Aunt Rozella's Silver

So -- okay -- I am free to tell this story because Uncle Marion died in 2007.

See -- here's the thing. Although he and Aunt Rozella were married for over 50 years -- they weren't exactly Romeo and Juliet. They were the "Bickerson's"...

Aunt Rozella was the main breadwinner. She always had a good job that provided their benefits. And she was an officer in many local charitable clubs and service organizations...

Uncle Marion served in WW II, then came home and married Aunt Rozella -- who,apparently, was embarrassed because her younger sister (my Mom) was already married.  She was suffering the humiliation of being considered an Old Maid.

Although Uncle Marion worked as a mechanic, he was not a go-getter...and he pretty much stayed at the entry level wherever he went...(gee -- this is hard to write).

I adored Aunt Rozella.  I was not a fan of Uncle Marion.

To be honest -- he was a bigot -- and his view of the world was hard to take.  He hated many people, and he liked to blame other people for many of the problems in his own life.

More often than not, he'd start to talk, and Aunt Rozella would shut him up...with a stern -- "Oh, Marion...that's not true..." Sometimes, she actually held up her hand...sending a clear message... SHUT UP...

Looking back -- I do wonder why they stayed together.  Because she obviously did not like him....

But -- I digress.....

Back to Aunt Rozella's Silver.

The day I found it, under the bed, I really, really wanted it. I didn't have any idea what it was worth -- so I went to that brand new phenomenon -- eBay! At that moment in time, there was a complete set of Spring Glory silver -- which was listed for $1500.(but it had NOT sold.)

Gulp.

I printed out that page and showed it to Uncle Marion. I offered him $1500. (which was A LOT OF MONEY for me )....

He knew Aunt Rozella spent $2250 for her silver, and he believed it would be worth twice that much.

So he said no. He would rather take his chance at the auction...

I don't have pictures of Aunt Rozella's actual auction -- but this is the same Auction House

The GMB Auctioneers were, at that time, doing an excellent business in DeWitt, Iowa.

They had an auction almost every weekend...

They did a great job of sorting and displaying the items to be sold.

And they were attracting BIG crowds...

People came from miles around.

The head auctioneer -- Norm (with the white hair in this picture, holding up the quilt) was an excellent auctioneer..

I once purchased this button turkey for my niece Amy...

And you know I have built a HUGE COLLECTION of household linens...

This is NOT Aunt Rozella's silver...but, even the forks and spoons I use everyday are old silverplate -- all of it purchased at auctions over the years...