A Day at the Auction

A while back, I decided to go to an auction I read about online, at Slotin Auction House in Buford, Georgia just north of Atlanta. They specialize in folk art but also get an occasional collection and other unique items. This particular auction drew me in because of some unusual vintage carnival pieces and civil war photos. They have these large auctions about 4 times a year and you can sign up for a catalog online, you can also bid via phone, so you do not have to be there in person.

They were very well organized and had breakfast food on hand and an open bar all for free! I got a diet coke and a banana and took a good look at all the items. I also got a catalog along with my bid card and that was so helpful in following everything. They go in order and the tintypes and photos were first and though they started off with a bang, the women with swords, the cover of the catalog went for 2500.00, they others started going far below estimate. Many as low as 25.00 and a few for just $10.00. I bid and won two lots of portrait cards one for 10.00 and one for 5.00 and then I got smitten with 3 vintage boxing cards and got those for 25.00.

Next came the carnival art but that was going pretty high, a Fat Man banner went for 3800.00, I think. Still, I had my heart set on this Rodeo Poster and I set my limit at 800.00 (yeah that’s right) and I thought I might have a shot, but I was bidding against someone on eBay and they went to 850.00 and I let it go. I am not unhappy about it, I looked at it closely (again) after and really am not completely convinced it is not a reproduction.

Then I went for this amazing Palm Reading sign…again it seemed like I might have a shot, as it hovered on my bid of 525.00 but then an eBay bid jumped it to 600.00 and I put my bid card away…it finished at 2000.00! It was really great though, I was picturing it in my little studio… well ce la vie…I am sure it will end up in some cool NY loft or something.


What was interesting was they just never took breaks, the guys holding up the stuff or the ones manning the phones just ate and worked straight through. Then there was a whole bunch of decoys and fishing stuff and that was when I took a break to eat lunch, which they also provided! A really nice pulled pork spread, really good and again free! (They really don’t want you to go anywhere.) The auctioneer was pretty funny and everyone was nice and we applauded for some of the big ticket stuff. The highest was this pop art piece (almost all of that stuff was sold by phone or internet bids) this Italian Novelli piece that went for 25,000.00 more than double it’s estimate!

I got back from my lunch break in time to make an impulse bid on these bulls, which seem to be a good deal and something I really thought my parents would love. I won them and they now sit in my parents entry way.

I had two more items I wanted to go for, though if I got the first one this amazing apothecary cabinet, I was not going to try for the other one…but again, when it went over 600.00 I was done, the final was I think 900.00.

So my final item that I wanted was a quirky painting from 1955 of a lady with a Cat. Estimated for $300-$500…

I decided my limit was 500.00…and this time I got it and for just 230.00! I just love it…it is signed R.A. Wilson 1955 Chicago, on the back. All of this art came from a collector and curator named Ben Apfelbaum and the catalog has a bio. It just makes it even more special cause he sounds like a wonderful guy and he knew his stuff. I decided to call it a day, there were a few other things I liked and I am sure there would be more deals to be had but I did not need to spend any more money. When you set your price, keep in mind, you pay a 15% “buyers premium” on top of the bid price to the auction house.

My cat lady in her new home.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol