hope you have a great one!

It may appear to you like we are in a very quiet time in the auction business. Granted, there are not many auctions in December, but most auctioneers still spend the month of December working on the January auctions. I have three auctions booked for January 2014, and even in this “quiet” time, it is still keeping me a lot busier than I had planned! However, busy is good, and I am not one to complain about having too much business! This is going to be a rather short entry.  I will get into a detailed “year in review” after Christmas. I will just take this opportunity to wish you a very merry Christmas, and all the best during the Holiday Season. I hope it still is a very special time of year for you, because it certainly is a special time of year for me. I enjoy decorating the tree, I enjoy the Christmas music, and I enjoy the lights, and even though I usually don’t watch most of the Christmas specials and movies on TV, there are a few perennial favourites for me. The 1951 Alistair Simms portrayal of Scrooge is a must for me…even better when they run it late Christmas Eve. I hope to watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas and How The Grinch Stole Christmas….hard to believe I have been watching those two shows since I was a kid! I do try and avoid the “Christmas controversies”  that some people drag out every year at this time.  I just do my best to enjoy the season, and that really isn’t hard to do. I will spend time with family and friends, and that is the most important part of the season for me. I will enjoy some time off close to Christmas, but will still look forward to getting back into the swing of things in early January. So once again I wish you all a very merry Christmas and all the best during the holiday season and the upcoming new year! Rob

maybe ask someone who knows nothing about antiques?

I am fortunate to have a friend who is earning his degree in computer sciences, so he is my “go to guy” whenever I need technical support. Computer was doing strange things so he came over to help me out. He admits he really doesn’t have much interest in antiques, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to get some feedback about antiques, from the perspective of someone who has very little interest in them.  Also from someone who is in his early 30’s So I asked his impression of my place.  He told me it was filled with old stuff, and obviously things I liked and collected, but not the kind of things he would have.  I pointed to a gingerbread clock. He told me he couldn’t see how that would fit into the decor of anyone he knew.  I asked him about an early electric lamp (I had recently purchased for $200).  He thought it looked tacky. I showed him a few other pieces, and he said they were not something he would like, but they would fit into the decor of someone like me.  He then told me he personally would like old advertising pieces.  I showed him an original finish dye cabinet and a nice little blanket box, and his eyes lit up.  Yes he said, he could see people he knew, fitting pieces like that into their contemporary decor. That quick, 10 minute walkabout, summed up a lot of how I feel about the current antique market. Younger people looking for unique, smaller pieces, they use as decorator items, but they are not likely to fill the house with antiques. There are “old style” antiques and “new style antiques”. “Old style” antiques are Victorian furniture, lamps, clocks, jug and basin sets, epergnes, glass, china etc. I think “new style” antiques are wooden boxes, cast iron, deco figurals,  teak, mid century furniture, advertising, toys, vintage etc.  Usually what appeals to the younger buyers, does not appeal as much to people of my generation ( 40-60), and our parents generation. There is a glut of “old style” antiques coming onto the market, as people in that age group downsize, switch to modern decor, or sadly pass away. As an auctioneer, I have to look at antiques in an objective manner.  My friend looked at a gingerbread clock, and couldn’t imagine a place in the house.  I look at that same piece and see a 100 year old clock that is still running!  He looked at my early electric lamp and thought it looked tacky…I look at that lamp and see an 80 year old piece that looks great illuminated at night in my room full of antiques. The point is, when it comes to selling antiques, it doesn’t matter what I think…or what you think…or what your neighbour thinks…it is what the potential buyer thinks.  In an auction, if you don’t get two or more bidders who want it….it is going to sell cheap.  Currently there is an abundance of merchandise on the market right now, that does not command the interest or price, that it used to. I am a long time lamp collector, and often see lamps selling for less money than they did when I first started buying in the 1970’s.  Some pieces that sold for $80 or $90 a few years ago, now may sell for less than half of that now.  We have to accept the fact, that’s what they are worth now, and that’s the price you have to expect. Probably 80% of the antique market is decor driven.  People looking for whatever’s “hot”,, and whatever’s “hot” will eventually cool off. Chances are you bought what you liked, because at that point in time, it was “hot”.  It was trendy…and the demand drove the prices up.  Now you and I have to look at those pieces objectively, and assess a current and fair market value. That sometimes means totally disregarding what you paid for it, or what it used to sell for, and look at it in terms of the current market value.  At times that is not easy to do. So the point I am trying to make is…step back and take an objective look at what you have.  Try to imagine what the current buyers are looking for…how they are decorating…how it fits into or reflects their lifestyle, and then try and determine what would be a fair market value. Maybe ask someone with little or no experience with antiques…and see what they think of it! Rob

