I go to a lot of estate sales---one a couple of weeks ago. That one was a neighbor of my parents and it was a living estate sale, the woman is in a nursing home now. I bought some of her vintage hankies for a quilt. She and her husband never had any children. At an estate sale the things being sold are often to help pay for medical expenses, care or funeral expenses. Sometime people are crude without meaning to be because they're uncomfortable too. Sometimes they just don't know any better or it an attempt to be funny. Having lost both parents in 03 and having to sell their things was heartbreaking but there were just too many things to split up. (we did some) At the sale the most comforting thing was when people would buy something and then tell us, "You mother did ____for me when I really needed it. This will be my treasured momento." or "Your dad was the most honest man I ever knew. Having one of his tools in my garage will remind me to be more like him." As with most things, there are good and bad sides to sales.