What I paid for Aunt Rozella's Silver

I am sorry it has taken me THREE DAYS to tell you about Aunt Rozella's silver.

Obviously, I'm having a little trouble telling this story. I couldn't figure out what to share and what should be edited...ugh...I didn't want to make anybody look bad.

But, hey -- Uncle Marion did most of that on his own....

I was disappointed, but not surprised, when he refused my offer of $1500. So -- Aunt Rozella's silver would go to the auction...and I was very hopeful that I'd be the winning bidder.

But, like I said -- the GMB boys were attracting HUGE crowds at that time...

For me -- going to an auction was a regular Saturday activity. Whenever anybody was visiting me -- we'd head off to the sale barn in DeWitt. I took both Joanne Ross AND Pat Leslie....and Mary Mulari has probably attended half a dozen auctions over the years...Obviously, I am a regular customer...

Mary -- with her own bidding number...

So -- I have set the stage. Aunt Rozella's belongings have all been taken to the auction barn in DeWitt, Iowa. I went up on Friday night to help unpack the boxes and set up the tables. My Uncle Melvin was the one doing most of the heavy lifting on this whole deal.

Uncle Melvin and his wife Kathy spent days (weeks?) going through Aunt Rozella's house, and packing up the boxes...I helped a little -- but, for them, it was a full time job!!  Uncle Melvin thought it was terrible that Marion didn't let me buy the silver...and he thought I made a generous offer...

When we were setting up the tables on Friday night, I talked to Norm, the auctioneer, about Aunt Rozella's silver.  He knew I was hoping to buy it.  Norm figured it would be sold in the second hour...

Saturday morning...with my bidding number in hand... #12.  I waited patiently.  There is a certain strategy involved when bidding at an auction.  I decided I would NOT be the first one to bid...I didn't want to appear too eager....

A local antique dealer started the bidding at $25.
I bid $50.
She bid $75...
It was just the two of us...and we got up to $200 pretty quickly...I was holding my bidding number in the air the whole time...altho #12 definitely had a budget, I wanted to look determined...like I had NO QUIT in me...

The antique dealer bidding against me was sitting at the end of a bleacher seat.  This woman was a family friend, and Deena thought maybe she didn't realize she was bidding against ME -- Aunt Rozella's actual NIECE...

The woman had just bid $250.....when Deena got next to her, and said, "Say -- do you know you're bidding against Rita?"

My #12 was in the air all the time...

The woman looked down at Deena and said (with some disdain) that she knew perfectly well she was bidding against family-- but -- hey -- THIS IS AN AUCTION -- it happens all the time -- and if I want the silver, I'm just gonna have to pay...

While she was still talking to Deena, and explaining how this auction thing works...the auctioneer dropped his gavel and said, "SOLD for $275. to bidder #12 ..."

I don't know who was happier...Deena, Uncle Melvin, or me. Yeah...it was me. Definitely me...