Buyer's Premium Explained!
Bill Burns
bestowed upon us, here's eB*y's helpful information (given to justify
adding 10% to their "Great Collections" auctions):
"Most traditional auction houses charge a buyer’s premium of 10 to
20 percent of the sales price to cover their costs for services that are
essential for successful auctioning of high-end fine art, antiques, and
other unique collectibles. More specifically, auctioneers collect a premium
to pay for value-added services such as authenticity guarantee, provenance
research, sales previews, and property storage." (end quote)
At one time it was thought that these were just normal costs of running an
auction business, until Christie's and Sotheby's collaborated in
introducing the buyer's premium a few years ago.
Reminds me of the scam perpetrated by new-car dealers in the US. You'll
often see a line on the window sticker of popular models (along with all
the usual add-ons like air conditioning, roof racks, etc.):
ADM - $500.00 or
ADP - $600.00
The unwary car buyer doesn't find out until it's too late that these
cryptic acronynms stand for Added Dealer Margin and Added Dealer Profit.
--
Bill Burns
Long Island NY USA
mailto:bi...@ftldesign.com
Jack Hudson
Bill Burns <bi...@ftldesign.com> wrote in message
news:8FDCA4BF9...@167.206.112.134...
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>At one time it was thought that these were just normal costs of running an
>auction business, until Christie's and Sotheby's collaborated in
>introducing the buyer's premium a few years ago.
A few years ago Bill?? ... perhaps in the US or maybe for you time has
flown pass rather fast and unnoticed. However, I've been paying 'buyer's
premium' for at least the last 15-20 years on items bought at Christie's
and Sotheby's in the UK. I think the last **major** auction house in the
UK not to charge a buyer's premium was "Lots Road" before they were
bought over by Bonhams around about the mid 1980s.
I also think it's incorrect of you to state that ... "Christie's and
Sotheby's collaborated in introducing the buyer's premium a few years
ago." In the UK **all** the major auction houses charge more or less the
same rate on the buyer's premium, and this has been the case for many
years.
For the dealer there shouldn't really be any big deal with a buyer's
premium, for after all, it's a business expense just like any other
business expense .... hammer price plus auctioneer's fee.
And let's not forget the buyer's premium just like the 'seller's
premium' can be flexible, negotiable, just depends on who you are, how
much business you conduct and the type of goods put up for sale.
Ronnie
=====
tempus fugit
-------------------
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>And let's not forget the buyer's premium just like the 'seller's
>premium' can be flexible, negotiable, just depends on who you are, how
>much business you conduct and the type of goods put up for sale.
My above comment of course is in relationship to Christie's and
Sotheby's. In fact to most major and minor auction houses in the UK.
Bill Burns
>A few years ago Bill?? ... perhaps in the US or maybe for you time has
>flown pass rather fast and unnoticed.
Ronnie: I fear you're correct - and the older I get, the faster it flies!
I checked some of my back catalogs, and Sotheby's in London were charging
10% at least as far back as the early 80s.
>I also think it's incorrect of you to state that ... "Christie's and
>Sotheby's collaborated in introducing the buyer's premium a few years
>ago."
Looking at my Sotheby's NY catalogs, there was no premium in the late 70s,
but they were certainly charging 10% by the mid 80s. However, before S & C
introduced it (I believe simultaneously) at their New York salesrooms, the
buyer's premium was unknown in the USA. It took a while to filter down to
the next level, and percentages vary from the 15% charged by the larger
houses, down to 10% and 12% charged even by the country auctions in many
areas. There are still a few holdouts on the East coast who don't charge a
premium; I don't know the situation at the smaller houses in other areas.
As you say, it's just another condition of business for the buyer; for the
seller (in theory at least) it should result in a reduced commission being
charged on goods sold, since the buyer makes up the difference. In
practise, I think a lot of auction houses are taking the full commission on
both ends.
