Why is it some people seem to be born lucky?

Andy J

Andy J

Hero member
Location
Isle of Man
Not so long ago a member of the Gloster Chapter of the ILOC went to look at a 750SF some chap had in a barn, and came away with not just a Laverda but what turned out to be a genuine Mk1 Guzzi Le Mans for an absolute steal of a price.
Today I bumped into another Lav owner in a cafe in Ramsey, who I hadn’t seen for a couple of months and couldn’t wait to tell me about his latest acquisition - a mint Jarama with just 10k on the clock. Apparently it had been stashed away for about 40 years, virtually in my ‘backyard’, yet I never got wind of its existence. I shan’t say what he paid for it but probably there isn't much difference between what the price of the bike was new. And the bike is in full working order! 😠
 
You only have to watch "Antiques Roadshow" to find out that some people have more than their fair share of luck. People are always buying some bit of dusty old tat for a few quid at op-shops or car boot sales. Then they take it to the AR where it gets valued at thousands of pounds.

I recall a program not so long ago in which a bloke rescued a faded old painting that had been chucked into a skip bin by a couple who were renovating an old house. He asked them if he could have it and they said yes, as it was only going to the rubbish tip (I wouldn't have bothered asking if it was already in the bin). Anyway, suffice to say that the painting was valued (after restoration) at an amount that would have paid for the house renovation and then some. I wondered at the time whether that house renovation couple watched the show and recognised the painting. If they had, then they'd have been kicking each other around the room.

That sort of thing has never happened to me. My luck usually goes the other way. I've had quite a few valuable things stolen.

It makes you wonder what sort of treasures don't get rescued and end up in landfill.
 
... at least I didn't make a significant pension investment 3 weeks before Putin invaded Ukraine. Oh, hang on a minute, I feckin well did! :mad: Ah well, it looks like I'm in for the long haul on that one. Yes John, I think I'll have 'Buy High, Sell Low' on my gravestone.

Should have bought another motorbike :)
 
I seem to also be a strict adherent to the Buy High - Sell Low group; except once. When I bought a piece of art done by the son of a local artist, the piece cost $500 and I had it framed, during the time it was being framed some companion pieces were professionally appraised by an Appraiser from Chicago, 3hours away; and my piece was included for $1000. Happened decades ago, still have the piece. Probably worth $100 bucks now. typical.
 
Eurocycleguy said:
I seem to also be a strict adherent to the Buy High - Sell Low group; except once. When I bought a piece of art done by the son of a local artist, the piece cost $500 and I had it framed, during the time it was being framed some companion pieces were professionally appraised by an Appraiser from Chicago, 3hours away; and my piece was included for $1000. Happened decades ago, still have the piece. Probably worth $100 bucks now. typical.
Click to expand...
Would you accept $5 for the frame?
 
When I was a boy, my grandparents had an apartment building in Santa Monica California. A tenant moved out owing rent and left two small oil paintings on the wall, one of a geisha under cherry blossoms and the other of a canal in Japan. Fast forward 15 years and they were hung in my Dads guest bathroom. I was sitting on the throne one day reading a magazine when I saw pictures very much like them illustrating an article about an artist! His name was Theodore Wores and he painted in Japan in the 1890’s. After my Dad passed I got them and we had them appraised and found they were worth $8k each!

BTW, at dinner the day I found out about them, I asked him if I could have them. He said sure, then I showed him the article! His response was: “Over my dead body!”. He was right in the end……..
 
A couple of Theodores on the dunny door!

I worked at a fruit juice factory once, one morning my arse was on fire and needed the closest dunny I could get to. I used the factory floor workers toilets.

On the back of the door was a picture of a woman with a great figure, but no head.

The caption underneath read (no spelling mistake by me here, but that of the artist): The Prefect Woman
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top