A Night at the Auction

Page from my book WEREWOLVES OF WISCONSIN (2012 McFarland Publishing) featuring Lizzie Borden

At a recent show the boys from Robo Picto Comics met a guy who runs comic and pop culture related auctions about 25 mins from us on the Rhode Island border, which is how I found myself sitting at Village Haven eating chicken at 4pm in the afternoon— and the place quickly FILLED UP too— talk about blue plate specials!

The part of Massachusetts that borders Rhode Island is somewhat rural with very narrow winding roads— the auction itself was being held in a Elk’s Lodge type of location and it was overflowing— which works out well because the auctioneer is building his own auction space down the road a ways. We arrived around 3pm to go through the preview— you can’t bid in an auction without looking at the items you’re going to be bidding on first, well, you can, but you’re making a mistake.

Then we headed over to the Wrights Chicken Farm rival Village Haven which did indeed offer nearly the same meal with the addition of cinnamon rolls and French Fries that are actually good (sorry Wright’s I hate your soggy fries).

Number Three Son arrived at the auction around 5pm and saved us some seats and we ended up back with Ice Coffees at 530.

The auction started promptly and moved at a fast pace— Travis the owner/auctioneer was well skilled and I’ve attended a lot of auctions.

I bid on a handful of items but didn’t win— the boys ended up with four or five lots including a 2 foot tall Porky Pig Chalkware figure and a matching Popeye. Chalkware figures were Carnival Prizes in the 30s-50s and are neat collectibles. The Porky was a cowboy so that added a great deal of appeal.

Overall the auction was a lot of fun and I’ll be back for the May one.