Bill
Gillam Kerley
> bestowed upon us, here's eB*y's helpful information (given to justify
> adding 10% to their "Great Collections" auctions):
>
> "Most traditional auction houses charge a buyer's premium of 10 to
> 20 percent of the sales price to cover their costs for services that are
> essential for successful auctioning of high-end fine art, antiques, and
> other unique collectibles. More specifically, auctioneers collect a
premium
> to pay for value-added services such as authenticity guarantee, provenance
> research, sales previews, and property storage." (end quote)
>
Actually, Great Collections is not adding a buyer's premium, at least not in
the conventional sense. The amount entered as a bid will include the
permium, as will the high bid amount displayed. IOW, if I enter $1100 as my
bid amount, and win at that amount, I'll be paying $1000 for the item and
$100 buyer's premium. If I bid $1100 at an auction with a conventional 10%
buyer's premium, I'll end up writing a check for $1210.
Here's the language from the announcement: "To keep the buying process on
the eB*y Great Collections site straightforward, we will do all the
calculations on your behalf. The price that you will see and bid on our site
after the introduction of Buyer's Premium will always be the Total Price --
that is, the bid price PLUS the buyer's premium. In other words, it will
always be the final price that you will actually pay if you win the
auction."
It took me a while to figure out why yaBe is doing this.
Since the numbers
bidders are seeing and entering all include the buyer's premium, rather than
yaBe tacking it on at the end, there's no psychological inducement for
buyers to bid higher than they would in a non-premium auction.
Then the light bulb clicked on.
The buyer's premium has has *nothing* to do with increasing selling prices,
or boosting yaBe's income per transaction (except for its Butterfields
subsidiary, as I'll explain in a moment).
It has everything to do with helping the GC sellers who sell on consignment
scam their consignors.
Old system:
GC Seller accepts item on consignment for 25% commission. Item sells for
$1100. Consignor gets $825.00
New system:
GC Seller accepts item on consignment for 25% commission. Item sells for
$1000 plus $100 buyer's premium, total $1100. GC Seller reports the selling
price to consignor as $1000; consignor gets $750.00
Now, I don't have a great problem with a buyer's premium at a decent RL
auction house. They have real bricks-and-mortar expenses to cover. OTOH,
the costs involved in taking a few pics and writing up a listing are
miniscule in comparison to the costs of running a RL auction. IMO, there's
no way an auction company should be able to justify this scam to its
consignors.
But it is the consignors, not the buyers, who are getting screwed by the GC
buyer's premium. AFAICT, it's not going to affect the bidding process one
iota. (Except for the obligatory two weeks of nonfunctional functionalities
while it is implemented.)
The good news is, since only a few sellers on generic yaBe sell on
consignment, I don't think we'll see a buyer's premium outside of GC.
There's no point to it there.
GK
ReyneH
Auctionhouses here in the US all charge a buyers premium. And if they don't,
its because there is such an enormous % taken from the consignor.
In the US it is usually 15-20% - if you see 10% you breathe a sigh of relief.
People complaining about buyers premiums crack me up. I'd love to see them run
an auctionhouse without it. Where do they think these guys get their money
from?
Its the same for people who get annoyed at dealers for marking up their
merchandise. Oh, I forget, we should all sell things for what we paid for them
- and or sometimes less.
Unreal.
Reyne
Just Glass Auctions - http://www.JustGlass.com
Online Gallery - http://www.tias.com/RHA
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>People complaining about buyers premiums crack me up. I'd love to see them run
>an auctionhouse without it. Where do they think these guys get their money
>from?
Exactly Reyne, and this was going to be my follow-up point to, Bill. I
think these same people fail to realize that the auctioneer is acting as
an agent. Even with 15% taken both ways, less the auctioneer's
overheads, less the cost of the auction hosting and less the cost of the
rest, that is still much less than most dealer's profit margins.
So what do these folk want? - 0% buyer's premium and 30%-40% seller's
premium. At that rate of going the friggin' auction houses wouldn't get
any consignments to sell in the first place, the main houses would be
devoid of any goods. The auctioneer is a go-between and as such both
parties, seller and buyer, should foot the auction's fees.
