Veilinggebouw de Zwaan

Part I: The Discovery

While strolling the canals with Letizia, we noticed a building in a residential area that seemed to be entirely commercial, rather than being a shop downstairs and residential on the upper floors.  We decided to wander in, putting in motion a whole series of events and experiences.  

May I introduce, Veilinggebouw de Zwaan

(Auctioneers the Swan)

This place was cool as all get out.  They do auction rounds several times a year, filling the many-floored building with treasures that people can come to view and touch and determine on which items they want to bid.  It was basically a touchable museum in a gorgeous, expansive canal house.

You too can have a piece of the Ming Dynasty

Treasures everywhere!  

This was our favorite room of them.

The item I was most interested in, Dutch ceramic houses

View from the top

We took a rest on the top floor, which was mostly filled with African art.  Sitting in chairs that were also up for auction, she sketched a small corner of the room while I flipped through the catalog.  Suddenly there was a crashing sound and as I ducked, an African wooden plate grazed my head on the way down.  No one, absolutely no one, was concerned about my head - only the wooden plate that had lost a small shard on impact (with the floor, not my head).  I was fine, mostly flustered, but couldn't help comparing how differently such an episode would have transpired in the states.

The crash corner

I commented to Leti that there was probably a Rembrandt lining the walls that we were oblivious to - and there was.  An etching for which the bidding would start at 12,000 euro (this was the most expensive item I could find in the catalog).

I decided to set up an account, and they recommended 

I return for the live auction two weeks later, which I did.

Part II: The Live Auction

I showed up expecting the place be packed, but it was just me and about a dozen Dutch people.  Maybe this had to do with it being a Wednesday morning at 10am.  I'd been given my bidding number and the direction to "not move too much" lest I accidentally bid on something.  There were screens all around the hall (zaal) showcasing the item currently up for bid, with photos, a description, and the bidding status (all in Dutch).  I had my numbers written down for the three items I desired: an ebony and ivory mirror, my blue Dutch houses, and an antique camera for Letizia.  

When my first item came around, I had to boldly clear my throat and call out, "English please!"  Everyone in the zaal turned to stare at me, but the auctioneer swiftly switched to bilingual bidding and we got going.  I raised my number once, but the mirror was quite popular and I lost it.  But it was good practice for the lots to come!

Next up, the camera.  Letizia gave me a 300 euro limit, and I went back and forth with someone until he bid 260 and then me 280, which topped me out.  Silence until: "Going once, going twice, sold - to the lady in the zaal."  I got it!  Letizia squealed when she found out.  

Finally, my Dutch houses.  At this point, as much as I loved the houses, I mostly wanted a souvenir of my auction experience.  So I was pretty willing to fight and win.  I had put in online bids, which is incredibly stupid if you're also coming in person, because you might end up bidding against yourself, which is exactly what I did.  She started at 100 euro with an online bid, and then I raised my number (hoping she would put it together and keep me from double bidding).  She realized it, and said, "Um, you seem to be bidding against yourself."  I replied, "I don't want to do that!" at which point everyone chuckled good-naturedly.  So in an unusual and gracious move, she started the lot over again at 80 euro.  At this point, though, someone else in the zaal started bidding, and we went back and forth, me cringing every time and the auctioneer having to nudge me to bid or give up.  Finally, she hit the gavel again and said those satisfying words: "Sold to the lady in the zaal!"

I said to Letizia, we won!

And she said, you mean we get to buy them.

No, no, I said - we won.

Celebration drinks...

...at the best spot at Cafe de Jaren

Part III: The Collection

A few days later, after figuring out payment with Letizia, I returned for the collection of our collection.

What I thought would be a perfunctory errand again turned into much more in this magical building.  There was a film crew on site and I ended up being an extra in the background of a Dutch documentary series about the actor Ramsey Nasr and his art collection.  A Dutch friend later said, "Oh wow...yes...he is a very famous and good actor!"  So there you go.

Ramsey Nasr

Nasr with the auctioneer

Just collecting his items, like me

And that is my Amsterdam auction house story!  It was such a welcoming, accessible place - nothing like I would've imagined beforehand.  I'm so please that Letizia and I now have these items that will always carry this fun memory along with them.

Letizia in AMS

My second weekend in Amsterdam, Letizia took the train from Paris to stay the weekend with me.  Here's a photo download of some of our adventures!

Croquets, fries, and beer at Saloon

At my window seat at home,

taken by my professional photographer

We're almost always eating.

This is herring and eel!

At the Huis Marseille, Museum for Photography;

would recommend for the canal house, not the exhibit!

Swimming in tulips at Voldelpark

Indonesian rice table:

The Dutch colonized Indonesia, and like Indian food

in London, there is much Indonesian cuisine here

One of many photos of Leti pointing at things

A favorite, taken by Leti

I mean.

