really!!! So quickly! (again)
Well another year has come and gone….seems like I was saying that just a few months ago!
2014 was an interesting year for me. It was by far the busiest year I have ever had. Did 45 auctions for the year, which is up substantially from the 15 or so per year I usually do!
The biggest change for me, was expanding my business into new furniture auctions. I did over 30 auctions for Spring Furniture and Vacuum in Barrie. Between the new furniture auctions, the antique auctions, and working with David Beasley Auctions, it kept me very busy…and at times, hectic!
New furniture auctions are certainly much different from the antique auctions I am used to doing. Smaller crowds, but the average buyer tends to spend more money than the average buyer at an antique auction. There is very little customer crossover from the new furniture to antique auctions. A few of my regular antique buyers occasionally show up at the new furniture auctions, but for the most part it is two different worlds! It was a good experience for me.
As the antique market continues to change, I think it is important to branch out, and develop other revenue streams. It is getting tougher to make a decent living just doing antique auctions.
However, antiques have been the mainstay of my auction business for the last 18 years, and I have made my living in the antique business since 1984, so you will see me doing antique auctions for more years to come!
2014 saw some changes in the auction business as always. It is no secret, antique furniture prices are soft…in fact there are now items I try and
not take into the auction, because they are no longer worth handling. However, primitives, country items and the good, unusual pieces still bring fair prices. It is just an adjustment in the market….the crowds keep coming out to the antique auctions!
One of the biggest changes this past year was the number of on-line auctions. It felt like almost every week a new on-line auction was popping up! Most of the on-line auctions are selling general household items and liquidation items…but I have been watching a few doing good antique pieces. In some cases the prices seem lower than a traditional live auction, but other pieces seem to do better on-line.
I will state right now that I have
no intention of doing on-line auctions in the near future. However, I will never state that I will never do them at some time in the future. Honestly, at this stage in my life, they really do not hold much appeal to me. Live, country auctions have been a big part of my life for over 40 years now. As an auctioneer, I love working in front of a crowd…I don’t want to spend even more of my time working in front of a computer! I do enough of that already.
There is something about a live auction that you will never get sitting at your computer or mobile device. I could try and explain the appeal of a live auction…but I think you already know! If I have to explain it…you probably are better bidding on-line.
However, I will acknowledge how big an impact on-line auctions will have on our business, and I do not dismiss them. They work….they are just not for me, right now.
So again I look forward to 2015. I will continue “tweaking” and reworking the antique auctions. Continue to find the best quality pieces I can. Continue to have fun selling them!
I will also continue with the new furniture auctions and perhaps even branch out into other types of live auctions…as long as I am selling in front of a good crowd, I am happy!
Hope you can make it to as many of our auctions as possible, and together we can all have a great 2015!
Rob
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