I think folk need to get real, the days of 0% buyer's premium is over,
long gone. Plain as the nose on ones face, IMO, any auction house not
charging buyer's premium are probably punting their own stuff, and
probably punting crap at that.
Ronnie
=====
Jane Thomas
"Gillam Kerley" <gke...@execpc.com> wrote:
>
> "Bill Burns" <bi...@ftldesign.com> wrote in message
> news:8FDCA4BF9...@167.206.112.134...
> > For those of us who were never quite sure what benefit the buyer's premium
> > bestowed upon us, here's eB*y's helpful information (given to justify
> > adding 10% to their "Great Collections" auctions):
> >
> > "Most traditional auction houses charge a buyer's premium of 10 to
> > 20 percent of the sales price to cover their costs for services that are
> > essential for successful auctioning of high-end fine art, antiques, and
> > other unique collectibles. More specifically, auctioneers collect a
> premium
> > to pay for value-added services such as authenticity guarantee, provenance
> > research, sales previews, and property storage." (end quote)
> >
>
> Actually, Great Collections is not adding a buyer's premium, at least not in
> the conventional sense. The amount entered as a bid will include the
> It took me a while to figure out why yaBe is doing this.
> Since the numbers
> bidders are seeing and entering all include the buyer's premium, rather than
> yaBe tacking it on at the end, there's no psychological inducement for
> buyers to bid higher than they would in a non-premium auction.
>
> Then the light bulb clicked on.
>
> The buyer's premium has has *nothing* to do with increasing selling prices,
> or boosting yaBe's income per transaction (except for its Butterfields
> subsidiary, as I'll explain in a moment).
>
> It has everything to do with helping the GC sellers who sell on consignment
> scam their consignors.
>
> Old system:
>
> GC Seller accepts item on consignment for 25% commission. Item sells for
> $1100. Consignor gets $825.00
>
> New system:
>
> GC Seller accepts item on consignment for 25% commission. Item sells for
> $1000 plus $100 buyer's premium, total $1100. GC Seller reports the selling
> price to consignor as $1000; consignor gets $750.00.................
Hi Gillam,
Who gets to keep the $100 buyer's premium, the GC seller or eBay?
Jane
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
ReyneH
Absolutely. They would have to be selling their own merchandise.
What consignor do you know would pay 30%?
There is one auctionhouse I know that deals with nothing but estate attorneys.
They charge the estate 30% and no buyers premium. The estate attorneys could
care less. They are just getting the stuff out of the house so they can wrap up
the estate. Otherwise, yes - no one in their right mind would pay 30%.
Yea, we should all work for free.
Foolabaloney
>So what do these folk want? - 0% buyer's premium and 30%-40% seller's
>premium. At that rate of going the friggin' auction houses wouldn't get
>any consignments to sell in the first place, the main houses would be
>devoid of any goods. The auctioneer is a go-between and as such both
>parties, seller and buyer, should foot the auction's fees.
>
What folks want, plain and simple, is something for nothing. And anyone that
stands in the way of them getting that is somehow criminal, shady, or cruel.
In *ANY* retail situation the final consumer is paying fees to intermediary
people that provide a service. I do not understand why antiques should have
different rules.
I just don't get it.
BTW, I normally pay 10-15 percent buyer's premium. I factor it in (what a
math wizz) every time I hold up that bidding number. As you say, *someone*
has to pay the fees for the service...why should the heirs of the estate be the
only ones to pay when we all (those of us at the auction) take advantage of the
services?
See ya,
LF
Gillam Kerley
"Jane Thomas" <ti...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8tigkr$d8g$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> Who gets to keep the $100 buyer's premium, the GC seller or eB*y?
>
The buyer's premium goes to the GC seller.
yaBe does calculate its final value fees (1.25 to 5 percent) as a percentage
of the total amount (selling price plus buyer's premium).