Country Antique Auction! Saturday Oct 25 10:00 am Preview At 9:00 Antique Furniture, Glass, China, Artwork, Primitives, Lighting, Aladdin Lamps, Railway Lamps, Collection Of Radios, Nice Collection Of Model Steam Engines, Toys,  And Much More! Pottageville Community Centre 15980 7th Concession THIS HAS TURNED INTO A VERY LARGE OFFERING WITH A DEFINITE COUNTRY FLAIR!  LOTS OF PRIMITIVES, “AS FOUND” PIECES, AND COUNTRY ITEMS WITH A NICE MIX OF GLASS, CHINA, LIGHTING ETC!  BACK CORNER PRIMITIVES START SELLING AT 10:00 AM SHARP, AND AT APPROX. 11:30 WE WILL START SELLING THE GLASS, CHINA AND JEWELERY AS WELL AS CONTINUING WITH PRIMITIVES AND COUNTRY ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE AUCTION. THIS IS A VERY FULL SALE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SELL EVERYTHING, SO BRING YOUR TRUCK, VAN OR TRAILER, AND COME PREPARED TO BUY! Click here to see the gallery! (more…)

Country Antique Auction! Our Last Saturday Night Antique Auction Of The Season Saturday Sept 27  4:00 pm Preview at 3:00 Antique Furniture, Glass, China, Artwork, Primitives, Lighting, Bar Advertising, Etc. Pottageville Community Centre 15980 7th Concession  THIS IS A VERY FULL, VERY “COUNTRY STYLE”AUCTION! Click here for the gallery!   LOTS OF PRIMITIVES, ORIGINAL FINISH FURNITURE AND COUNTRY DECORATING ITEMS IN THIS AUCTION…ALONG WITH SOME GOOD GLASS, CHINA AND ARTWORK! (more…)

and hope it never happens again!

I’ve had a lot of memorable auctions over the last 18 years.  The first on-site auction I did 15 years ago when we almost set fire to the house.  ( just a small fire on one of the tables of merchandise set up outside…we put it out).  Then there was the “mudfest” at the Cookstown Curling Club.  An early May sale that was so muddy around the building that I didn’t know how we were going to get people in or out.  (it turned out to be one of our best sales!) However, the most memorable sale was one that never actually happened! To this day I have never heard of this happening to another auctioneer. Sept 25 2010 we were to make our much anticipated debut at the Pottageville Community Centre.  It didn’t work out too well.  Here is a repost of my blog concerning that fateful event 4 years ago! I run this every year as a reminder!!!

The Saturday Sept 25 2010 auction was to be our big debut at the Pottageville Community Centre.   Well I guess we created quite a bit of talk….not about what happened…but what didn’t happen!   The auction didn’t happen!

This gives me an opportunity to explain what happened to our Saturday Sept25 auction…the one that was cancelled at the last moment!

The sale was almost completely set up, on Friday.  At 5:00 pm we were visited by a very nice young woman from the recreation department explaining that there was some confusion as to the auction date.  I believed we had a three day booking,  Thursday, Friday and Saturday of course. But it was brought to my attention that it was booked for Thursday 9:00 am until Saturday 12:00 am.

Ok so what was the problem?  We had all day Saturday to do the sale right?  No, actually 12:00 am Saturday is just past midnight Friday…and that is when we were to be done with the hall. There was another booking for the hall on Saturday, and we would have to have the hall cleared by 8:00 am Saturday.  Now I am not going to cast any blame here, because there was a mix up and miscommunication on both sides.  Verbally the hall was to be booked for 3 full days, but when the contract arrived I did not notice the Sat. 12:00 am mistake.  The point is, we had no choice but to clear the hall.

It took us two days to set up the sale, and now we were going to have to empty the building in a matter of hours.  I was overwhelmed and a little distraught, but it had to be done. I called back all my incredible staff, family members, friends and some consignors, and began the task of repacking and removing an entire auction! It took until 4:00 am, but we had the hall cleared and  contents stored in various locations.

