Thursday, March 31, 2011

auction 101, part one


One of my favorite auction finds--I love the idea of a flower show in a casino.

I recently spoke to someone who wants to go to an auction, but was nervous about it, so I gave her some tips. Her dilemma is not uncommon, so I am going to tell you everything you need to know about auctions over a series of posts. Today I'll tell you an easy way to find an auction (if you live in the U.S.-- if you don't, sorry).

Go to Auctionzip.com  Enter your zipcode in the yellow box at the top, choose a mileage radius and category (I do "antiques-household-collectible"). A calendar will pop up with all the auctions in your radius. Click on them to find ones that interests you. The beauty of this is that auctioneers post photos (usually just a few days before the auction).

Auctions vary from the very high end (think Sotheby's) to the low-end (garage sale leftovers). Pictures help you find the right one for you, but it's also about legwork. You may have to visit a variety of auctions to find one that suits you in terms of inventory, prices, and atmosphere. I will write about those three things (and also how to bid) in future posts.

Enjoy your day!

Jen

No comments:

Post a Comment