Otero Junior College Chinook

While I watched all the items sell at the Las Animas auction, I met several interesting people, which is why auctions are a great social outlet. Just recently I met a couple, Susan and Fred from Hasty, who attend many auctions in the area. Curious, I asked them what they did with everything they bought. They responded, “We keep everything for our retirement.” Fred is currently building a store, which will later become their retirement antique shop they have always dreamed of owning. Beth and her husband, Stan, opened an E-bay store called Caddie Creek. Tony, from Raton, New Mexico, rents mall booths in Albuquerque and Taos. Once a month, he comes to Las Animas and buys three to four hundred dollars worth of antiques from us to restock his booths. With his van packed, we wave as he drives off to deliver his load. Besides socializing with Tony at auctions, he has become a good friend.

Auctions are not just a social outlet; they are a learning outlet too. For example, a Toothache Dog Cookie Jar sold for $280.00, at an auction I attended in La Junta. It looked just like one sold at Wal-Mart. Come to find out, not too many were made. This outrageous bid not only awed the crowd, but informed everyone to pay attention. If a cookie jar such as this appears at a yard sale for a small price, grab it before someone else does. At another local auction an original Honey Amber Fruit Jar sold for $1,225.00. The yellow, quart-size jar did not seem unusual—with the exception of the words: “The Magic Fruit Jar” curved around a star. The cookie jars didn’t appear to be valuable, but people will pay a shocking amount of money to possess such items with distinctive markings.

All in all, auctions are great place to seek hidden treasures. They are like a huge mall, and everything is ninety percent off. Just imagine the smartest shopping spree imaginable, when looking at the auction flier: the treasures at auctions offer profits for businesses, new acquaintances becoming treasured friends, and learn valuable information along the way.

—Carla Threlkeld
OJC Freshman