My first time at an auction house
So after failing to go during the weekend, in the end last night after work I managed to check out the thousands of Barbie dolls that are going on auction at Christie's today.
There were dozens of lots and it was overwhelming. A whole childhood lusting over my cousin's dolls, and yesterday I was walking through roomfull after roomfull of them. Many were from the 60s and 70s, with accessories and carrying cases and furnitures that looked very much like my cousin's, whose father was often travelling abroad on business and would always come back with something Barbie-related for her.
Many lots had dolls from the 80s, when I had started buying them myself with pocket money (but could only play behind closed doors as nobody was meant to know). I am particularly fond of them because they represent my emancipation, my growing up into my own person and finally tentatively allowing myself to be what I wanted to be, Barbies and all. You may stop sniggering now, by the way.
Christies, however, is not the mythical crystal-chandeliered luxury venue I had pictured it to be. At least not the South Kensington branch, and at least not the viewing rooms I visited, frankly rather bare and tatty, with ordinary presentation cabinets and tables where the goods are laid out for anyone to inspect. You'd expect Audrey Hepburn's Givenchy dress (the black sleeveless number with a slit that she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's) would be properly protected? Nah, I could have slashed it with a knife or splattered it with bleach if I had wanted to. No bag search, and only one very sleepy-looking security guard to stop me from doing it.
I suppose they have to let bidders inspect the goods - just as well, considering the cheapest lot in the Barbie auction (the saucily-named Bendable Leg Brad) has an estimated starting price of 80 to 100 pounds.
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