GK
Marshall Schuon
>Ronnie,
>
>Auctionhouses here in the US all charge a buyers premium. And if they don't,
>its because there is such an enormous % taken from the consignor.
>
>In the US it is usually 15-20% - if you see 10% you breathe a sigh of relief.
>
>People complaining about buyers premiums crack me up. I'd love to see them run
>an auctionhouse without it. Where do they think these guys get their money
>from?
>
>Its the same for people who get annoyed at dealers for marking up their
>merchandise. Oh, I forget, we should all sell things for what we paid for them
>- and or sometimes less.
>
>Unreal.
>
>Reyne
_______
None of the auctions around here (northeastern Pa.) charge anything
like 20 percent. Usually, it is 10 percent, but some of the houses
have no buyers premium at all.
Marshall
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>BTW, I normally pay 10-15 percent buyer's premium.
Yea, at the weekly and local auction rooms in my neck of the woods the
buyer's premium varies between 10%-15% (seller's rate the same) and of course
with the **fess** attracting a furter 17.5% VAT. The main city houses all
charge the SAME rate 12 1/2% buyer's premium and the same for the seller.
MY GOD!!! collusion or wot!! QUICK!!!! call in the Sweeney Todd.
Although, having said that, if the seller is trade, then the (seller) fees
will be negotiable, even Christie's and Sotheby's, most times, depending on
the sale type, give a special "trade seller's fee" for bona fide trade and to
their regular consignors.
When I **sell** at the local auctions (in my area) I'm usually charged
between 8%-10% and at one auction house in particular they charge me 6% with
their normal Joe Public fees being 10% both ways. IMO, the fee is a business
EXPENSE just like another service fee, so it's no big deal.
At one local sale room I pay a reduced buyer's premium, because I have a
special working relationship with that auction house. This is normal in my
area and quite a number of dealers would pay and be charged special rates and
fees. After all, it's a trade oriented business, with Joe Public merely being
the end user.
I am sure that the likes of Paul Getta doesn't pay Christie's and Sotheby's
(or any of the other international players) the full publicized premiums, but
has a special deal with special rates.
As to my "seller's fee" usually charged by Christie's, (don't often use
Sotheby's) that's my business :) but it's lower than their normal quoted and
publicized rates, depending on the sale type. I would be surprised that the
same arrangements between trade and Christie's (and other **professional**
auction houses) didn't already exist in the USA.
Ronnie
=====
I love a surprise
------------------------
Tsu Dho Nimh
>The buyer's premium has has *nothing* to do with increasing selling prices,
>or boosting yaBe's income per transaction (except for its Butterfields
>subsidiary, as I'll explain in a moment).
>
>It has everything to do with helping the GC sellers who sell on consignment
>scam their consignors.
>
>Old system:
>
>GC Seller accepts item on consignment for 25% commission. Item sells for
>$1100. Consignor gets $825.00
>
>New system:
>
>GC Seller accepts item on consignment for 25% commission. Item sells for
>$1000 plus $100 buyer's premium, total $1100. GC Seller reports the selling
>price to consignor as $1000; consignor gets $750.00
Interesting ... so in order to make more money for Butterfields,
which has been way less profitable than expected, they stiff the
Butterfirlds consignors (and in the process the consignors of
other houses as well).
Tsu Dho Nimh
When businesses invoke the "protection of consumers," it's a lot like
politicians invoking morality and children - grab your wallet and/or
your kid and run for your life.
ReyneH
Then they must charge the consigners quite a bit more, or they own the
merchandise - otherwise its impossible for them to make enough to cover their
expenses.
Maryann
>its because there is such an enormous % taken from the consignor.
>In the US it is usually 15-20% - if you see 10% you breathe a sigh of relief.
>People complaining about buyers premiums crack me up. I'd love to see them run
>an auctionhouse without it. Where do they think these guys get their money
>from?
>Its the same for people who get annoyed at dealers for marking up their
>merchandise. Oh, I forget, we should all sell things for what we paid for them
>- and or sometimes less.
>Unreal.