I put a notice on the website at 10:00 pm, which was the earliest I could access my computer, and sent out the email list at 4:00 am hoping to catch people first thing in the morning announcing the cancellation

. Dave and Carol Beasley also sent out notice through their email listings, as well as Tom Clarkson Auctions, so we did everything we could to spread the word. I made a few early morning phone calls to people I knew were traveling a distance, but this is all I could do.

With about one hours sleep, I went down to the hall for 8:30 am Saturday and delivered the bad news to those who did not receive notice and showed up expecting an auction.   I was absolutely amazed at how understanding and considerate everyone was.  Not a single complaint from anyone….just inquiries about when the next auction was!  I really do have some wonderful customers!

At this point I want to express my deepest appreciation to everyone who came foreword to help.  The people I work with are not just staff, they are friends and family.  And they came to my aid as good friends and family would. Everyone showed up when I called, pitched in and did everything they could to help.  It was just amazing

. So here are the people I want to express thanks to on-line…I have thanked them over and over again in person, but I want you to know. Mom, my brother Brian, sister Kris and brother in law Gerry, Dave and Carol Beasley, Raymond and Cecile Bates,  Don Garner and his wife Audrey, and last but not least Charlie McAteer, who worked with me through to 4:00 am.  Also consignors who I called to pick up their merchandise, but would prefer I did not announce their names.  I was truly overwhelmed by the effort everyone put forth!

Also the many emails and phone calls from customers who offered whatever help they could. So a bad situation was made as good as it could be, and I once again thank everyone. Yes it is an experience none of us will forget, and a lesson for me to read the contracts carefully!

..and there are not many of them left.

I started in the antique business 30 years ago, and I was fortunate to open my antique shop, at a time when antiques where at their peak of popularity. I say I was fortunate, because it was during the time before antique malls and on-line selling.  It was the time of the “old style” antique dealer, and there are not many of them still around today. Most of the dealers I knew, myself included, bought and sold antiques for a living.  It was their only source of income. They paid the rent on their shop, and mortgage on their house, the vehicle payments, raised their families…everything on the income from antiques. Many would go to two or three auctions a week, buy privately as well, refinish the furniture, as well as work the shop.  It was not easy. I knew married couples who both worked the business.  One couple I knew lived over the shop, and their only vehicle was a cube van.  They would both show up at the auctions after a day of refinishing furniture and working the shop.  Go home with a truck load and likely not get to bed until after midnight.  They would do that two or three times a week. Many of the dealers I knew could be a little on the “crusty” side.  Most were pretty good dealing with people… however, others were terrible and I often wondered why they got into the business in the first place? Many of them could be pretty ruthless when they were buying at an auction. Very competitive and determined, and in my mind they would pay much more than they should have.  Often ego clouded business judgement. Some would conspire with other dealers to discourage some new, upshot dealers from buying at the auctions they attended regularly.  They would bid against the new dealers and run them as high as they could, just to discourage them, or at the very least, make sure they paid top dollar for anything they bought.  If you were new and cocky, and gonna show the old timers how it should be done…chances are you would get your wings clipped pretty quickly! Most of the dealers I knew where not particularly well schooled in antiques…they survived instead by knowing what people wanted.  If items were hot, they made sure they had them for the store. They followed trends…they were not ahead of the curve, or “thinking outside the box”…they just tried to get you what you wanted. I know only a few dealers like that now. We talk about what is selling…what is not selling…the outlook for the future of the business, and I really appreciate and value their input and opinions.  I need to hear from those dealers on the frontline…the ones directly dealing with the buying public…the ones who still make their sole income from the antique business. These “old style dealers” are the people I worked with and associated with for ten years when I had my store.  Nearly all of them are gone now…many passed away, while others left the antique business, when they could no longer make a reasonable living. Most of the dealers I know now, are hobby dealers.  They have retired with a good pension, or they still work full time, and just do antiques on the side. Antique malls and on-line selling, have created the opportunity for many collectors and antique enthusiasts to become part time dealers, and that is not a bad thing…it’s just very different from when I was in the business. (1984-1994). I interact with many dealers on-line, and the dealers that annoy me most, are the ones who do antiques as a hobby, but then seemingly look down on the old style, general antiques dealer.  It is fine to buy and sell only what YOU like, and complain about the buying habits of the general public.  They do shows, and sell to each other mostly I suspect, because most of the general public is no longer interested in what they are trying to sell.  One of these dealers recently commented about the “crap” some dealers are selling in order to make a living. My response was…”at least they are making a living in this business, and they are doing what they have to do in order to survive”.  That same “dealer” also has a good full time job, and never had to rely on the antiques business solely to pay the bills. So, hats off to the old style dealers.  The ones I knew and learned from. The ones who seem to be few and far between now.  The ones I will remember. Rob

looking back…I can’t believe I was that young!

