Auction masterpiece?

Son-and-heir and I went out to a local auction last night because he’s looking for ways to supplement his $10 a week allowance. Said I: “You could buy stuff and then I’d sell it for you on Ebay.” Said he: “Sounds good.”

So we went.

The first item we bought was an oil on board painting of a melancholy clown sans most of his makeup. Hmmm. Son-and-heir got nervous and wanted to stop at $10…I bid the painting up to $22.50. I liked it. I liked it even more when we found out the artist, Francis J. Meyers, is a deceased Cleveland Art Institute instructor who is listed in national sales catalogs. There are also some rudimentary drawings of his on Ebay listed for fairly high prices.

Woo woo! If we decide to sell the painting (a big IF), all proceeds go to son-and-heir’s gaming computer fund.

Next purchase was a pack of 1950s nudie playing cards for $3…where were these when I was doing “Cuckoo’s Nest?” We also bought a beer advertising sign with thermometer, leather baby shoes, a mahogany chest of drawers (for my daughter’s room, $25) and a silverplate cigarette holder thing, the likes of which I’ve never seen, but which was engraved in 1954 and is apparently European. I promised son-and-heir proceeds from reselling these items as well, provided he keeps track of his expenses and proceeds in a comprehensive manner, does the packing and shipping, and does the research to provide an accurate Ebay listing.

It’s education cloaked in entrepreneurial trappings.