>Reyne
Not all auction houses charge a buyers premium. I frequent a monthly
auction that gives a buyers refund. For every $100.00 dollars you
spend you get a certicate or $10.00 good only at their next auction.
They see it as their own small rebellion against the buyers premium.
They seem to be doing a triving business.
" "
Maryann
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
ReyneH
They do. Up until recently I only paid Christies 6% and Phillips 5% but that
had to do with the total $ a year I gave them. Anyone could have the same nego
power. However, a few months ago they changed things to 6% to everyone. I
guess that happened with the impending investigation.
Their buyers premium however went from 15% to 18%
Allison & Derek
true reason behind the buyer's premium is to spread the profit for the
auction house to include both the buyer and the seller. IE the seller
is going to get more money and thus (one would assume) more sellers
are willing to use auction houses to liquidate their stuff.
-DU
"Bill Burns" <bi...@ftldesign.com> wrote in message news:8FDCA4BF9...@167.206.112.134...
mcat
It might also be possible that these smaller houses are not ringed,
therefore the merchandise brings a higher price, so an increased
premium is not necessary.
mcat
BTW, not all these houses with no buyer's premium sell just crap --
one local to me sold a FLW chair for over $17,000 this summer.
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>Ronnie
>
>They do. Up until recently I only paid Christies 6% and Phillips 5% but that
>had to do with the total $ a year I gave them. Anyone could have the same nego
>power. However, a few months ago they changed things to 6% to everyone. I
>guess that happened with the impending investigation.
>
>Their buyers premium however went from 15% to 18%
Hi Reyne, the situation here with Christie's at the moment (unless it has
changed radically within the last two weeks, better NOT! as the buggers
currently owe me money) ... buyers premium 15% ... seller's commission rate
normal auction type (antiques/collectibles/fine art) 10% Joe Public .. the
trade commission (seller's fees) and regular consignors is still 6% - that's
on lots making over 500UKP. Which, I think, now includes insurance. Insurance
used to be 1% of the hammer price.
The 500UKP limited is in fact rather meaningless (although they do quote a
rate for lots making below 500UKP - higher of course) as Christie's (and
Sotheby's) will NOT accept any lots from the provinces via the local reps to
the London sale rooms in the first place, unless the lot is ensured to make
over 500UKP. At least in this "Province" closer to London may be different.
If it's worth less that 500 then I just use my local auction outlets, or in
the case of Joe Public, lots worth under (estimated) 500UKP the Christie's
local rep just pans out these lots on the behalf of Joe P to the local
auctions within that particular province (local area) ... of course, in such
a case Christie's get a payback from the local auction house, just like any
other dealer would get his/her introductory fee for doing the same thing.
Ronnie
=====
ReyneH
And what kind of merchandise is this auctionhouse selling? Household contents
I suspect?
The reason behind not charging a buyers premium is because more than likely
they are hocking their own wares. They probably run ads in the paper
advertising for buying whole house contents etc. This is what they do with the
drek.
ReyneH
they are not charging buyers premium.
I tell ya what. Why don't you call them and say you have some things you want
to consign, and let us know what the sellers commission % is.
I'd be interested to know.
Now, tell me more about the Frank Lloyd Wright chair!
Gillam Kerley
"Tsu Dho Nimh" <aba...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:vbtqvsoq5h8t2kfsm...@4ax.com...
>
> Interesting ... so in order to make more money for Butterfields,
> which has been way less profitable than expected, they stiff the
> Butterfirlds consignors (and in the process the consignors of
> other houses as well).
You got it.
IIRC, they also shut down Butterfield's Chicago operation, as a cost-cutting
move.
GK
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>BTW, not all these houses with no buyer's premium sell just crap --
>one local to me sold a FLW chair for over $17,000 this summer.
I'd have bought that myself even WITH auction fees.
Ronnie
=====
Gillam Kerley
"Allison & Derek" <ad...@REMOVEpotterygallery.MEcom> wrote in message
news:aXeL5.25284$P14.6...@typhoon.austin.rr.com...
