Kyle resident Lenore Brady lives by the ideology that one person’s dusty relic might be another’s treasure.
That’s why Brady spent several minutes Saturday going through books with antiquated, yellow pages in the hopes of finding a potential gold mine.
Brady was one of a large collection of similar-minded people who flocked to the old 1898 Antique Store in Buda, which was auctioning off a variety of its contents before it closes its doors later this year.
For Brady, going through the rows of antiques offered her a chance to find items with monetary and sentimental value.
“It’s like a treasure hunt. It’s like going to the goodwill store and not knowing what you’re going to find, but you come out with something you didn’t know you needed,” Brady said.
Mike Miller, also a Kyle resident, said Saturday’s event brought back memories of when he attended antique auctions on the east coast.
Miller, who wasn’t searching for anything in particular, said items that may have a personal interest, or items that have a uniqueness to them are often sought after.
One of the more interesting items Miller found in his ventures was a trunk dating back to the 1800s, that he purchased for $20.
“You’ll find stuff that someone doesn’t want, but you might like, such as a table for a house or something for your parents that reminds them of when they were growing up,” Miller said.
For some, the auction represented a way to potentially flip it into a profit.
Buda resident Chuck McIntyre said he’s been involved in flipping antiques for most of his life. He estimated many of those at the auction were also looking to turn a profit as well.
Providing assistance to McIntyre was 21st century technology Saturday. Using his smart phone, McIntyre perused items in the 1898 store while speaking with his wife via video chat.
“It’s whatever catches my eye,” McIntyre said. “I don’t get to do it every weekend. To me, it’s more of a hobby.”
Brady, a transplant from North Carolina, began attending antique auctions after her friend’s father took her to one several years ago.
Since then, Brady has used an auction search website to help pinpoint where to look.
Once there, Brady said the “art of the hunt” takes over. The thrill of digging around and finding “a treasure trove” can be an exciting venture.
While the art of auction hunts has grown more lucrative in recent years, Brady said it’s also a way to get items that may have otherwise been stuck in an attic back into relevance.
“I think people that collect, they collect for themselves, but in the end, if they aren’t going to have it, they want people to enjoy it,” Brady said. “You don’t want someone to get rid of it and lose all of that history and lose all the things you saved.”
