Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Thursday, July 26, 2007
AMERICAN ANTIQUE CLOCK AUCTION 1994
AMERICAN ANTIQUE CLOCK AUCTION - This auction was the highlight of my auction career. Everything about it was right (except for my exceptionally leery clients!) It was a dream. A clock collector in Worcester became compulsive and obsessive. He was an engineer by education and filled an entire house next to his home with antique clocks. I was directed to the sellers (wife and son) by Dick Fuller... a baseball contact man and friend. The family was the "in-laws" to Dick's son, Jeff. I insured I'd get the job by writing a comprehensive proposal to the sellers. This was in April... the same day I traveled to New Jersey to see son Ben interning at The Meadowlands with the New Jersey Devils.
Everything about this massive clock collection was right. There were over 25 categories listed in my auction catalog. And the bonus came when I discovered an estate of antique furniture and oriental rugs burried in the house... hidden by the clocks. The task of identifying the clocks was formidable. I hired Paul Dumanoski, a clock repairman, to help identify and match up clock movements with clock cases. It was real fun! Forty years earlier I "played" with my grandfathr Poulin's Regulator Clock and almost lost my left thumb in an accudent where the gears exploded. I was 12 at the time. Now I was to auction off a collection. My clients were extremely demanding. I had to obtain mailing labels from the National Association Of Watch and Clock Collectors of all collectors in the six New England Sates, New York, New Jersey and Pennyslvania! I mailed out over 7,000 postcards. The auction was held in Sturbridge Host Hotel. I had to pay $2,000 for the hall rental for 2 days.It was worth it. I hired two auctioneers - Bob Glass, Jr. and Kim Estes to help me manage and sell the goods. It was an antique auctioneer's dream!
I began auctioning the tall clocks first. There were nine grandfather clocks. The first one sold for $1,500; the last one sold for $1,800. The clock men attending the auction knew their product... and so did I! I was confident throughout the entire auction. the oriental rugs 'caught fire" with the bidders: $5,200, $5,600, $1,400, $1,400 and so on and so forth. A chippendale slant-front desk brought $1,800. there was something for everyone as Old Langevin would say.
I had one big snafu with the unsuccessful obtaining credit card marketing. No bank would give me the privilige because I did not have a permanent auction hall! I waited until the last minute to inform my clients. They grumbled. The auction went on! Only one customer "cried" because we didn't have the banking suystem. Everybody else paid by cash or check. The Gross Sale came in at about $135,000! Son Josh gave me a Father's Day card with a note saying I was a "Six Figure Dad!"
My clients didn't want me to keep the Buyers Premium! They thought it was theirs! It was a situation of good old fashioned "Greed." Because I am a superb negotiator I settled with them whereby I may have made "Twenty Grand" plus expenses. Could I have done better? No. Would I love to have another, "Yes!"
Everything about this massive clock collection was right. There were over 25 categories listed in my auction catalog. And the bonus came when I discovered an estate of antique furniture and oriental rugs burried in the house... hidden by the clocks. The task of identifying the clocks was formidable. I hired Paul Dumanoski, a clock repairman, to help identify and match up clock movements with clock cases. It was real fun! Forty years earlier I "played" with my grandfathr Poulin's Regulator Clock and almost lost my left thumb in an accudent where the gears exploded. I was 12 at the time. Now I was to auction off a collection. My clients were extremely demanding. I had to obtain mailing labels from the National Association Of Watch and Clock Collectors of all collectors in the six New England Sates, New York, New Jersey and Pennyslvania! I mailed out over 7,000 postcards. The auction was held in Sturbridge Host Hotel. I had to pay $2,000 for the hall rental for 2 days.It was worth it. I hired two auctioneers - Bob Glass, Jr. and Kim Estes to help me manage and sell the goods. It was an antique auctioneer's dream!
I began auctioning the tall clocks first. There were nine grandfather clocks. The first one sold for $1,500; the last one sold for $1,800. The clock men attending the auction knew their product... and so did I! I was confident throughout the entire auction. the oriental rugs 'caught fire" with the bidders: $5,200, $5,600, $1,400, $1,400 and so on and so forth. A chippendale slant-front desk brought $1,800. there was something for everyone as Old Langevin would say.
I had one big snafu with the unsuccessful obtaining credit card marketing. No bank would give me the privilige because I did not have a permanent auction hall! I waited until the last minute to inform my clients. They grumbled. The auction went on! Only one customer "cried" because we didn't have the banking suystem. Everybody else paid by cash or check. The Gross Sale came in at about $135,000! Son Josh gave me a Father's Day card with a note saying I was a "Six Figure Dad!"
My clients didn't want me to keep the Buyers Premium! They thought it was theirs! It was a situation of good old fashioned "Greed." Because I am a superb negotiator I settled with them whereby I may have made "Twenty Grand" plus expenses. Could I have done better? No. Would I love to have another, "Yes!"
Friday, July 20, 2007
MORE EXCITING ESTATE AUCTIONS
1987 was a banner year for me as was 1986. the color of money proved to be green. After attending the Certified Auctioneers Institute in Bloomington, Indiana, I came home to stage another great auction. This one was "'On Site" in Clinton, Mass. (No relation to Bubba!) Christine Beck lived to be in here 90s and never married. She didn't have any siblings. Her grand Victorian was chuck full of antique furniture and furnishings. All 9 rooms were filled to the brim. Trust Officers Ed Lewis and John Arsenault hired me to 'do my thing!" It was wonderful, to say the least. On a sunny April morning, under my green and white striped canvas tent, I let it roll. the bankers had agreed to allow me to auction the house off too. I "imported" my Brother from South Georgia, Col. Maurice Barfield to help me shoulder the load.You see an auctioneer has to have a tremendous amount of "brawn and brains' to deliver the goods. We have both! Everything was in my favor. Sunshine, active bidding and good antique merchandise. The house was loaded with Golden Oak Turn-of-Century furniture. there were tables, chairs, buffets but the thing that lingers in my memory are Miss Beck's' dolls! These porcelain head dolls were from Germany. They were exquisite. All three fetched $300 to $400 each! To me that was a lot of money. It seems the public likes things that are held in a "time-capsule" setting.But the real thrill of the auction came when I auctioned off the house. It was an unspoiled 1893 Victorian home. The successful bidder and buyer, Attorney Joe Shea and his partner Karen Katz paid $178,000 for the house. I earned a 3% commission and I was happy. They buyers said it was a highlight of their lives! I got good "press" from the Worcester Telegram. The auction will always be remembered as a highlight of my career. Another great estate auction came in late December of 1987. This sale was that of a connoisseur of antiquity. Gold and silver abounded as did oriental rugs.A signed Tiffany gold coin bracelet brought $2,100.There was fine New England furniture of the Period.This time I staged the auction in a "Ballroom setting' at the Worcester Marriot Hotel.I gained a lot of insight and experience in 1987. My auction business continued to be a 'family affair" as my sons aged to maturity. These two auctions - The Beck Estate and The Longstreet Estate - provide for priceless memories in a world full of 'made in China!"
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