So, another year rolls around and another anniversary auction. This is very cliché, but it is hard to believe it has been 18 years since our very first auction! I was the new kid in the business….in the auction business you can be 40 and still be considered the new kid. I honestly don’t remember a lot about the first auction…I was nervous and very serious…but I got through it, and overall the auction went well!  Since that day there have been over 230 more auctions, and more than 120,000 pieces sold…so it has worked out! We started out in the Bond Head hall, which is about 1/2 the size of the Pottageville hall…and  it was mostly a stand up auction with no air conditioning, and almost all the sales were packed!  Always over 500 lots and people stood shoulder to shoulder for hours on end.  I would get to the stage and look out over the crowd, and actually feel badly for the people crammed into the hall! We worked out of the Bond Head hall for almost 14 years, and then started doing summer sales in the Cookstown Curling Club.  We moved from about 2300 square feet to over 10,000 square feet, and started doing even larger sales! At the curling club, we had two rings running for most of the auction, and at one point we were selling over 200 pieces of furniture per auction.  I cut that back to about 120-130 pieces of furniture, just to make the sales a little more manageable. I have been very fortunate in getting quality and quantity for the auctions! For a year or two we did summers in Cookstown and then back to Bond Head for the rest of the year.  However, when we could no longer use the curling club, we moved to the Pottageville Community Centre, and have been there ever since. Looking back over the years I have sold a lot of good stuff…a lot of marginal stuff…and some outright junk!  There have been a lot of highs, and only a few lows…and no regrets. I’ve met some great people over the years, both as buyers and sellers.  There have been 100’s of consignors and thousands of people to our auctions, and I don’t think I could count on one hand, the problems I have had dealing with consignors or buyers. It’s been a pretty smooth ride. Looking back, the thing I am proudest of, is our staff.  The first few sales, myself, David Beasley and my mom and dad set up the auction.  Carol Beasley and Patti Vanderdonk did the cashiering. My brother Brian did hold up the night of the auction and my sister Kris and brother in law Gerry did the food booth. Dad helped doing the setup and auction until he passed away in 2004. Over the years the staff has continued to grow. Don Garner came on board about 12 years ago, and then  a couple of years later Charlie McAteer. David and Sue Niven help out when we need an extra hand, and now Lisa Ferrie works with us during the sale.  My brother Brian worked with us until last year, until the demands of his full time job conflicted with the auctions.  Pretty well the same staff for the last 18 years, and I think that says something. We work hard setting up the auctions but we usually always have fun while we work.  If you think the staff can be funny during the auction…you should hear what goes on during the setup!  (or maybe not). The auction business has changed over the years and I try and adjust to those changes.  Started the website in 2007, and that made a huge difference in my business.  I now spend a lot of time doing photos, working on-line, doing facebook etc,, and that’s a change in the business I really do enjoy. I adjust to changing prices and trends.  Prices have plummeted on some items and gone up on others, and that creates some challenges.  Too often I now turn down items I would have gladly taken into the auction ten years ago, but if there is no longer much demand for those items, it is no longer practical to take them into the sale. It is expensive to put on an auction, and in order to make it work financially, we have to average about $70 a minute in sales!  Of course that is just an average, but it points out why I have to be careful of what I take into the auction.  We have to work hard and sell fast, for at least 6 hours…and you have to have the right merchandise in order to do that. I am working on some changes in our business.  This past year I have been doing new furniture auctions for Spring Furniture in Barrie, and on June 1, William opened the Spring Auction Centre in Barrie.   That’s kept me very busy but it will also allow me to try and make our antique auctions just a little smaller, and focus more on quality.  That’s  something I have been wanting to do for several years now, so hopefully over the next few months I can make that happen. So once again I look forward to another year in this auction business.  When I wrote my anniversary news and views blog one year ago, I had no idea of the changes that were coming, and as I write again this year, the same is true. That’s one of the things I love about this business! So I will wrap up by thanking all my consignors, all the great people who come to our auctions, and my wonderful staff! Rob