Monday, June 15, 2009
Tidbits from A Scattering Sale
copyright 2009 The Bettina Network, inc.
So many wonderful and not so wonderful things happen at a "Scattering Sale." We would like to share with you a few things that happened at the last sale. Our common humanity, good-bad-and indifferent, shines through!
We took this sale in spite of the fact that the water had been shut off. This was a first for us and we weren't sure what would happen, but - nothing ventured, nothing gained. We knew a little of the life of the young woman whose estate we were asked to scatter and decided this was something we wanted to do to be a part of her ending history.
Within minutes of arriving at the house to set up for the sale, a neighbor came over with her hose and an invitation for us to use her bathroom anytime we needed to. She gave us the key to her house since she was going off to work and didn't want us left in a bad position. That was wonderful and totally unexpected. Our biggest concern was laid to rest. She wanted to put the hose through the window so we would have water. We demurely declined because we didn't know how we could use the hose without wrecking the house and everything therein.
Her reason for being so generous? She remembered the time when the woman who owned the house we were selling had water and they had none. Her water was off and this person (now deceased) offered to let her use her hose and bathroom. She wanted to return the favor.
The entire weekend went like that. We realized that future sales would rise or fall on how the person whose estate we were liquidating lived their lives. That is a scary and a great thought!
The most traumatic moment of the sale was finding a wig which our host had worn during her cancer treatments. When we took the wig out of its box, one person at the sale lost control and had to go outside to gain her composure. It was very emotional for her because she knew the owner of the wig and they had many jokes they shared about with wig and without wig. While she was out recovering from the emotions brought up by the wig, a neighbor was delighted to have found it and wanted to buy the wig for her elderly mother, who she knew would absolutely enjoy this new addition to her wardrobe. Joy and sorrow in a few short moments. We decided the wig should not be sold so we gave it away and the delight at that went to a much higher level.
A man and his 12 year old daughter came by. The daughter was wise beyond her years and her parents had schooled her well in the art of estate sales. She jumped right in, found items she wanted and bargained for them like a pro. Having put away her stash of really fun items, much to our amazement, she turned around and started to help us work the sale. She stayed quite a while. We enjoyed her company and she clearly enjoyed working at an estate sale so we think we've found another person to add to those we call on for help from time to time. Her pay for her time - a make-up bag with lots of lipsticks, eyeliners, eyeshadow, eyelash brushes, etc. which she couldn't buy, but she could get past her parental inspectors if it was a gift. Can you imagine the fun she had with that bag.
Part Two of "A Scattering Sale" happens two days after the sale ends. We send out e-mails to everyone who bought something inviting them back to help us clear and clean the house and in the process to take with them whatever they saw and wanted - at no charge. That is a popular time and the time when we make many new friends. It never ceases to amaze me the new purpose to which people can put the most useless looking items. Before the day ended we had a new infusion of imagination which carried us for a couple weeks. It is so much fun to take something - for free - which looked as though it was at the end of its life and find a new use for it. That happened over and over again.
There is always a downer to the "free" part of the "Scattering Sale". In this case it was my forgetfulness in putting my camera down without thinking that there was nothing to distinguish it from what was truly being given away and not realizing until the end of the day that someone picked up and walked off with the camera and all the pictures from the sale which we normally use to make a scrapbook for the family. A lesson learned - leave pocketbook, camera and any other items not being given away, locked away. It wasn't stolen since everything in the house was free to whoever had a use for it and there was no sign on the camera to say it was already taken and we were encouraging everyone to "take, take" - "can you sweep out the garage", "can you pick up the basement", "can you help this person get their items home", "thank you for bringing us that iced tea, it was great and really needed", and so the camera got lost in the shuffle.
The biggest treat of all - the samosas a neighbor made for us with a sauce that still has my tongue burning. Exhausted and sitting on the outside stoop wondering where we were going to get the energy to even get up, in comes one of the neighbors with these hot samosas which were a new taste for us and they were good to the last crumb. Once we've had a chance to test the recipe we will share it with you. We know it is a healthy addition to your food list because it contained much cabbage.
TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email comments to info@bettina-network.com
TO LEARN MORE about the Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com
IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!!! 1-800-347-9166 inside U.S. or 617-497-9166 outside or inside the U.S.
Labels: A Scattering Sale, Making Connections
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Bettina Network, Inc's Expanding
copyright 2009 The Bettina Network, inc.
We are expanding our business to include Estate Sales and Liquidations. It is a business which helps us move one step further into vertical integration.
Several people involved with the Bettina Network have had much experience with antiques, estate sales and related matters, some for over 40 years, so this should be a great time for all.
The sales will be held all over the country depending upon who contacts us and whose estates we agree to liquidate. To find out what is happening in this regard Bettina's Sales will be listed on the website under an "Estate Sale" category.
Much of what we sell will be via silent auction. There are some items - antique and otherwise - where you really don't have a fair retail value so we will let the market decide.
You can shop either at the home where the sale is being held or you can shop via the internet. If you have the winning bid and are not in the same city we will mail your purchases to you.
Unlike many antique auctions, which take place at a definite time and place, the silent auction allows you time to look over the items being sold; to think about whether this is something you would really like to own; it gives you time to do a little research as to the items history and value; and then it gives you time to put in a bid. You can even reconsider and come back with a higher bid if your best friend slipped in a bid behind your back.
You will be able to register on the Bettina Network's web site to receive notice of new sales as they open and you will be able to register to bid.
The items in each sale are unique to that sale. In other words, the Bettina Sales will not be a travelling antique shop. For each item you purchase you will receive as much information as we have about the item - its provenance, in other words - even if it is a shop tool from Home Depot. (Who knows what they will be worth to the next generation).
There will be a permanent ongoing sale as a part of the Bettina Network Sales web site which is for items we have been asked to sell outside of any particular estate or house sale. There are people who have only a few very lovely items they want to sell, we will be open to selling those items in a special place, not as a part of any person's estate sale.
There are three categories of sales:
1. "A Scattering Sale" - A sale which offers the contents of the home of someone who has died and whose family wants their things "scattered" to those who will help bring closure to that person's life and to those who may find some use for those "things" left behind. It is always interesting to see and sell the "things" with which we surround ourselves to make life more interesting and comfortable. A "Scattering Sale" is also a treasure trove of ideas on how to live with and use "things" and very unique decorating ideas. Come for the sale or come to look around for ideas. Where a person has left favorite recipes, sayings to live by, etc. we will share those with you.
A "Scattering Sale" generally includes those things purchased to use, rather than collected for investment purposes. It can also include items inherited from family over the years and gifts from friends. They almost always include wardrobes from many decades and books by the gross. It could include automobiles, houses, etc., the entire estate.
The other two categories go upscale with the third being rare and beautiful antiques, art, and very unusual items. Needless to say, the prices accelerate with the level of sale.
So many truly beautiful things happen at these sales we thought we would include a story or two from the sales on the Bettina's Blog for you. If they get to be too many we will probably break this off and create a separate blog for the sale stories.
Payment at the sales is by cash, check or credit card and we accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Card.
Hope to see you at one of the sales. If you want to come and help to be a part of the action, let us know and we will include you in a particular sales staff. We need sales people, display people, artists, photographers, clean-up crew and more.
TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email comments to info@bettina-network.com
TO LEARN MORE about the Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com
IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!!! 1-800-347-9166 inside U.S. or 617-497-9166 outside or inside the U.S.
Labels: A Scattering Sale, Making Connections, Preserving Family History and Stories, Shopping
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