Why I Hate Auctions With Internet Bidding

  It was a warm day yesterday. Overcast as could be, but warm. I consented to eat at a restaurant with Ken because we got to eat outside on the patio, all by ourselves. (We still need to get our vaccinations.) On the way home it started to rain, which continued into today. Apparently that cooled things off considerably because it's been as low as the 40's, (Fahrenheit), today.  My poor fingers were pretty good by yesterday afternoon, but are stiff and sore again today. I'm hoping the weather has something to do with it, and when it warms up they will be all better.

  The doll auction started yesterday. Ken and I got there not long after the auction started, but I very quickly figured out that I wasn't going to be able to afford anything. It was a shame too, because there were quite a few wonderful Baps dolls, (You can see my pitiful Baps doll HERE.), and some beautiful hand made one of a kind dolls, and lot of really cool miniatures. 

  I had a look at the dolls for the other two days of auctions too. It looked like the only chance I was going to have at affording anything was going to come on the 'gallery only' auction day. 'Gallery only' means you have to actually be there to bid. Wednesday and Thursday were gallery and internet bids. I talked to a couple of ladies who were also looking at the gallery bids only dolls, and we all agreed that since the auction started accepting internet bids too, we could no longer afford anything.  It's too hard to compete with people from all over the world. It's bad enough when you are competing with people in the gallery! The auctions are where dealers used to go to get the dolls they sold at shows. 'Regular people'  rarely showed up. Now there is so much competition from internet bids that I don't know how dealers can make a profit any more. Add that to the incredibly high cost of show tables and it's easy to see why doll shows are dying. Dealers can't afford to do shows because they have to sell so much just to warrant going. They have to make back table costs, travel costs, and still make a profit on the dolls they sell. One of the ladies said the auction house takes half the auction price of the doll, then they also charge the buyer 5 or 10% if you pay in cash, (We couldn't remember which.), and even more for using credit cards. It's like the doll shows. They charge crazy prices for tables, even more for electricity if you need it for your display, and then charge shoppers for entry. Let's add to that the money they make for  the ridiculous practice of 'early birders' fees. That's where people pay extra to enter the show an hour or two ahead of everybody else. That's stupid! Just let everyone have the same chance, and stop trying to milk every last dime out of the thing.

  Anyway, I'm not sure I'm going to go back on Friday, because Ken has to work that evening. He's always paranoid the car won't be back in time and he'll be late. So, I left some absentee bids. I almost never win with absentee bids. I am afraid of spending too much, since you never know how many lots you'll win, so I bid very low. If I were there I would know what I had won so far, and could bid accordingly. So I invariably bid too low, and probably lose a lot of things by $5, (one bid). In any case, I guess I'll leave it to fate. I did spot one doll I've had on my mental list, and a couple of others that would now be on the list if I knew who they were made by. I'll let you know if I win anything. I probably won't find out until at least Monday.

Doll-A-Day 16 and Some Auction Scores

  Today's doll is this girl.

She is a Littlest Rebel Shirley Temple doll by Danbury Mint.

 She stands approximately 11" tall. The costume is from the movie called, (what else?),The Littlest Rebel, which was made in 1935.

   Her outfit is nicely detailed, right down to her little boots.She was part of my purchases at yesterday's 'Treasure Hunt' doll auction.
  It was quite a day for Shirley Temple dolls. There were scads of them. Not many people were bidding on them either, which was good for me. Most of the bids on them came from me and another lady who was my biggest competition, and occasionally someone else.Biggest Competition and I got both Danbury Mint Dress Up doll trunks full of  movie costumes for the 18" Dress Up doll.Between us we got almost all of the costumes.Some of the costume bits were scattered between the trunks. I suggested we trade the bits so we both had full outfits, but she just gave me whatever she had that I was missing instead of asking for some of the stuff that I had for herself. That was awfully nice of her. I got the doll when it first came out around 1995,but I only had 3 costumes for her.
   Besides the trunk I got four Shirley toddler dolls by Danbury Mint.They're all bisque, which normally I can't stand the feel of.But this bisque is so smooth it feels like a really good quality vinyl.
  This First Vacation Shirley is without her coat and hat, which are drip drying after a wash, and her lei,which I forgot to put back on her when I took her coat and hat off.Other than the soiling to her hat and coat she is perfect, and they look great after their wash and a soak in Stain Devils #8.(I swear Stain Devils should pay me for all the recommendations I give them!)

She even still had the plastic clips on her dress to keep the pleats in.

Then there is this Bathing Beauty Shirley and her beach ball.

Please excuse my rubber band, but I'm having a little trouble holding this ball.

