What a WTF?! Auction

$188


$188


$313


$31


$32


$125


$128

Results (including 25% buyer's premium) from Saturday's Mass Modern sale at Wright.

This time last year: What a Weird Auction

High Bidder: Ed

All photos by Ed.

Chair: Designed by Michel Cadestin (1977) for the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. A friend had given me a few small booklets about the Beaubourg (published in the late 1970's). The books belonged to his grandmother who attended the museum the year it opened. One book pictures the museum offices and libraries decorated with these chairs. My search began. Keywords: Pompidou Beaubourg chair chaise. I found one listed on eBay — the seller had a room full so I purchased four. I had them shipped from Paris to Philly by boat. A few months later I received them. Now my kids get more use out of them than my wife and and I. One son is learning to stand by balancing himself against them. The other boy hammers them with a wooden mallet half the day thinking that he's fixing them.

Vigneron (submachine gun): Belgian design, 1953. Purchased from a seller in Texas. Cheap. Somehow it got past the eBay police. It was described simply as "machine gun". Everything is real expect for a solid receiver.

Vintage JAWS Shirt: Kid's small. The shirt was no more than a few dollars. An impulse buy that I couldn't pass up because of the great graphic. Unfortunately it will never be worn because of a dip-stick. The prior owner used it as a rag to check his car oil.

Sea Horse Ashtray: I was watching one a few months prior to winning this one. It sold for too much because of a detailed description (K&O Co., bronze). Simple description = better price. It's currently filled with old glass playing marbles, most of which were found under the floorboards of our prior home (built 1900).

7' Bull Shark: Vintage taxidermy (1960s?). It was found it at a junk shop that's no longer in business probably because of eBay. To be honest, I don't think I even had an eBay account the year I bought the shark. Dream obituary: "Ed was killed by a shark. It fell off the wall and hit him on the head."

Ed's blog: Italian Fisherman

High Bidder: JP Williams

All images from JP Williams.

Note: from Bauhaus director Hannes Meyer
Dutch currency: designed by JTG Drupsteen, 1989
Postcard: a great three
Envelope: business reply card

High Bidder: Abby

All photos and notes by Abby Clawson Low.

Paris Reviews: I love the covers from the 60s to 80s. They are like mini works of art. I love them. And subsequently, I bought a lot of them (20+). Sewing machine: This all started as conversation with my sewing teacher, Heather Ross, about the beautiful and mysterious Italian Necchi sewing machine (aka the Ferrari of sewing machines). Thanks to the speed of email and a little luck with eBay, within a week or so, we both had one. (I think she bought two: one in chocolate and one in white.) Playing Cards: I found these on eBay while at my day job at kate/Jack spade (it must have been a slow day). I thought they'd be great inspiration for a Jack Spade project. The set of 52 cards (each with a different "pose") came from somewhere in China. I believe they were only a few dollars. They now sit in a box under my bed. Books: When I can't sleep, which is often, I will get up and peruse an entire category of eBay to pass the time and to hopefully find one or two great items while doing so. Luckily, most of these books were under $5. Stamps: JP Williams, of Design MW, started giving me vintage U.S. stamps almost a decade ago. Since he is an eBay pro he shared some of his bidding strategies with me that have proved useful over the years. I now have hundreds of sheets of mint U.S. sheet stamps.

More: here

High Bidder: Me

Astronaut painting: Vintage portrait of the Apollo 11 astronauts upon their return. Seller claimed "prison art" but I think it made a good story as she was from Ossining, NY. This is my all-time favorite and best eBay win. Proxy bidding worked for me. I put in a bid almost ten times what I ended up paying. WWII Trench Art: Someone stuck four bars of GI issue soap together and carved this beautiful cave, brought it home, 60 years later it ended up on eBay and I had to get it. Kids chairs: Very similar to these, no one was bidding and I could pick them up — so why not bid? Dutch coat hooks and vintage fabric: vintage rack designed by Coen de Vries came from the Netherlands. I had been looking at his bigger wall units and found these. All steel, really nicely made. From the yardage of this sort-of cute kids fabric, my wife made some bloomers for our daughter. Kitchen set and molecular model: Vintage Community Playthings kitchen (sink, oven, fridge) in super condition. Solid maple and a bargain at twice the price. The model is a vintage Sargent and Co. molecular model.

A few more: here

High Bidder: Kelly

All photos by Kelly (Hoping for Happy Accidents)

Teak: vintage teak bowls from various makers — recent additions to a much larger collection. Chairs: set of two vintage leather chairs in a kind of oyster color. i don't know the maker and there aren't any marks that i can find (original eBay photos). Carafe and cups: Marshall Studios.

More: here

High Bidder: Jason

All photos by Jason Rosenberg.

Bookends: heavenly. endless uses. Mugs: mugs, mugs, mugs. all from ebay. but one is a moustache mug. Aalto/Hebi: the aalto desk was my only ebay 'local pickup only' experience. but thank god. and the beat up hebi clamp came from germany. made for each other, in my opinion. Snufkin: my favorite moomin character. this is an old handmade from finland. i had to buy a 'lot' of 30 hideous dolls to get it. i begged the woman to only send snufkin, and she complied. Blankets: an abbreviated display of my wool blanket obsession. mostly from finland.

More: here

Announcing: High Bidders

Tomorrow I'll be posting the first of what will be a semi-regular "feature" of this blog. Every Wednesday I'll be sharing Reference Library readers' own eBay wins. I'm calling it "High Bidder". You might see something familiar, like this or this — both auctions were won by a reader after seeing them here. But mostly, this is a chance for you to share. So if you'd like to participate, email me.

Tomorrow's High Bidder is Jason, who I met while searching old auctions for Czech illustrated books. Next is Kelly. Then Abby. Also, I've received many emails from readers wanting to know a little more about me and my own eBay victories, not just the items I didn't win. I'll be posting some of my own too. I hope you like it.