Oops

It's a good thing that my bosses have recognized and applaud my efforts and performance as a buyer. I have never shied away from a deal which has taught me a lot but has also open my up to really messing a few things up. So here's my second oops.

A lady came in with a hodgepodge of items with no idea of what was real or fake. It was almost closing time and we had been so busy that I had not yet taken a lunch and I was exhausted. All of her flatware was silver plated except this piece, for which I paid the respective sterling silver price. She also had several pieces in her collection that were of interest.

Here's the Sterling Silver piece.



A fairly intricate design on the handle...


...and even the scoop.


A few days later at the office, my boss bring me this piece and asks, "Jeff, what is this?" I looked on the back and sheepishly replied, "Oneida Stainless Silver?"

Everyone got a good laugh out of the idea of "stainless silver," but the good laugh did not end there. My boss insisted that I take the piece home as a keepsake to always remind me the we do not buy stainless steal, especially not at sterling silver prices. I now have a gravy scoop hanging in my car.