Quiet Dutch mornings at home

At Albert Cuyp market: 

Poffertjes, my new obsession

Brunch at Little Collins in De Pijp

Letizia's watercolor of me would've 

been much better without a face

Another sweet treat: fresh stroopwafels from Rudi's

#yolo

Drinks and snacks at Café de Sluyswacht

Food was eh, but the beer and view, to die for

Seeing Downton Abbey at the historic, art deco 

Pathé Tuschinski 

View from our loveseat

Another sweet pancake treat, 

during brunch at New Dutch Amsterdam in Joordan

The inspiration of this photo was simply: 

Leti liked my blue wall

One small anecdote I'll share is that Letizia and I primarily speak Italian together.  Once, a shopkeeper, when we switched from Italian to English, complimented me on my accent.  I haven't gotten over that comment - I mean, I have been practicing for going on 35 years!

Perhaps our favorite adventure was discovering an auction house.  That deserves its own post, to come!

House of Orange: King's Day

On April 27 in the Netherlands, the people throw the king a huge birthday party.  Here is the king with his royal family on King's Day this year.  

You can't get over the queen's cape either, right?

Valentino.

The citizens (and eager tourists) wear orange to honor the House of Orange-Nassau, the current reigning house of the Netherlands, and the date of the holiday changes over time because it reflects the current monarch's actual birthday.  I learned that the last time it changed dates, many tourists showed up to celebrate on the old, wrong date - so the country threw a mini-party for them anyway.  

It's called fashion, look it up

From the very start of the day, there was a strong feeling of release, celebration, and conviviality.  This was the big COVID comeback and it was as if everyone was shouting from their hearts and the streets: we're alive, we're together, and there is always reason to rejoice!  The streets and canals began to fill with people as the day kicked into gear; almost everyone with a Heineken in hand: strolling, dancing, laughing, singing.  Entrepreneurs set up stands selling snacks, and more often, beer.  Impromptu DJ booths popped up and organic dance parties ensued.

Starting off nice and easy in the early afternoon

And newsflash!  Poffertjes - baby pancakes showered with powdered sugar and topped with a huge dollop of butter - are my favorite culinary discovery so far and I can thank King's Day for that (it's not like they give pancakes out to everyone to celebrate, it's just the first time I had them).

As I wandered the canals and took in the sights, my favorite spot was on a bridge along Prinsengracht, perhaps the most beautiful of the main canals.  It was basically a boat parade.  Some were small, with a few friends, others were huge party boats, many had their own music, and some had a shtick.  This part had the energy of a PRIDE parade, but was less organized, since anyone with a boat could be a float (pun and rhyme intended).

Penis man was a real crowd favorite

But my favorite of the day was Sax Man

One fascinating part about King's Day is that it appears to also be a gigantic rummage sale.  Residents take up a patch of sidewalk or the space outside their building, lay out a table or blanket, and sell their junk.  Like any rummage sale, I'm sure there were some treasures, but many people were selling old sneakers.  I really got a kick out of it.  Speaks to the capitalistic nature of the Dutch!  Take advantage of that increased foot traffic.  

 

Favorite shot of the day.

They might as well have been the king and queen!

It was so special to get to experience the celebration of King's Day.  I truly spent all my time out and about with a smile on my face.  It was a day of pure joy, and the people watching never disappointed.  I'm sure things devolved as the night wore on, but for my part, it was wonderful.  

I'll leave you with two strangers do-see-doing together in the street. 

The next day a local waiter asked me if I enjoyed partying for King's Day.  I told him I very much enjoyed watching other people party!  I did still have to come home in the afternoon and work - it's not a U.S. holiday, after all.  

And while we're speaking of the king, I must add that I saw him just a week after his birthday!  For Liberation Day, May 5, I stumbled upon a concert thrown just a few blocks from my apartment, along the Amstel.  I walked around and eventually found a spot to stand and listen (I couldn't really see).  For the finale, they sang "We'll Meet Again" (this 1939 song was new to me and so sweet) for at least 15 minutes.

We'll meet again

Don't know where

Don't know when

But I know we'll meet again some sunny day

Keep smiling through

Just like you always do

'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away

The concert ended, and as I walked with the crowd the few blocks towards my apartment, there was a large boat also floating away from the concert in our same direction.  There seemed to be a lot of buzz around this one boat and people were chasing it down and cheering.  I figured it was someone I never would have heard of, but eventually, since people were so excited, I asked a Dutch guy with a neck tattoo next to me if he knew who was on the boat.  He exclaimed, "The king!"  Soon, the boat docked in front of the opera house, right across the canal from my apartment, and the king disembarked and waved at us all as we cheered.  I couldn't believe the kismet of the moment!

Long live the king!