I watch and learn! (most times)

These last few years have seen a number of antique related reality shows hit the air waves, and for the most part, I think they have been beneficial to the auction/antique business. Here are some of my thoughts on the shows that I am sure you have seen as well. Antiques Roadshow: This show hit the airwaves long before the other shows I am going to comment on.  I am not a hard core devotee of the show, but I do watch it when I can and I do like it. It may lead you to believe that $50,000 Tiffany lamps and $100,000 paintings pop up all over the place, and that really is not the case.  In my 30 years in the business I have never even seen a true Tiffany lamp, and if I did see a $100,000 painting I may have walked right by it! Keep in mind that 99% of the stuff people bring in to the show has very little value and of course doesn’t make it to air except at the end of the show in the feedback section.  However they do always uncover some true gems and the appraisals can be jaw dropping, but it does make for interesting television. American Pickers: This is a must see show for me. It is realistic and you can learn by watching the show. Mike and Frank for the most part pick the kind of items you might actually see and have a chance to buy sometime. The old signs, the rusty cast iron pieces, the industrial stuff. It shows the ups and downs of picking, and every time I see the show, I want to hop into my Sprinter van(similar to the one they drive, but I had to pay for mine), and hit the open road and start knocking on doors. However, I could not take the rejection they go through, so I am content to let people come to me with the items they want to sell! Canadian Pickers: The same can be said for the Canadian version, although it did take me a little while to warm up to Scott and Sheldon.  At first I found Scott a little whiney and obnoxious, and it used to annoy me when they would go to a dealer or antique show and complain about not being able to buy.  What kind of picker goes to dealers to buy?  Why would they think dealers are obligated to supply them with merchandise at a price they can turn around and make money on? However, they seemed to get past that,, and now I do enjoy the show. Sheldon can seem a little “wooden” and forced with his on-camera delivery, but overall the show is another good learning experience. Auction Kings: This show is based out of Atlanta Georgia, and I think it is the most realistic auction show I have seen.  It really gives you a good idea of how an auction hall is run, and they do show the ups and downs of the auction business.  Some sellers win big, and unfortunately others lose, and that of course is very true of the auction business.  They don’t seem to shoot a lot of episodes, and it doesn’t seem to have a regular night on the TV schedule.  I catch it now and again, and more often than not, it is a re-run, so I am hoping they have a batch of new shows coming down the pipe soon.  I noticed in the second season they have a new opening and they actually feature the two auctioneers in the opening sequence…about time! Wish they would do a Canadian version of the show. Hmmm…I know an auctioneer who would be interested! Pawn Stars: I really don’t know much about the pawn business,, but I do like this show. Interesting personalities, and very informative. The shop is in Las Vegas, and it has become one of the major tourist attractions in the area!  They now have 1000’s a people a day coming through the store, and they say it is now more of a gift shop than an actual pawn shop.  I know several people who have been to the store, and they say it looks much better and bigger on TV! Storage Wars: Probably the biggest hit show of the buy and sell reality shows, and I do watch it occasionally, but I am not a huge fan. It seems far too staged, and too much emphasis on the personalities involved, but that also is what makes it such a big hit!  They do show them scoring big and of course taking a beating as well, and that again is true to the reality of buying lockers.  I haven’t really been involved in locker auctions, but I do know a few people who are, and they say the show is making it tough for them to buy now.  Locker auctions used to only attract a handful of hard core buyers, but now some of them are packed with “wannabe” storage warriors, and that makes it tough for the people who buy them for a living.  There is a Canadian version of Storage Wars now being shot, and I do know one of the regular participants in the show, and I did have a chance to talk to him about it.  Sounds like it would be great fun being a regular on the show and I look forward to watching it when it hits the Canadian airwaves.

a little tonque in cheek!

Barrie Man A Throw Back To Another Era. Rob Sage, 56, currently living outside of Barrie Ont., surprised many people in the local area, by openly admitting, he still uses a flip top cell phone, with a $10 a month plan. Sage admits he has been using the antiquated technology for over 5 years now. He went on to explain how he can drive without using a cell phone, can shop without it, run a business without it constantly in his hand, can still keep in contact with family and friends. He also admitted he has never sent or received a text message, has never checked his email from a mobile device, in fact at times has gone 7 or 8 hours in a row without checking email. He still updates his facebook page from a desk top computer! Sage still prefers one on one conversation…face to face.  He can go through an entire meal in a restaurant without technological interruptions, and will often maintain a one on one conversation for hours on end. He does have a website that he admits is a very important part of his business, and he will spend many hours a month working on it.  However, he can also walk away from it, and still lead a full and productive life. Perhaps even more shockingly, Sage also admitted he has never played a video game. Never. And may never. Despite his technology handicap, Sage still believes he lives a full and productive lifestyle. He somehow sees and enjoys a world around him that is somewhat larger than a palm sized video screen. He still moves forward, despite also living backward in a by gone era… from almost 5 years ago.

…March is always a good month and this was no exception!

