Auctions Part One: Farmersville

I get a lot of emails asking me where exactly do I find my cool crap. 90% of what I've collected over the years have come from auctions and estate sales. So, I always point people to auction zip because that's the easiest place to start find interesting auctions. Most auction places will list what they have coming up for sale on this site. This website shows auctions throughout the United States but not all states use this site. You really have to become familiar with the different auction companies in your area and keep an eye on their personal websites. I'm extremely lucky and happen to live in an area that is over saturated with auction houses. Everyday of the week I could go to an auction if I wanted to. The difference between an auction house and a estate sale in my area basically comes down to location. Estate sales are held at the sellers house so location varies and everything is sold there, even the house! At an auction house, things are sold there at the same location on a regular basis. Some auctions companies make you pay a buyer's premium (a percentage additional charge) on top of what ever it is you purchase. Every place is different and very few places in my area do a buyer's premium anymore. Also in my area, everybody has the same chance of buying the same thing. All bidders have a bidding number and when the auctioneer puts your item up for sale anyone with a number can bid. There's none of this stupid get in a line and we leave five people in at a time crap. That's just stupid...who thought of that?? Competition is better idiots, you can make more money that way.

Please keep in mind as you are auction surfing that in most cases, unless it's a specialty auction, you are not going to come across all the things you are looking for at one auction. You all know from reading my blog that most times I go to an auction because there might be one thing there I want. It has taken me a really long time to get to the place I am with my collecting. Now of course you don't need to collect this way, with ebay you can find anything and have it on Tuesday. But really, how thrilling is that? Part of the passion for me is finding it myself and not paying an arm and a leg for it in the process.

FARMERSVILLE AUCTION:
The summer is when I do most of my auction hunting as I'm on vacation. One of my favorite auction houses to hit up when the weather gets warmer is Farmersville Auction. I love picking through junk and finding things other people overlook or deem not worthy enough. Not to toot my own horn or anything but I'm a very good junk picker!

As you can see from the pictures, it's a sea of very cool junk and lots of Amish and Mennonite people! To go to an auction like this, you have to see potential in crap and have a good memory because things that go together are spread all over the place....remember my junk treasure post! I found every thing in that post there and spent less then $40 for it all. I have yet to go to this auction and not find something interesting to look at. Once I went and saw a bunch of beautiful old coal stoves. Are they not the most amazing things??!!

How about an old Brooklyn Brewery keg?? You can find it in the junk piles!

Here's a bunch of crap I got many years ago from the junk piles for less then $25! The white cart I use in my classroom for my kids to store their ceramic projects on.

What else have I found on the junk piles at Farmersville you may ask?? Well over the years, I have pulled from the junk piles my 1947 Admiral tv and that very cool atomic foot stool (see Kim's post...every now and then they come up on ebay...ps. if you don't read Kim's blog you should as she is the funniest!) you see in front of my sofa in this picture below! Notice in this picture below I didn't have my heywake coffee table yet!

Not only does Farmerville Auction have an outside junk picking pile but they also have a regular auction of the "good stuff" inside and sell furniture in the evening! They also have a food stand there and make some of the best ice cream ever! Yum!

So, where is MaryDeluxe on a Tuesday in the summer time? Why, she's at Farmersville auction picking through the junk piles! Stop over and say hi!