What Are Millennials Buying at Auction?
Auction Picks On Fleek
Millennials and Gen X have brought thrifting back in a big way - creating content featuring antique finds and vintage goods found for a steal at local shops and Goodwill. But it shouldn’t stop there - let us introduce you to competitive thrifting. Bringing the digital world to the thrift experience, auctions are making a comeback with online discovery sales leading the way. But don’t just take our word for it, see what Jasmin and Sylvia, two Millennials who keep the gears running at the auction house, have chosen as their auction picks in the upcoming Cabin Fever Auction Series. From their early 2000s obsessions to the exhaustion of overthinking what to buy, auctions have become a source of home decor and collecting inspiration for the everyday Millennial.
Sylvia
Toxic Millennial Trait: Collecting with intention — and overthinking it.
Auction Picks
Cobalt Blue Glass Collection
Millennials have a way of making bold choices feel completely reasonable. Even a color as intense as the cobalt blue in Lot 3226 can slip easily into everyday life. Set against a white tablecloth with simple black lines, paired with yellow tableware and cobalt blue accents—how is it not a little Mondrian?
English Oval Mirror
While everyone else is still posing OOTDs in curvy mirrors, a simple, classic vintage mahogany mirror feels far more distinctive. Its quiet elegance and timeless design stand apart without trying too hard—because true millennial style isn’t about following trends, it’s about choosing something personal. Being different is the point.
S. Wylace Still Life, 1876
I’ve always had a soft spot for 19th-century still lifes. There’s something fun about knowing an artist painted this more than a hundred years ago, and it’s still quietly doing its thing today. As a millennial raised on ultra-processed food, I also feel like every home deserves at least one reminder of what fresh looks like—this fruit bowl almost feels like it still smells good.
Roy Hill Painted Wooden Plaque with Cat
As a lifelong cat person, this one was basically a no-brainer. Old objects, new context—very millennial.
Jasmin
Toxic Millennial Trait: An unwavering obsession with Gilmore Girls
Auction Picks
Atlanta Ordnance Dept. Vehicle ID Plate, WWII Era
A cornerstone location in Gilmore Girls is Luke’s Diner. The hardware-store-turned-restaurant shows signs of its past with various old signs and tools adorning the walls. I bet if you look closely, you could find a collectable license plate or two as well!
Art Glass Jugs
These cheerful pieces of art glass are a simple way to add a pop of color and character to any room. In Gilmore Girls, chef Sookie adorns her kitchen with similar pieces - colorful glass vases, jugs, cups, and more line the window shelves of her kitchen, washing everything in a dazzling array of colors.
Landscape by John Lehman
Anyone who has seen Gilmore Girls can attest to the marvelous taste with which Richard and Emily Gilmore decorate their home. Each piece has been selected by the couple (or a trusted designer) to bring elegance and reverence to their home. This painting, in particular, would be right at home in Richard’s study.
English Staffordshire Dark Blue Transferware China
When Lorelai Gilmore finally achieved her goal of opening The Dragonfly Inn, she wasted no time filling it with bits and bobs of colorful antiquity. In many shots, you can see the wide variety of china and transferware - similar to this lovely 19th C. set - nestled around the kitchen.