Ezzy and I headed back to the house. We were both a bit chilled and a lot hungry. Oh, my! The aroma of coffee greeted us with a welcoming warmth! Mark was up and in the kitchen..time for breakfast! Over breakfast, we made plans to visit a small antique shop that was just down the road. I had heard that there were a lot of "interesting finds" in this shop and I was in the market for a piece of furniture to restore! Lately, I had a hankering to paint another piece but had nothing on hand that lent itself to be an artistic piece. I was a lady on a mission and Mark tolerated my whims! Off we went! I had no idea exactly what I wanted but the search was on! When we arrived, we noticed that the place was not exactly conducive to shopping. First off, I had to literally climb over a large four-wheel all terrain vehicle to get inside the door...hmmm..this did not seem to be a good business plan! At the very least the entry to the place should be inviting..not blocked by a huge vehicle! Surely things would be nicer inside. I was wrong. Most antique shops have a certain distinct musty smell...this place smelled...BAD! I began to think that perhaps a rat the size of an elephant had met its demise somewhere amongst the racks and racks of grungy clothing that were in the middle of the shop. These were items that looked as if they were once used as cleaning rags...antiques? Nah...I wandered on..surely it would get better. The owner could be heard greeting other potential buyers with a spiel not unlike that of the proverbial used car salesman. His voice grew louder and louder with each person that climbed over the four-wheeler. His words spewed out of his mouth..."These dishes are from the 17th century! The Queen of Spain owned them! They are from a Dynasty and were willed down through the family! I have papers to show that they are worth $20,000! I will sell them for only $100! What a steal!" These same words were heard by everyone that entered! I soon felt like I was being accosted by a broken recording machine! Needless to say, I did NOT buy his dishes. It just so happened that an antiques appraiser wandered into the store and pointed out that quite clearly the dishes were from the 1940s and were not hand-painted but were decal decorated. He claimed that they were worth nothing near even the $100! Our man was caught in a scam!
Out back, there was a small garage that contained some odd furniture pieces. As I was wandering around, I spied an interesting cupboard! Ahh, this might be the piece for which I was searching! I turned to find our "Used car salesman wannabe antique dealer" at my elbow. "How much for this?" I ventured. " THIS! This is from the Spanish Dynasty! It is at least four hundred years old! See this! This is workmanship!" he patted the cupboard. "How much?" again I asked. My answer still was not forthcoming. "This is solid wood! It is an amazing piece! I had to pry it from an old lady's hands! She was crying when she had to part with it, so I took a picture of it so she would have something to hang onto! It is worth a fortune but I can give it to you cheap! Oh, I forgot to show that other guy!"...and he left. I inspected the piece..two drawers were missing and a hinge was bent. The backboard was split showing that it was fiber-board not wood. Also..on the inside there was a mouse hole gnawed right through the side! Hmmmm..I wandered back outside. Around the corner came our rabid salesman with the appraiser in tow! Once inside, I heard him giving the same spiel about the Spanish Queen's Dynasty and how he had to pry it from her hands (poor Queen!). I, also, heard the appraiser tell him that it was a 1980s piece and had multiple defects! Oh, how it pays to eavesdrop on antiques appraisers! I slipped a little further away. Sitting outside of the garage, there was a whole slew of near dilapidated pieces of furniture..a chest of drawers that had lost the drawer fronts..a table whose composite top was nearly warped into a U-shape..and a chair that had only two legs! Oh, and I must not forget..a fifty gallon drum of glycerin! Just what you would expect to find in an antique shop! Then I spied my treasure! Among the rubbish was a small end table. Not an antique by far but a very sturdy piece..just the thing to refurbish as a painted art piece! While the appraiser was still within earshot, Mark asked the price. No Queen this time..no 17th century..no Dynasty...just $10! YES! Mark grabbed my table and made for the truck! As I stood watch over my find, he hurried in to finalize the sale! $10! I think perhaps our salesman wearied of retelling his tale of the 17th Spanish Dynasty's Queen and his personal trouble in prying items from her hands! He just wanted us to leave..which we did........quite happily! (With my $10 table!)
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