-ridden your own maximum.

    5. I also use icollector.com, proxibid.com, auctionzip.com, liveauctioneers.com, and invaluable.com to bid online at auctions all over the country (or world, if you want). These companies don’t auction the items themselves; they provide a way for auction companies to gain more bidders.
    Many of the auction houses have live audio (and some even have video of the auctions). Even if you’re not interested in bidding, listening to some of the auctioneers is a real education. My favorite auctioneer is Buck Watters from the California Auction Company: http://www.icollector.com/auctionlist.aspx?ae=1783 He isn’t so fast that a beginner can’t figure out where the bid is.

    6. If you do a lot of online auctions, you’ll end up with a list of auction companies you will no longer do business with. For example, I won a dozen hard-bound books and a delicate table lamp. The auction company got a box, put the books in the box, placed one sheet of newspaper around the lamp, and put the lamp in the box with the books. By the time I received my winnings, the lamp was broken.
    I wasn’t going to be online for another auction so I prebid $50 for a lot. When I got home, an onsite bidder won the lot for $50. When I emailed the auction house, their reply was, “…a tie always goes to the onsite bidder.” Didn’t matter that my bid was about four hours before the auction began.

    Good luck and can’t wait for more auction tales.

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  13. Melinda
    July 9, 2014 @ 7:16 pm

    Hahahahahahaha!!! I love this video! Thank you for the HUGE end of the day laughing gift…and the sofa is beyond divine!!!

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  14. Suzanne Melton
    July 9, 2014 @ 11:23 pm

    Victoria…come to Washington State…Saturday, July 19…http://www.stokesauction.com/photogallery/Barn/Antiques/album/slides/IMG_1570.html

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    • In Wa State Too
      July 15, 2014 @ 10:40 am

      That auction looks like it has great stuff but I can’t tell where it is? Can’t figure out how to back out of the pictures go to information about the auction itself.

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      • Fl!p Breskin
        July 15, 2014 @ 12:09 pm

        Port Orchard!

        Reply

  15. Cyndia
    July 10, 2014 @ 3:51 pm

    I adore auctions! I’ve been going from age 14 months, when my grandfather loaded me up in the truck at 4 am to drive 2 hours to a livestock auction! My tastes have changed since then and the smells have gotten somewhat better. Most of my furnishings came from antique auctions or estate sales.
    Keep going; you’ll get used to the noise. Pack a cooler of refreshing drinks and nourishing food. Most auction house food is junky, and you’ll need your strength.
    You made a great find! Elvis is one lucky cat!

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  16. Brian
    July 10, 2014 @ 7:01 pm

    I started going to auctions as a child, have loved them ever since. The real fun at auctions is watching two bidders screw their faces down while bidding against one another and then end up paying more for a used gas grill then a new one would have cost.
    Next time go to an auction with just one sale going on and one auctioneer.
    Brian

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  17. Zandra Zuraw
    July 10, 2014 @ 7:27 pm

    Nope, never been to an auction. Figured I wouldn’t be able to understand a word and would either miss out on everything I wanted or end up paying for a bunch of stuff I had no idea I bid on. Your short video has convinced me I would be right.

    Anyway, just wanted to say that I love Elvis’ new couch!!! Not only would I love it for it’s own sake but it’s remarkably similar to the one we had restored as our blog’s mascot (Little Yellow Couch). You can see it in any number of our blog posts or on our other pages: http://www.littleyellowcouch.com
    Cheers,
    Zandra

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  18. katie clooney
    July 12, 2014 @ 6:44 am

    Hi! My buddy Mo from Mocadeaux told me that I would love your blog. She is right. You are a riot! Now I’m going to get another cup of Joe and peruse your past posts. Have a great weekend!

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  19. Heather Casey
    July 15, 2014 @ 2:28 am

    Victoria, you have created envy in every realm of the cat kingdom. Cats had no idea how maltreated they were until you posted Elvis’s regal photo on his new divan. Thankfully, we have dogs, so I won’t be forced into competition.
    Have you looked into estate sales? estatesales.net has listings with dates, times and posts photos of the stuff that’s being sold (at least in my area). Their are no abrasive auctioneers… I live in TX (dfw)and Craig’s list is a “bust” for the gianormous fancy stuff like you’ve snagged. Thankful estate sales have been my treasure trove. P.S. I’m in no way affiliated with them.

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  20. Dottie
    July 15, 2014 @ 11:56 am

    LOVE your blogs!
    I have been “auctioning” for years. My parents started taking me when I was about 6 and I haven’t stopped. We have “the largest weekly auction on the east coast” on Thursdays about 3 miles from my house (you can come stay with me!). I even bought my house at auction!
    Tip: when you set your maximum bid, make that “max bid + 1 bid more”. You need to “beat the dealer” that you may be bidding against. So if your max bid is $200, bidding in $25 increments, it is perfectly fine to go to $225 to win! Enjoy!

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