Mirror, Mirror
Four Idora Park Fun House Mirrors recently came up for auction in North Lima!
Spike and I kept the auction info quiet from you because we wanted to not alert any competition that may be out there. We wanted the Mirrors here, in our collection, not hidden away in someone’s basement. And, we wanted all four to stay together. We already had one Idora Park Fun House Mirror - we needed to reunite the ‘family’!
So, Spike and I went to the auction.
We had decided beforehand that our max bid would be $205 per mirror. Spike wanted to bid to a max of $200, but I convinced her that even-number bids were most people’s cut off point and that I’d won many auctions by going just a few dollars higher.
Besides, I wore my colors and I meant business - I was wearing my The Idora Park Experience logo shirt. Everyone needed to know that we were at the auction to fight!
We settled on a max of $205 each, but hoped for lower. I mean, who the heck else could want four Fun House Mirrors???
Larry Cadman arrived at the auction and he told me that he thought we might get the Mirrors for $50 each! That would have been great!
Man, were we wrong!
Obviously, someone else wanted those Mirrors. Three someones else, actually.
Auctioneer Dave Dangerfield started the auction by asking for an opening bid of $400. No one bit. $375 - no takers, $350, $300 … $100 -- BAM!
A fish (I’m going to give each bidder a name. This guy is The Fish) grabbed the bait and we were off! It was like a ride on the Wildcat! I mean, we skipped the Baby Wildcat coaster and the Jack Rabbit and immediately went for the King of All Rides!
I watched the hill climb quickly from $100 … $125 … $150 … $175 and The Fish was out. He took a beating in those early rounds after throwing that first bid out there. I watched him from the corner of my left eye, not wanting to move my head too much. That would show interest and give away my intentions.
Gotta remain cool and collected, right?
The poor Fish was getting slapped around by another bidder, The Lizard. The Lizard guy had these big eyes that kind of rotated around, watching out for any approaching bidders. The Lizard was also off to my left, but several feet in front of The Fish. The bidding stalled momentarily at $200. The Lizard looked content after putting a whooping on The Fish. Did The Lizard think he was going to win at $200? Seriously?
I looked at Spike and she looked back at me. We were already at our max and Dave was asking for the next bid to be $225. That was $20 over our max!
I could tell by Spike’s look that she was really into this fight now and it would be okay to loosen the reins and go for it. She whispered the code word, “Farragut” to me. I nodded. (Admiral Farragut coined the phrase, “Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!” during the Civil War.)
Full steam ahead it was to be …
I raised my hand at $225 and the look on The Lizard’s face disappeared. He countered with $250 that I ducked and followed up with $275. We were swinging wildly now, but I could see him tiring. The Lizard finally took a knee at $325 and was counted out.
I didn’t get much of a breather because a new bidder raised his hand. I saw this man earlier in the day and I immediately suspected that he was interested in the Mirrors because he was well, looking at the Mirrors -- a clue!
The guy held his hands in front of his face like a praying mantis. I walked past him earlier, before the auction and I could smell a mixture of stale coffee, Aqua Velva aftershave and cigarette smoke. When I saw him spit into a Styrofoam cup that he carried in his mantis hands I knew that I had his name -- he was The Grasshopper.
The Grasshopper nodded his bid in at $350 and we were soon at war. I followed up with $375 and The Grasshopper twitched a little as if he wasn’t expecting to be challenged. He hesitated and Dave had to ask several times if anyone would bid $400. I thought for sure that we’d get the Mirrors at $375 each, but The Grasshopper spit into his cup, looked over at Dave and nodded in at $400.
Damn Grasshopper!
After that earlier hesitation on The Grasshopper’s part I figured it would be best if I countered immediately with my next bid. Hesitation can mean that you’re wearing down. I didn’t want him thinking that I was finished.
I swatted that Grasshopper with a $425. He staggered, then dropped.
Dave Dangerfield stood over the Grasshopper and counted him out, $450? … $450? … $450 … going once, going twice, you’re out at $425 -- the winner is The Idora Park Experience!
And the crowd went wild!
Well, not wild, but a whole bunch of people started clapping and that was cool!
With the buyer’s premium we got all four Mirrors for $1,870. I don’t usually publicize what we’ve paid for artifacts, but a lot of people were there, so ...