Last week an email popped up to tell me about the first Rural and Domestic Bygones sale for this year. Brilliant - a chance to get out and look round at last.
The online catalogue listed over 1,000 lots, including many rusty farm type things but some more interesting items so I went to the preview to have a look, taking my camera of course. It was such a treat to have a reason to be driving through the Suffolk countryside after so long.
There were 4 huge dolls houses, which were described at "electrified" which amused me. I thought I'd taken pictures of all four but for some reason the camera didn't. They were estimated at £200 - £300 each - so not childrens toys. Along with the dolls houses were everything you could possible need for fitting them out, all divided into separate lots and estimated at £30 - £50 for each lot. So think £1,000 easily!
Who on earth had a huge collection of weighing scales? From kitchen to butchers and from postal to baby weighing, every sort of scales were here. Who will buy them all. I can see one or two sets might be interesting but 100?
This would look magnificent in a big garden and there is a smaller one too
I loved this toy theatre in a display case
No keen on stuffed birds but they sell well in good condition - the roof-lights are the reflection
Nothing I would want to buy this time.
They've got two more of these sales later in the year to look forward.
On retirement my husband was going to make me a house and we would make all the to scale trimmings. Needless to say it didn't happen and I suppose it's just as well as I have no room for a house in my house now and it would have been awful to have had to sell. Sigh!
ReplyDeleteIt's one of those things I would have loved but would then regret the expense later - so a good thing I never had one
DeleteYou're on a roll (smile). Two sales down, how many more to go? I don't like any stuffed animal or bird.
ReplyDeleteCar boot sale next sunday again - while I'm still on hand
DeleteI'd have loved a look around that sale - right up my street. I imagine the scales were individually lotted and dealers would be buying them for stock this summer. The original pair of scales (first thing Iever bought at auction, for £3) came with me. They were on display in mum's kitchen in the old house, but in the attic here. . .
ReplyDeleteSplendid houses - my goodness, they were an indulgence to buy and fit out though. I can remember looking in a very grand doll's house shop in Bath, and the prices for the little bits and pieces were eye-watering!
A few years back there was a real craze for taxidermy - it flew out, but now not so much in fashion, and I think the zebra leg lamps that Marina in Hay used to sell in her shop (those went quickly too, being quirky) would struggle a bit more now.
Zebra leg lamps sound very weird and gruesome!
DeleteWhat a splendid sale - I'd have loved to see the dolls' house stuff.
ReplyDeletexx
There was so much dolls house stuff - but so pricey - although I have no idea how much they are now
DeleteThat an interesting day you had Sue. My scales are Salter and were a wedding present 62 years ago and are still in use today. I was interested in the dolls house, I went to Stafford on a dolls house holiday and made a three storey wooded dolls house, it was great fun the man was a carpenter teacher so we used the drills and lathes, I remember my Son went to Kings Cross Station to pick me up because it was to big for me to get it home on the bus. The Wife was a domestic science Teacher and we had wonderful food. Wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteHazel c uk 🌈🌈
I had some salter "Victorian" scales for a while - long time ago - I loved them but they got very temperamental so had to go
DeleteLovely post, I wonder what those black bits are underneath the scales table.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever get to Leonardslee Park & Gardens, outside Horsham in West Sussex, famed for it's rhododendron and azalea collection, andy they have a fabulous Doll's House Museum:
"This extensive collection depicts the Edwardian estate and neighbouring villages at 1:12 scale, with landscapes and characters acting out day-to-day activities. Exquisite in detail and accuracy, a six-foot-tall person is recreated as six inches in height."
The things under the table are large weights - 56lb or 28lb, used on farms etc. As well as the scales there were weights of all sorts
DeleteThe darling little plates and fittings for the dolls' house! Strange how we love the miniature. Obviously a good sale but rather expensive.
ReplyDeleteI looked to see how much things sold for and some of the small boxes of bits for furnishing dolls houses went for way more than estimate - up to £120!
DeleteI love that first doll's house. As a child I always wanted one and I would still rather like to have one and spend my time furnishing it - but where to put it. My great grand daughter would adore it too,
ReplyDeleteGoing by the prices that things were estimated, it's an expensive hobby.
DeleteI had a home made one with home made furniture too
I'd have loved a look round that sale. I have an old shop scale, which I use in my kitchen. It has the proper Imperial weights, although I do have metric weights too. Those doll's houses are very grand, not like the one my Dad made me when I was a girl! xx
ReplyDeleteI looked at the sale results and lots of the scales went for just a few pounds - others for more.
DeleteThe dolls houses sold below estimate but the furniture etc sold well
I think that collection of weighing machines comes from a Norfolk collection. The weights underneath went on a sack-weigher which we used on the farm when I was a child to weigh the sacks of wheat when they came in from the combine harvester from the field.
ReplyDeleteMust have taken a long time to have collected so many sets of scales - and all sold in a couple of hours
DeleteWow! It is like visiting a museum! So many interesting pieces to look at but I can't imagine who would buy it all!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that almost everything sells - some for silly prices
DeleteOh I love the dolls houses and all that furniture. I could have great fun playing with that :-)
ReplyDeleteI'd never seen a castle doll house before and so many bits and bobs to fit them out
DeleteI would have loved a look around there. I never had a dolls house. Would have loved one though.
ReplyDeleteI had a home made one and furniture made from matchboxes!
DeleteThat was a fun sale to walk through. What a wonderful way to spend a little time!
ReplyDeleteEven if I know I'm not buying I still love looking round - amazing how some things survive
DeleteThe dolls houses are beautiful. Scarlett would love them but I don't think I would let her loose at that price! I can see why you like these sales, my idea of a good day out too.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not toys. I think I like the idea of owning one probably more than the actuality!
DeleteLove the doll houses!
ReplyDeleteI loved all the teeny sets of plates, cups etc and all the other little fittings
DeleteRe the Scales. My Partner was a 'Scalemaker' by trade and was an apprentice with The Coop. His job was to repair and maintain all types of scales in shops, factories and Farmer's Cooperatives. He recognised many of the types of scales in the picture. He thinks that some of them would have come from Local Authority Weights and Measures Dept. or Scale Repair Companies as the weights on the floor are known as 'Test Weights' which are used by Trading Standard Staff to check scales in shops etc are accurate.
ReplyDeleteI do not have a Blog, but enjoy reading yours.
Janet (Cardiff)
How interesting.......I've never heard of the job of Scalemaker - but I guess in the days before electronic they would need checking regularly.
DeleteGood to hear you enjoy reading the blog - thank you
What a fun way to spend a day even without purchasing anything!
ReplyDeleteOh my, those doll houses are simply amazing. All those items to kit them out as well.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I'm another one who is fascinated by doll houses. My father made me one as a child - it was a wooden box divided into four rooms and I used to be given little plastic sets of furniture for birthday and Christmas presents. Nothing was to scale, and my grandmother made me a couple of clothes-peg dolls to go in it.
ReplyDeleteVery plain and simple but it gave me hours of enjoyment :)
Oh wow! What a fun sale to go visit. There's an old dollhouse at Christchurch Mansion that I always used to enjoy going to see. Mum liked it too!
ReplyDeleteWow, all kinds of enchanting things to see there.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting haul for someone. x
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