20th October 2024
Andy Tempro is a hard working man. He’s not in the first flush of youth – hell, neither am I – but the shift he put in at yesterday’s auction was astonishing. He and his team had already spent two days solid sorting and itemising the entire contents of a recently deceased lady’s house, and they opened the doors to the public yesterday at 0800. We arrived at 0930 and called it a day at 1445 after more than five hours on our feet, but not only was he still going strong, he carried on all day without a break or any food – on his feet conducting the auction, obviously talking nonstop, and after that spent all evening making phone calls to successful absentee bidders before finally leaving the site after midnight and falling into bed at 0300. And all this inside a private house stuffed to the gunwales with punters in extreme heat and humidity. And finally returning this morning for over three hours to dish out the spoils and administer all the payments. Andy, take a bow.
You heard from us last week about the lighter side of the auction experience itself, but this week we really got under the skin of it. It’s gratifying to realise that here in Barbados people clearly value, and will buy and use, simple household items which have seen far better days but have life in them yet. Quite a contrast to the throwaway culture of the UK.
But it’s not only everyday items. Oh no. There were some serious lots – and even more serious buyers – in the room yesterday. A large pile of frankly filthy, dog-eared old photographs – to call it a ‘collection’ would be gilding the lily somewhat – triggered a bidding war and ended up fetching the astounding sum of $9800 – about £4000. In conversation with Andy today we learned that these informal ‘vernacular’ images, taken on family days out in the first half of the twentieth century, were so highly prized because they are island scenes familiar to most Bajans but with one crucial difference – they feature no building or development and constitute a unique repository of original images of the island before its economic and touristic explosion. True ‘Barbadiana’.
In complete contrast, we shook our heads in disbelief when a beautiful solid mahogany dining table seating eight attracted very modest interest. As the bidding flagged, Andy turned to Nicola and said, “Mrs Bebb, don’t you want a dining table?” “I’ve got one already” “Well, he’s got twelve!” (pointing to a regular) The hammer fell. It went for an absolute song.
So, what of our fortunes? To be blunt, we picked the wrong day! Our hearts sank as several items of furniture sailed well beyond the ceilings we’d set ourselves – very stiff competition. However, we didn’t leave empty-handed. We bagged a lovely silver dish and mahogany side table:
And and and…we are now the proud owners of a large old fashioned wooden towel rail – be gone, plastic hangers dangling damp towels from the window frame!
Returning home with the spoils this afternoon, the best was yet to come…
THE GARBAGE BIN HAS BEEN EMPTIED! And on the Sabbath too. Hallelujah!
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