My auction adventure

It began outside the sliding doors of Gerrard's Auction House.

I had found a vintage bracelet in the open market area there a week before for a mere pound ninety-nine, so I went back to scout for more cheap goodies.

The place was pretty quiet downstairs as there was an auction in progress on the second level.

Then a blur of vintage purses on a counter caught my eye. I asked at the front desk and turns out they were part of the auction upstairs. I had never been to an auction before (save one at a charity shop that I failed miserably at). Before I knew what was happening, I was registering at the desk and climbing the stairs to the auction. I had taken a closer look at those purses, and there was one in particular that I wanted.

This is THE purse that caught my eye. I LOVE the green. It's obviously handmade, but I have no idea how old it is. No stinkiness whatsoever. Just exquisite.

I stood waiting for the lot of my purses (I was already thinking of them as MINE) with an ever-quickening heartbeat. It wasn't very busy upstairs so most of the lots weren't being bid on and could have gone for ten pounds. I was hoping the same would happen for me. By the time the lot came up, I was so pumped I felt like I was about to have a heart attack. The auctioneer started talking and up shot my arm - we were off to the bidding races. There was no way those purses were getting away.

Alas, there was an online bidder and we went back and to for a bit. But I won, paying just $2 under my cut-off figure.

Here's the inside of the green purse, an obviously handmade job. MY insides were pretty jelly-like as I waited at the counter to pay and claim my purses.

This was the second purse in the lot, not as special as the first but still an interesting - and obviously handmade - piece. I like that, like the green one (which is admittedly a bit squished and will look better when I flatten it out to reshape it), it's a wee asymmetrical. Beautiful, imperfect. That's my cup of tea!

And so went my second ever real live auction adventure. Maybe auctioning will soon become old hat -- or old purses again??

Sharing my finds for Ta-dah Tuesday!