When Pam published the story of the Siena Center’s estate sale of the year last Thursday, I could tell she wished that she could drop in and check it out. Unfortunately for Pam, the drive was a bit too far. For me, it was right down the street. When I arrived at the sale, I was expecting to see a lot of great retro stuff — but that’s not all I found…
I arrived at the Siena Center exactly five minutes before the doors opened — stumbling toward the waiting crowd as I gawked at the midcentury architecture of the center itself. Before the doors opened, I chatted briefly with Josh, one of the kind employees of ATR Estate Sales, and he told me that that the crowd of 60 people anxiously awaiting entrance into the treasure trove of goodies was rather small for a sale of this magnitude. Josh speculated that the small crowd size was due to the sale opening on a Friday instead of a Saturday. What is the usual crowd for a sale of this size according to Josh? About 500 — Yikes!
As I stood waiting my turn to enter, I continued to notice the interesting details of the center itself. Even the railings on the front steps matched the geometric shapes on the building — in fact — this shape was repeated nearly everywhere throughout the center. The railings, the windows, the pass-through niches in the wall and likely through the rest of the building.
Above: Entryway and stairwell to lower auditorium, Siena Center, Racine, WI.
Then it was time to enter the sale itself. By the time I got into the auditorium (person number 58 of 60), many of the advertised midcentury pieces were sold already!
Above: Siena Center auditorium packed with stuff during hundreds-of-years-of-treasures estate sale.
Above: I didn’t even get to see what they were asking for these turquoise Thonet chairs, they were already sold and being carried off as I entered the auditorium.
Above: Retro salon chair – sold, retro green foot stool – sold.
Above: Thonet Chairs for miles!
Above: This particular style of Thonet chair had Pam and me both drooling just a little bit. By the time I made it over to look at these chairs, one guy had claimed all of the ones with green cushions. I thought about bringing one home with me, but they were $80-$140 each depending on condition, and I really didn’t have a spot to put one, so I passed.
Above: I found it quite interesting that there were light and dark wood versions of the same chair.
As I walked the aisles of furniture, I noticed that most of the items that had sold right away when the doors opened were midcentury furniture pieces — many of the Thonet chairs, the salon chair, retro footstools — it seems that retro pieces were a big draw for this particular crowd. As time passed though, I noticed people filling up their arms with all sorts of treasures. The majority of the items at this sale were furniture pieces, though there were quite a few retro smalls hanging around.
Above: Retro binoculars. I love the packaging!
Above: A retro pink deep fryer…every girl’s dream?
Above: There were plenty of cool midcentury glasses and small dishes to be had.
Above: I’m not sure what these are exactly, but they sure do look neat. Anyone have any ideas?
I made my way to the back of the auditorium, where these St. Charles aqua cabinets were hiding. I counted 15 upper cabinets, 10 lower door cabinets and 6 drawers overall. They were priced at $1,500, but were taking bids. When I left the sale, they hadn’t yet sold. They were a lovely shade of aqua and in pretty good condition overall.
Unfortunately, the countertop on the second half of the lower cabinets had a bumped out piece, which might make it harder to use the original laminate counters — which were a lovely matching aqua with little gold flecks.
Above: Laminate countertops on St. Charles kitchen cabinets.
Above: The end of the laminate countertops on this section of cabinets came to a sharp angle.
Above: My favorite part of the kitchen set were the handles on the sink.
Above: Retro Kohler sink handle.
Above: These aqua plastic chairs matched the St. Charles kitchen cabinets perfectly!
Above: Siena Center Ladies room waiting area.
On my way out, I stopped into the ladies room briefly to investigate. Surely I should see if it was as retro as the rest of the building — and sure enough, a kidney shaped table, huge retro lamp and tons of blue tiles awaited me.
Surprisingly, I left the sale only with the photos on my camera — but of course I was tempted more than a few times to bring something home.
On the way out I asked a few of the Siena Center Security guards (which I suspect were the sisters themselves) if they knew what year the center was built. After some deliberation, they agreed that it was likely built in 1962 — same year as my retro ranch house! No wonder I liked the building so much!
My favorite detail of all was the sign at the very end of the long drive that leads to the Siena Center. It can be viewed from several angles and reads as both a sculpture and a sign. Too bad they didn’t have a spare one to sell me. I would have loved to use it as garden art!
gsciencechick says
Thank you for the update and the pictures.
Bronwen says
I drove up from Chicago on Saturday morning to check it out. I arrived about 9 am and as you can imagine, most everything was gone. None of the glasses or dishes remained, but the Fry Daddy was still there, along with those two big spindle-y things. I wish the Fry Daddy had been something more useful, because I would love to have a pretty pink appliance on my counter top. I’m already afraid of deep frying, though, and definitely afraid of doing it in something fifty years old!
None of the chairs with arms were there, but I bought two of the Thonet chairs with coral colored backs, and two other no-name mid century wooden chairs. I also picked up an old suitcase. The buyer of those turquoise beauties still hadn’t picked them up, so I did get to admire them.
The St. Charles kitchen sold while I was there. I didn’t catch how much it went for.
The best part was getting a tour of the basement tunnels from a sister as we brought my cart of chairs to the elevator to bring them upstairs. Believe it or not, the tunnels were full of even more dusty mid century treasures that didn’t make it to the sale for some reason. I wanted to take them all home with me!
I wish I could have made it up there on Friday for the first day of the sale.
caren@cpilgrim.com says
I got there around 11am on Saturday. The fryer and a few aqua and salmon chairs were still there, but just about everything else had sold or was still too expensive for me. Lots of people waiting around to bid on items.
Leslie says
Wow! Simply amazing, so what did you buy Kate? I saw several things I would have loved to have.
Wendy M. says
Oh, to see all of that in person- you were so lucky to be able to go! The chairs alone (my personal weakness in mid-century collecting) are amazing! The building is just lovely, too. Thanks for sharing your experience…
puddletowncheryl says
In high school my mom and I made fat candles galore all winter. It was fun. You’ll never guess what folks got for Christmas that year.
Sarah says
Starting to realize more and more just how good I’ve got it down here in Louisiana. The number of people at an estate sale, and those prices! Yikes! The average price of things over here is 10-20 bucks (ya know, depending on what it is). People here are mostly looking for older antiques, arts n crafts period or Victorian or civil war era and everyone decorates their house with ‘French country’ crap that all the midmod stuff is overlooked and left for me! I’ve gotten a heywood wakfeild vanity for 50, tulip chairs for 10, bertoia chairs on the side of the road free, lots of cool whipstitch lamps free on the side of the road…. Hey why am I typing here? I should be out cruising the streets! Lol
Betty Roth says
As if La. wasn’t already where I dream of living some day, now you’ve gone and made me want to shop there! It’s true, some parts of the country don’t know what treasures they’re throwing out in the garbage. Hope you find a bunch!
Caryn says
Yep, candle holders!
DorthesRoderier.dk says
I think they are candlesticks :o)
I would put round candles on them to match the round in the middle.
<3 the kitchen sink – my favorite
BungalowBILL says
I think the aluminum things with the spikes are candle holders. Back in the olden days they made big fat candles that people impaled on the spikes to keep them steady.
That entrance sign is the best!
Gina Black says
I agree they are candle sticks. Remember them well.