A Furniture Auction!

Last weekend we got the chance to have a fun, new experience -- we went to a furniture auction! It was a real auction like you see on TV... complete with the auctioneer on a podium and the fast talking and a bunch of people sticking their numbers in the air!

My parents have been to a few of these auctions, and they always come back with great deals, so we went with them! The auction takes place about once a month in a big warehouse. We got there a little early so we could walk around and see all the items before the auction started. This particular auction was all American antiques... mostly furniture, along with some clocks and light fixtures and wall hangings and random pieces.

We registered and got our bidding numbers...

We were a little nervous... it was so intense with the fast-calling and number raising!

My mom wasn't nervous at all... she's like a pro at this whole auction thing!

There were a few workers who would bring each piece out and lift it up so everyone could see, and then the bidding would start, and then about 45 seconds later the piece would be sold! I took a video so you could see the craziness:

Untitled from Spirals & Spatulas on Vimeo.

There were thousands of items to sell, and they sold them all in a little under four hours. Crazy! Even though we were newbies at the auction thing, we left with a couple of GREAT purchases! Our big purchase was this antique bench with three little drawers:

When we saw it we knew it would be perfect for our entryway, and I LOVE it in this spot! I can't wait to make a little cushion for it and some matching pillows!

It's been recently refinished, and it's in great shape, so we don't even have to do anything to it! Plus, it just looks so cute from inside the piano room...

We also bought this little milk glass piece:

Adorable, right?

It's a perfect addition to my milk glass collection. I didn't have anything like it before, and I'm excited to use it with flowers or fruit as a table centerpiece! For now, it's living with all my milk glass pieces upstairs in the Ikea bookshelf:

My parents walked out with a chair and a serving tray, so we all did pretty well! Of course, there were some items that we bid on and didn't win, but I'm thrilled with the bench and milk glass we brought home! Plus, everyone got a free barbecue lunch just for attending the auction, and it was FUN!

We couldn't believe the great deals people were getting... lots of nice, big dressers were going for $125 or $150, end tables and small chairs were going for $25 or $35, and gorgeous antique bookshelves were selling for around $300. We're planning on going back for the next auction!

Have y'all ever been to a furniture auction? I would highly recommend it!