That sounds like the title to a mystery novel (wink) and it is. I posted pictures of this cupboard on my facebook page as I have been redoing my kitchen. My sister Lynn commented "I remember the day you bought that" and I said "I remember the ruckus we caused." To which my friend replied...."tell us the ruckus..." so here goes.
The Wainscot Pantry Cupboard & The Gold Teeth
In the early summer of 1995 just a few weeks after we moved into this old farm house, I went to an auction with my sister Lynn. At that time, it wasn't unlike any other Saturday in the summer, we were at an auction. We didn't grow up going to auctions, however I went to my first auction 10 years prior and I was hooked! At the time I was still living at home in town, but I bought a saddle at that first auction. I didn't have a horse, but I had a saddle. If you have ever owned a horse, you know I did that backwards. I told my sisters how much fun it was and we all started going. Soon after, I started working for Col. Ken Marquardt when he had auctions.
It's no secret that I like old stuff, but I LOVE country primitive farm pieces. By the way, long before Fixer Upper made it a "thing". In fact, I had my own fixer upper to fill. At all the auctions prior, I would bid on the pieces I liked, but often time couldn't purchase them as the bidding was too high. On occasion if Sue, Marlene, Duane, Kathy or Mary weren't there, I would get one. LOL. We weren't a "threat" to the bidding wars as we always had to quit.
Well, our family came into a windfall of money....that's what I'll call it....anyway, Lynn and I had deep pockets for the first time and off to an auction we went.
This cupboard was at an auction by George Woodrich between Marathon and Athens, Wisconsin (40 or so miles west of our farm). It was a beautiful old farmstead, with many cool outbuildings and generations of stuff. It was heavenly...well, maybe I shouldn't say that, but you know.... As I walked around, I saw it....the wainscot pantry....it was inside the summer kitchen. A summer kitchen is another building or cooking area outside your home. In the heat of the summer, you could do your cooking and canning out there without heating up your house.
(before I started cleaning - a catch all for everything)
I knew I wanted it and all the dealers were there that day. I knew they all would want it too. I had to be conservative with all my prior bidding to make sure I had enough money for the cupboard.
My sister Lynn wanted this beautiful bedroom set; carved bed, gentleman's dresser, vanity - gorgeous! Lynn's bedroom set came up first and she kept bidding and so did the dealers. She just held her card up (LOL) and won it! The crowd was stirring....what?!...she didn't stop?!...it was noticeable. The whispers were like waves in the crowd....all the regulars were talking...."what the heck? she didn't quit!"
Then not much later, they came to my cupboard. I had hardly bought a thing all day I was laying low. However, I held my card up....not taking it down. I can still see Duane and Marlene's faces....confident I would quit....as the number climbed...I kept my card held high. The looks quickly became scowls and I heard something like, "Marlene needs that or quit bidding" - I did NOT! In fact now that I'm typing this...this is the auction that caused Lynn and I to be the bidders were became....(Hey, look at that and I did that without even going to therapy...LOL). Anyway, on with the story......I won the bid despite the glares. As soon as George said "sold" oh my gosh the backlash! "Good luck with that piece" "she paid too much" - I mean for real, on and on. To date, 23 years later, it is the single most expensive antique I've ever purchased. I do NOT regret it! I overheard one of the regulars say...."what the Hell got into those 2 today - they were bidding like crazy women!" Yes, it's true, there are no friends at auctions!
Anyway, I had no way of getting it home (smile). One of George's helpers, Jason, said he would deliver to my house for a case of beer - done!
Once home, I had to figure out where to put it. An old farm house has lots of doors and windows. I made it fit in this spot, even though over the years we have had to squeeze other things between it and the stove. After it was in, I noticed a bit of cotton sticking out of this hole
when I pulled at it, out dropped this
someone hid their gold partial in this hole. I love it! I decided that those old teeth had been with that cupboard for so long that they could stay with it. I say that, that way, as I collect false teeth...I really do! They are collecting somewhere....or should I say somewheres...as I have many different groups of them.
So that is the mystery of the gold teeth and "ruckus" story all in one. By the way, I've been offered 5X what I paid for that cupboard several times by different people....so....I didn't pay too much!
Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.