This My Friend Corky Shirley and her dog.

Corky could use a repaint.

This Little Miss Shirley Temple, which will be going away, since I already have this one.

And this Bright Eyes Shirley, (in the middle),which is missing her doll and big hat.

Corky Shirley seems to have appropriated Bathing Shirley's beach ball. Bathing Shirley is too busy gossiping with Bright Eyes and First Vacation to care. By the way,what would you call this? A 'gaggle' of Shirleys? A 'pod'? A 'flock'?

None of them have any papers or boxes, and only one has a tag, but since the boxes of two dolls each cost me $5 a box, I'm not going to complain!
  Emma went with me and bid on a few things, but didn't win any. I also got several Wee Patsy's,and a box full of souvenier or travel dolls, plus one really beautiful doll with embroidered clothes, which I'll show you tomorrow. Until then...

Auction Fever (Well, auction nausea anyway.)

  I wrote this last night, but then was too tired to take the pictures, so it's outdated by a day.
  Well, here I am again at the end of another auction day. I'm absolutely exhausted from watching other people win stuff. Ok, I did win a few things, which is the reason for my other malady: auction blahs. When I spend money I get nauseated! I am going to have to move some of this stuff to justify going, or else I'll just have to crawl into a hole and die.(Which is entirely out of the question.)
  There were some beautiful Stacey dolls today, none of which I won. There was a really nice Todd with blushy cheeks, which I also did not win. None of the Skippers absolutely bowled me over, but there was a very pretty brunette Skooter: which also did not come home with me. Ditto the Father of the Bride Elizabeth Taylor. (Crossed fingers on my absentee bid for Elizabeth as Cleopatra tomorrow.) I almost did better at Goodwill on the way home from visiting my Dad last night.

  I swear this isn't my fault. The computer's acting weird. Not even my computer illiteracy is to blame for this one.

 I got this bunch of dolls, including a vintage Allan,with shoes,this Tangled doll in all her original stuff, Maxie,and these other more boring ladies, all for $3!

  Today I did score a Gene I've been wanting though!Creme De Cassis is mine at last.

   Thanks Ken for the early anniversary present!
   I also got a great Skipper/Barbie case.

  I have been needing some more cases to keep my stuff in. Missed out on the Ken and Midge cases though.
  Nice graphics on this Barbie and Skipper electric drawing set.

  I love dolls of real people that really look like them. Even people I don't especially like. (That's why I have two different Frank Sinatra dolls and a Clark Gable.)

I loved all the little guitars on the other Elvis'...Elvis's....Elvi...but this was the only one I could afford.

  Now here's my question. If Barbie loves Frankie AND Elvis, when is she going to love The Beatles?! Now that one I would buy new! (Well, probably not, because it would be 5 dolls and cost a fortune. But I would stalk it until it became affordable.) If they could make a set of Beatles dolls with head sculpts as good as the Frank Sinatra and Elvis dolls they've done that would be amazing! And they have to be next. (And where does it stop? I don't see anybody else that is on a popularity par with those guys.For the 70's, Barbie loves...? Kiss? The Bay City Rollers? The Bee Gees? See, it just doesn't work. For one thing, I don't think Mattel would let her love Kiss.
  Ken (Husband, not the doll.)loves Coca Cola stuff. He never buys himself anything though. It took me saying that I really like this Coke Barbie for him to make a winning bid.

We had already lost out on a whole box full of Coke Barbies, the Coca Cola soda fountain, (So Cool!!),and Coca Cola Ken. (I said, of all things, we should have a Coca Cola Ken. Other than Ken that is. Actually, Ken can't be Coca Cola Ken anymore, because he drank SOOO much pop that he now has mild diabetes. He used to drink almost nothing but pop, and he's a thirsty guy, so that was A LOT of pop. The guy could drink a whole 2 litre bottle in seconds, and frequently did. Drinking a highly caffinated beverage probably added to his thirst, which made him drink more pop, which made him thirstier...well, you get the idea. These days he is a good boy, (well, a better boy.) who drinks mostly water.
  I got a few stray pieces of vintage stuff, including the rare Sears exclusive Red Fantastic, which is actually not red.

  After finding the Tammy house, last weekend---remember I said I'd never seen it in person? Well, there it was in tomorrow's auction stuff. And better than mine. It had stuff inside and parts of it looked like they'd never been put together. Oh well. Mine was only $5....
  And because the auctioneer was begging me to take it I bought a Barbie Dreamhouse. Unfortunately not the second one. We had that one as kids and I'd love to have that one. Anybody want a Dreamhouse?