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Ode to an old coat

5 November 2008

I keep thinking about a coat that I didn’t win on eBay.

It was second-hand; it wouldn’t have kept me warm, it needed repairs and would likely not have fit me but I still tried to snipe it for £100 even though I need a new mobile and a new camera, not an old coat.

Do you ever see something and think “that is so me - they made it for me”?

As soon as I saw it I knew that I had to have it.

It was described as a 1920s/1930s embroidered coat.

Measurements were given of arms and across the back but I really had no clue what size it was.

Although I’ve lost just over 60 lbs this year, I still have more weight to lose; I’m 5′2″ and didn’t even know if the coat would fit.

But I still wanted it, especially when I saw the close-up photos.

Flowers on black, pinks and blues, embroidery and detail. Heaven!

Also, rose, fuchsias and then I noticed the butterflies!

But there was some damage to the lining.

I also realised that, if it did fit me, I could only ever black with it (or pink or blue). Anything else would look crazy. I decided I could live with this limitation.

The starting price was £80 (about $128). It was a high start price - the seller only sold antiques and had 100% feedback. I figured that they must know the coat’s value.

I set up a snipe for just over £100. I couldn’t really afford this luxury - I really do need a new mobile phone and a new camera - but I wasn’t sure I’d get another chance to own anything like it.

I imagined what the expert would say if this coat appeared on Antiques Roadshow. I couldn’t imagine them valuing it for £100.

Every day, I looked at the listing in my snipe window and mentally gnashed my knuckles. Could I really justify the expense?

I wasn’t at my computer to see the auction end and my automatic bid placed.

The auction got 9 bids by 4 bidders and sold for £139.37. It was more than I would have been willing to pay. I’m glad I didn’t bid more but am sorry that I didn’t get the coat.

Now I just think about it, holding it and reveling in its detailed glory. And back to searching for phones and cameras…

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