Sanctioned snooping in a stranger’s home combines the joy of thrifting with a dash of immersive theater
I haven’t bought many things, but what little I’ve purchased — candle sticks, picture frames, a tin sign that I thought was vintage for days only to find a Bed Bath & Beyond sticker adhered to the back — dazzles in its mundanity. But I’m not looking for heirlooms. I’m looking for worn-in comfort.
I recently visited a 5,700-square-foot brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. Priced at $7,750,000 and originally built around 1845, the house hadn’t been on the market in 60 years, but after the recent death of the family’s patriarch, it was in need of a new owner. In one of the six bedrooms, surrounded by piles of dusty books and black and white family photos, I came across a box of handwritten letters and personal documents.
Among the packet of contracts and architectural plans for a 1965 renovation was a shopping list scrawled out on the back of an envelope in well-practiced cursive: “Baby food, lettuce, eggs, mayo, carrots, tomatoes.” In another box, there was a handwritten letter that started “Hello. Hello. Hello. How are you doing? Write to me and tell — you must be doing fine if you don’t write, I figure.
On my way out of the Brooklyn Heights home, I remarked to the estate sale proprietor about the letters I had found. “Doesn’t the family want them?” I asked. The woman said nothing, but emitted a weighty sigh, turning her face to the side with a huff. I thanked her and left. Maybe it’s morbid to play supermarket sweepstakes in the homes of the deceased. But a deal’s a deal, making estate sales one of the only souvenir shops in the city worth a visit.
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