A Garage Sale and an obituary

I took a call last night from the son of a friend who died in July, Graham Sharpe, who was our "man-who-does", to say there was a garage sale this morning for Graham's effects.

Graham had been a well-known second-hand dealer in Whangarei before closing down and coming to help me work on our house. His main Crown Lynn collecting interests were fraction vases and Narvik pattern, which he set aside as they came through his store. I didn't visit him at home much as he spent so much time here, so did not know the extent of his collecting. Graham used to do the rounds of the op-shops, and make some great finds, but also made a point of telling them if they were letting things go too cheap.

I turned up before the potential throngs, and filled a banana box, paying the prices which had been set by another dealer friend. I left quite a lot. I have taken possession of a Cook & Serve coffee pot in Narvik green, olivey Narvik sugar and milk, Air NZ gold beaker, a few four digit cups, some egg-cups, a 1275 Country Fair canister in grey on white, a 133 vase in reddy-brown, a 5621 in Jubilee casserole with Jubilee lid, four M de Ronde canisters w/o lids, lidless Cook & Serve mustards, and a green lid for Narvik or Green Bamboo Cook & Serve ramekin.

I left behind much Narvik (esp blue tableware), some Salisbury-ware, a lovely Titian casserole, all the fraction vases, and a whole lot more. I do not buy to sell, so these items of Graham's will remain with me, along with all the work he has done for us, as a memento.

Nice post Jeremy, glad you were able to find some great pieces. You really need to find your camera charger! so you can share visually.