Cape Cod Estate Sale

We're getting down to the last bits of business settling my parent's estate. The big thing this week is an estate sale which is being held at their home in Sandwich, MA tomorrow and Saturday, August 1st and 2nd. I brought in Patti and Mary from Seaside Estate Sales to handle the whole thing for me.

They have been amazing - the work they put into it from house visits, cataloging and researching the history of certain items - most of which I didn't know.

For instance that this carving set is from India. I have no idea how my parent's acquired it, it was always just there.

 

This is an 18th century tiger maple drop leaf desk. We have two family stories - one is that my Dad and grandfather found it in a barn sale somewhere and it was painted pea green and together they refinished it. But the other story is that it wasn't painted pea green and was found in an antique shop. Anyway, we've always had it, but none of us had room for it. Hoping it goes to a good home. 

 

 This is a beautiful Hickory Chair camel back sofa from the 70's with original cut velvet upholstery. A new sofa of comparable quality and fabric would be easily $7,000. It would cost about $2,000 to get it reupholstered in a great new fabric. And, you'd never find anything near the quality for $2,000.

 

Like the sofa, this wing chair would be a great buy to have reupholstered. It's Harden from the 70's, original upholstery. 

 

Some pretty cut glass crystal. I almost kept these as they are very beautiful and were wedding presents, but I just have no room. 

These pieces came out of my great grandparent's house and are (probably) 19th century or very early 20th century

 

I just realized I wanted that decanter... well, hopefully it won't sell and I can snag it back.

 

And then random things my Dad collected:

Get more information about the sale and lots more photos here.

It can be hard to see my parent's belongings sold off like this, but in the end, it's just stuff. The important thing to remember are the memories of Sunday dinners and holiday's around the dining table, being allowed to sit on the good furniture (only when dressed up!), drinking my first glass of wine. These memories we take with us. The rest is just stuff that will hopefully find new memories. It's an interesting thing to consider as a designer. I'm in the business of "stuff" and yet in the end, it's not what we truly remember. Perspective...