I am a little late in writing this, but it has been extremely busy since last weekends auction. Beginning of the week I was helping friends set up at the “One Of A Kind Show” in Toronto, and then several pickups, plus over 12 hours of paperwork, but it is all done now! First I would like to thank everyone who attended the March 23 auction, and once again a very large crowd! 235 registered bidders, and that make it one of the largest crowds we have had…second only to the auction in Feb! (243 bidders) January auction was over 200 bidders as well, so it has been a very good first three months of the year. There are some challenges when you have crowds that large, and I do appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding.  We do our very best to keep the sales moving quickly and believe it or not, with some semblance of planning and order.  It may seem somewhat chaotic, but we really are following a plan! The crowds are always largest during the winter months, but they do taper off somewhat for the rest of the year.  We still have large, well attended auctions, but probably 20% fewer registered bidders for the rest of the auctions this year, so that gives everyone a little more breathing room. A big part of my business  involves dealing with people who are settling estates. I find it very interesting what some people put great value on, and then I have to unfortunately tell them their mothers prized possession really isn’t worth that much.  One such case I am dealing with, the late mother told her children about the value of these two very old, painted chairs.  The daughters told me they were  not allowed to even stand on them, because mother told them they were very old and valuable.  I had to break the news to them that indeed the chairs are very old, but as far as value…less than $5 each. The same with the jug and basin set (basin cracked), the child’s chair with the missing rung, assorted plates, the collector spoons and the silver plate casserole stand. However, when we went to the top floor I spotted a very nice hall tree, told them what I thought it might bring, and they looked at me in amazement.  One sister told me she was going to throw it out! So then we check out the basement for crocks, sealers, old wooden boxes…the stuff that brings decent money now, yet these were the items held in very low regard. There is a generation that placed a great deal of value on some types of antiques, but many of those items just do not bring the money they would have 30 years ago.  Of course if you own these types of items, but are not actively following the antique market, it can be quite disappointing when you find out what they are currently selling for. Many people will then assume there is no value to antiques anymore, and that is where I have to explain that we are getting record crowds to our auctions, and in some cases record prices for some items. The demand for antiques is still there, but the market is changing.  Remember, about 80% of the antique market is decor driven.  Some items are hot for decorating with, and then in a year or two, the demand changes.  There are not many young couples looking to fill their homes with Victorian parlour furniture, large spinning wheels, wash basin sets etc.  However, when you offer a good piece of advertising, art deco lighting, teak furniture, original artwork, cast iron and primitive items…it is a different story! I do not have an auction booked in April, because I could not get a hall booking, but I will be back May 11, and then every month until December.  That gives me a little time off, and I must admit I have been looking forward to it.  There are still pickups to do, photos to work on, and everything else that goes with putting together our auctions, but it also gives me some time to do some renovation work around the house.  I don’t do the renovations personally, but it gives me time to hire people, and watch them do the renovations! So to summarize, we have had a good first quarter of the year. Crowds large, prices of course up and down, but the good and unusual still selling very well. The quality of the items coming our way just keeps getting better and better. I have a few “adjustments” and issues I have to deal with concerning our business, but overall it looks like 2013 is going to be another great year! Rob

this year is getting off to a very good start!

A big thank you to everyone who turned out for our Feb 23 auction… a record crowd!  It was the largest crowd we have ever had at one of our  antique consignment auctions.  This was a split sale between David Beasley and myself, and will likely become an annual event for us.  Feb is a good time of year to put on an extra special auction. It was wall to wall people, and for the first hour and a half we ran in two rings, and finally sold the last items at 6:00.  A large enthusiastic crowd, and even though there are challenges to doing a sale with a very large crowd, it all went off pretty smoothly. We had some good quality, unique pieces, and the bidding was strong on most of those items.  It has become very clear that there is still strong money on good pieces.  Primitives, tin toys, good artwork, good furniture…it still is selling well. As an auctioneer my goal is to show people we can get a fair price for those items, and then of course more will come our way.  So far, so good! Technology is playing such a big part in the auction business right now.  I have this website of course, and the Facebook page, email list, and several on-line sites I use to promote the auctions, and they are all valuable tools in bringing new buyers out to the sales. Once people are at the auction, technology comes into play as well.  We had a rare, 1920’s tin toy, and ours was missing several parts, but was still a very good piece. I was telling a few people before the auction, that complete versions of this toy, had sold from $2500 to $5000.  A young guy beside me took out his iphone, does some quick research, and there is a picture of the complete model listed on ebay with a “buy it now price” of $2999.00  I have seen people emailing photos of pieces at our auctions to friends, and if the friend likes it, they try and bid on it.  I know people who research artwork that was not advertised, and they can get results right at the auction.  The technology is changing the auction business and it is a change for the good. However, there is one part of the changing business that I am not ready to embrace right now, and that is advance on-line bidding.  Every auction I get emails from people expecting to leave advance bids.  I usually do not know who the person is, if they have every been to our auctions, etc.  We do not accept credit cards, so I have no way of ensuring that I will be paid if I do bid on their behalf. Then I would have to transport the items back to my house, contact the bidder, set up a time and place to meet etc.  I had someone last auction who wanted to leave an advance bid on the largest piece of furniture we had in the sale! That didn’t happen. My other concern with advance bidding, involves the people who actually do come out to the sale.  Some have driven one or two hours to get there. They have the expense of gas, food, plus the time they spend at the auction.  Is it fair for them to go to that effort, perhaps wait two or three or more hours at an auction for the piece they want, and then lose out to someone who placed an advance bid on-line? I don’t think so. I do occasionally take an advance bid from regular customers who have shown up for the preview, but cannot stay for the auction. I do not do it often, but there are times I will do it, because they have made the effort to come to the auction hall, inspect the merchandise and then make a decision. The point is, I want people to attend the auction.  I want them to have the experience of an “old fashioned country auction”.  The crowds, the noise, the energy, the anticipation, the social aspect…these are the important ingredients in an auction.  That is something I don’t want to change.  If you want to bid on-line there is always e-bay, but for now I am going to stick with the traditional auction method. So now it is time to get back to work.  I have consignors to pay, appointments to setup, and much work to do for our March 23 sale. Have fun on the auction trail! Rob