Sunday, May 2, 2010

Just a Norwegian Auction

I went to an auction on a family farm just outside of Willmar Minnesota yesterday. It was an estate auction selling out the decades of accumulation of a guy named Fostervold. So I was assuming that it was just another Norwegian immigrant (a couple generations removed from the old country) farm auction.

As is my wont I was about an hour late in getting there and of course I had my valet parking spot about 100 feet from the auction site. Mike and Kris were already there, standing dead center about 10 feet in front of the auctioneer. They already had a mound of junk piled in front of them. Kris was so excited, this was the family farm, the guy was her father's cousin. And there was a trunk made by her father, on the lawn in front of the house. She WAS going to get it. So now this was more than some Norwegian farm auction, this was family.

Kris' story of the auction is here:
http://secondhandrosebuffalo.blogspot.com/2010/05/story-of-kris-and-her-dad.html

I filled the truck with some good buys. A two piece kitchen cupboard, an oak hanging cupboard with mouse chewing on the bottom, two initialed immigrant trunks, Fiesta dishes, 2 Red Wing blue stoneware pie plates, 1920's steering wheel knobs and 1950-70's license plates.

I bought three Sioux brand steel drawers at a garage sale on the way home from the auction.

The mixing bowl is cracked and well used, with lots of crazing and stains. (Much like Mr. Flannery himself, I might add).

I bought a stack of more recent license plates. These are not the real collectible plates, but they are for years that should match the birth years of our customers at Gypsy Lea's.

It was a fun time and watching Kris tear up when talking about the trunk, other family items and long lost family re-encountered, made it a special day.

Mr. Flannery

3 comments:

SecondhandKris said...

Thank you Peter! I'm so glad that you are a part of my family too - even if you are Swedish!!

judi said...

hi peter,
thanks for stopping by my blog and i appreciated your comments! i can see that auctions could be addicting, glad that there not as easy as going to the thrift store can be.
i am on a self-imposed buying sabbatical until i get my "stuff" under control. the weather is just starting to get nice here so i can get some projects done.
enjoyed perusing your blog as well as reading Kris' family auction story.
judi ;)
the1829farmhouse.blogspot.com

red.neck chic said...

Okay - I'm off to read Kris's story! That is so neat that it was her family!!!

I like the license plates - and I think it's always fun to have a crack house. LOLOLOL

Those drawers are AWESOME!!!

;-) robelyn