Let’s Make A Deal

When Mary Finch, Jeremy Corkern, and Lindsay Bierman host a designer tag sale, there’s no doubt that these tastemakers sell in style. Not only are the goods worth getting (afterall, most of the items are from the hosts’ personal collections), the effect is nothing short of a dinner party where friends congregate to mull over their own decorating ideas and learn the stories behind each enticing piece. Set in the English Village alley adjacent to Bates Corkern Studio, the trio threw a party of sorts, inviting friends to see their wares. A tent adorned with a floral arrangement by friend and interior designer Marcia Unger provided a festive venue while wine, water, and portable fans kept guests cool. Handwritten tags made items even more enticing: Rare! Fabulous! Great! Mid-century! Indeed the tent was stocked with everything from $10 candlesticks to a 19th-century Bergère chair. So how did this accumulation end up on the sidewalk?

“We’re all hoarders, and we all over-decorate, ” says Lindsay. “My taste and style has changed so much over the years. My things have moved from the house to the basement to storage units and back to my home again.” Lindsay’s favorite piece? A Second Empire chest (offered at $250) he’s had since his architecture school days in Virginia. “I was as bad then as I am now, ” he says. “I used to drive the rural countryside looking for pieces to decorate my dorm room. I go through this huge rotation all the time.”

Jeremy insists that his chaise lounge was the buy of the day (offered at $1, 800). “It’s the best bargain here, ” he says. “I paid much more than that. I just don’t have a place to put it, ” he laments.

Mary’s loss? A buoy from Bangkok—sold for a mere $25.

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Despite their desire to rid themselves of their goods, these friends still couldn’t help themselves. Overheard at the sale: “Hey Jeremy, save that bowl of yours for me.”


Text by Cathy Still McGowin • Photography by Major Adam Colbert

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