WARNING Will Robinson, danger danger.
Estate sales in my area are a rip off to to the estate.
When my dad was on his last legs, I went to an Estate sale. On a table I saw the perfect item to give him joy, it was a very old knife in a leather sheaf covered with Masonic Symbols. WOW--I had worked overtime for 3 weeks an had a full purse, willing to bid as high as $500.00. More if necessary, forget the rent, Dad was in need of something he could with pride donate to the Lodge as a final gift.
I picked it up and carried it to the auctioneer and asked him to bid it out. He looked surprised and told me the item was not for auction, his company had the right to buy items from the Estate before the auction. The item was bought all ready. So why was it on the auction table, a mistake he said as he took it from me and put it under his table.
This fantastic item that was very old and most unusual would have astounded my dad, He, His father and Grandfather had all been Masters of the same Navy Lodge and was worth me spending every dime I had to see his face on receiving it.
The SOB's are a bunch of frigging sharks that run the Estate sales, this has been a bitch for me for years since, this item got past the workers for the auctioneer company and they stole it from the Estate.
Not a dry eye from me when a local auction company was sued for putting up a painting for auction and instead of auctioning it off bought the painting themselves for 1/10 the value. Big scandal and made people more aware of the rip offs.
Got to remember here in New England stuff in attics and barns that we think is junk is worth enough to pay off the heating bill for the winter. My Mom just paid $758.00 to have her oil tank filled, she just turned 90 and now tells me she is looking for a job.