For me, a big part of the experience of antique auctions has always been about the atmosphere and the crowd. Antique dealers from all over the country come to sell off their wares, and you can hear all kinds of rumors about who has the best stuff. Whether you are looking for something minor like an antique coffee table, or are attending an antique car auction hoping to make a big purchase, being there in person allows you to really get a feel for what is going on and make a reasonable decision.
So when I tried out my first online antique auction a few days ago, I was a little bit skeptical, to say the least. You see, I am the kind of person who trusts my gut instincts. If I get a bad idea about something in an auction, no matter how good it looks, I won't buy. At antique auctions, you can see how the dealer feels about their wares and how the auction caller feels about them. You can talk to other people and see what the opinions of the audience are. In short, you have more information to take in than when you go to an antique auction online. How was I going to make decisions at the antique online auction? How would I know if I was getting a good product or just something that looked good on paper? I decided to play it safe. I planned to make no purchases.
There is something about antique auctions that really gets my blood pumping. At this online estate auction, I had hoped that that wouldn't happen. I had hoped that it wouldn't have the usual energy and buzz about it since I was sitting at home on my computer. Nevertheless, I got the antique auctions buzz going again. I tried to fight the impulse, but I knew I had to buy something at the antique auction. If I didn't get an antique fireplace, I would get a beautiful antique coffee table where the bidding was starting at about 200 dollars.
I'm glad that I bid at the antique auction. It is actually one of the best finds that I have bought at any of the antique auctions I've been to. It is every bit as beautiful as it looked in the picture, and I picked it up cheaply at 250 dollars. All in all, it was a day well spent!
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