Farm Auction Held Inside

I live in Kansas but right on the border of Kansas and Missouri.  Saturdays during the warmer seasons will generally find me at a good farm auction and mostly on the Missouri side.  Yesterday, however, I found what looked like a delightful auction in Holton, Kansas inside a building.  Since the threat for severe weather was looming, I felt this was the perfect choice.

While the auction was fabulous, the prices were not, at least for me.  Retail and what I consider above- retail bids were being paid and I just stood in awe at how fast the prices climbed.  To be fair, there were plenty of really, really neat things.  Here are some pictures from the auction website:

As you can tell, the tables were full of really neat items.  It was almost painful to watch these unusual items go home with someone other than me!

See the little wire chair in front of the high chairs?  I waited for this near the end of the auction.  I thought  I'd be happy to pay no more than $20.00.  It went for around $50.00.

These weathervanes that go on lightening rods went from $80-$90.00 per piece!

There was a box of lightening rod balls that may have contained 9 that went for $190.00.  Yikes!  My husband said he shot all the balls off the lightening rods at the ranch where he grew up.

A few pieces of very neat furniture also went up for auction.  The prices went quite high.  I'm not sure what the piece above sold for but the cabinet in the next picture went for $1,000.00.

While it was a delightful piece, I see cabinets similar to this sell for $200 in Missouri.  So, I guess I'll be focusing my efforts in Missouri as much as possible from now on.  My business motto is to buy low so the person buying from me can find a deal, as well.  I have to wonder if shows like History Channel's, American Pickers are making a difference in the pricing of auctions in the antique field.  It'll be interesting to see if this is the case during the next several weeks when I attend upcoming farm auctions.