The Wainscot Pantry Cupboard & The Gold Teeth
In the early summer of 1995 just a few weeks after we moved into this old farm house, I went to an auction with my sister Lynn. At that time, it wasn't unlike any other Saturday in the summer, we were at an auction. We didn't grow up going to auctions, however I went to my first auction 10 years prior and I was hooked! At the time I was still living at home in town, but I bought a saddle at that first auction. I didn't have a horse, but I had a saddle. If you have ever owned a horse, you know I did that backwards. I told my sisters how much fun it was and we all started going. Soon after, I started working for Col. Ken Marquardt when he had auctions.
It's no secret that I like old stuff, but I LOVE country primitive farm pieces. By the way, long before Fixer Upper made it a "thing". In fact, I had my own fixer upper to fill. At all the auctions prior, I would bid on the pieces I liked, but often time couldn't purchase them as the bidding was too high. On occasion if Sue, Marlene, Duane, Kathy or Mary weren't there, I would get one. LOL. We weren't a "threat" to the bidding wars as we always had to quit.
Well, our family came into a windfall of money....that's what I'll call it....anyway, Lynn and I had deep pockets for the first time and off to an auction we went.
This cupboard was at an auction by George Woodrich between Marathon and Athens, Wisconsin (40 or so miles west of our farm). It was a beautiful old farmstead, with many cool outbuildings and generations of stuff. It was heavenly...well, maybe I shouldn't say that, but you know.... As I walked around, I saw it....the wainscot pantry....it was inside the summer kitchen. A summer kitchen is another building or cooking area outside your home. In the heat of the summer, you could do your cooking and canning out there without heating up your house.
I knew I wanted it and all the dealers were there that day. I knew they all would want it too. I had to be conservative with all my prior bidding to make sure I had enough money for the cupboard.
My sister Lynn wanted this beautiful bedroom set; carved bed, gentleman's dresser, vanity - gorgeous! Lynn's bedroom set came up first and she kept bidding and so did the dealers. She just held her card up (LOL) and won it! The crowd was stirring....what?!...she didn't stop?!...it was noticeable. The whispers were like waves in the crowd....all the regulars were talking...."what the heck? she didn't quit!"
Then not much later, they came to my cupboard. I had hardly bought a thing all day I was laying low. However, I held my card up....not taking it down. I can still see Duane and Marlene's faces....confident I would quit....as the number climbed...I kept my card held high. The looks quickly became scowls and I heard something like, "Marlene needs that or quit bidding" - I did NOT! In fact now that I'm typing this...this is the auction that caused Lynn and I to be the bidders were became....(Hey, look at that and I did that without even going to therapy...LOL). Anyway, on with the story......I won the bid despite the glares. As soon as George said "sold" oh my gosh the backlash! "Good luck with that piece" "she paid too much" - I mean for real, on and on. To date, 23 years later, it is the single most expensive antique I've ever purchased. I do NOT regret it! I overheard one of the regulars say...."what the Hell got into those 2 today - they were bidding like crazy women!" Yes, it's true, there are no friends at auctions!
Anyway, I had no way of getting it home (smile). One of George's helpers, Jason, said he would deliver to my house for a case of beer - done!
Once home, I had to figure out where to put it. An old farm house has lots of doors and windows. I made it fit in this spot, even though over the years we have had to squeeze other things between it and the stove. After it was in, I noticed a bit of cotton sticking out of this hole
when I pulled at it, out dropped this
someone hid their gold partial in this hole. I love it! I decided that those old teeth had been with that cupboard for so long that they could stay with it. I say that, that way, as I collect false teeth...I really do! They are collecting somewhere....or should I say somewheres...as I have many different groups of them.
So that is the mystery of the gold teeth and "ruckus" story all in one. By the way, I've been offered 5X what I paid for that cupboard several times by different people....so....I didn't pay too much!
(After I cleaned it out...)
(I filled the cookie jars with tart and jello molds along with cookie cutters. Each one of these cookie jars came from one of Al's grandma's farms and a few from his mother)
(growing up as a 3rd generation picker, I bought this imperfect little set of purple cows when I was about 9 or 10. What would a would a picker kid put in their hope chest? purple cows of course)
(some of the other teeth I found in this cupboard while cleaning it out)
Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.
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