LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Jones Auction House, a family-owned business in Spring Brook Township, didn't always look like this: packed to the brim with unique holiday blow molds that they sell at what they call the biggest annual blow mold auction in the country.
"We used to throw them away. We never knew. We'd make room in the dumpster crush them down," said Jeffrey Jones, Jones Auction House.
It wasn't until the family learned of their value that they realized they had probably crushed some of the rarest and oldest blow molds they had.
Like a mechanical Santa that they've sold for upwards of $4,000 in previous auctions.
"This is one of the rare ones. They're hard to come by because the mechanics in it usually breaks, so after 50, 60, 70 years, it's not around, so they do go pretty high in price," said Jones.
Throughout the year, the Jones family travels to different estates around the country to find these pieces. They even have some shipped from Europe, so they make sure it's a worthwhile investment.
Because for people like Sandra Graby, who collected blow molds with her late husband and continues to do so in his memory, no price is too high for the right one like this St. Patrick's blow mold she paid $230 for, "Yes, I had my eye on it. I had to pay a little bit more, but that's okay. When something's special, you pay a little bit more," she said.
She's not the only one who says these blow molds are something special.
"I am very excited. I've been wanting a Santa Clause for a long, long time. Then I saw the gingerbread house. I just had to have it. It was just an amazing deal to get it today. As long as she's happy, I'm happy. So it's been no this is great. There's a tremendous amount of variety out there, and they do a really good job here so," said Erin & Rocco Baress, Scranton.
But for anyone who missed this auction, the Jones Auction House will be having another auction on November 24th, this time with antique Christmas decorations.
"Antique lights. The old bubble lights from like the 1940s and 50s. Very, really nice stuff. Old Polish ornaments, the large ones. Christmas tree toppers. Really really nice antique stuff," said Jones.
To find more information on Jones Auction House, click here.