> I disagree with the whole buyers premium thing, however I believe the
> true reason behind the buyer's premium is to spread the profit for the
> auction house to include both the buyer and the seller. IE the seller
> is going to get more money and thus (one would assume) more sellers
> are willing to use auction houses to liquidate their stuff.
If one assumes that the buyers are going to adjust their bid downward to
accomodate the buyer's premium (or, in the case of GC, that the computer
will separate their total bid into its components), then the purpose is to
make consignors *think* they're getting more money.
IOW, the auction house can now tell sellers that they are only paying 20%
instead of 25% comission, without mentioning that the selling price (net of
buyer's premium) will also be lower.
In the real world (not GC), I'm sure many bidders don't figure the premium
into their bids, so it does in fact increase their spending. Whether any of
the increase trickles back to the consignor is debatable.
GK
ReyneH
Over here we have 2 seperate sales
Christies Rockefeller Center which has a house minimum of 10K (meaning nothing
is supposed to go into their sales with less than a $10,000 minimum)
Christies East - $2,000 minimum
Sellers are charged
6% commission
Insurance
Buy back premium if it doesnt sell
Photography ($400 for a 1/4 page)
It does get expensive, however they do tend to get good money for most things.
Sothebys is the same, except they dont have 2 different locations for the 2
sales. Its just Sothebys, and Sothebys Arcade.
mcat
I have not consigned anything there, but someone I know has; somewhere
between 10 - 20%.
The chair was part of a sale where everything that night was from one
consignor. I wouldn't say who, even if I knew. (I don't.) It was
well-advertised and sold to a phone bidder, they would never have
gotten that kind of money locally.
http://www.chadwickbay.com/wrightchair.shtml
mcat
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>http://www.chadwickbay.com/wrightchair.shtml
There y'all go again ....
" ... but just before the auctioneer declared the piece sold, that bidder
re-entered the bidding. The crowd broke into shouts and applause as the price
moved higher."
Crowd broke into shouts and applause??!!!!!!?? ... why do the Americans shout
and applaud at auctions? .. not like it's the Jerry Springer show. Huh?
Yours embarrassingly,
Ronnie
=====
ReyneH
A Woodall Webb cameo vase sold at Earlys this weekend for $40,000 and the crowd
started clapping. I asked my husband the same question. He was like "$40,000 is
alot to some people" - um well yea it is - so are you saying people clap when
they see expensive crap sell? Egad!
Can you imagine them spending the day at a car dealership? or following a
realtor?
R
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>Ronnie
>
>Over here we have 2 seperate sales
>
>Christies Rockefeller Center which has a house minimum of 10K (meaning nothing
>is supposed to go into their sales with less than a $10,000 minimum)
Yea, but that's not always the case, Reyne. It does rather depend on the sale.
As in something like this one ....
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10442
But yes most times the pre-sale estimates at the Rockefeller Plaza are scary
and the results even more mind boggling. Never been but someday I'll get there
for the craic, even just to shout and applaud.
I few days ago I had been following this auction "Important English Furniture"
another world totally .. eh wot!
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10454
Ronnie
---------
Money For Nothing Antiques
-------------------------------------------
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>Ronnie
>
>A Woodall Webb cameo vase sold at Earlys this weekend for $40,000 and the crowd
>started clapping. I asked my husband the same question. He was like "$40,000 is
>alot to some people" - um well yea it is - so are you saying people clap when
>they see expensive crap sell? Egad!
>Can you imagine them spending the day at a car dealership? or following a
>realtor?
Lol
Hey Reyne, sometimes at our local sales up goes a rip roaring laughter in
unison when the hammer falls, even been known to hear a few catcalls like
... "HEY DICKHEAD visit my shop sometime."
But I must admit, even here (in the land of the Bog) on those rare occasions
the floor has been known to politely clap. Awhile go, at a local sale, a small
Worcester covered urn, no more than 3 1/2 inches in height, was hammered down
to a successful buyer in the room for 35k .. THIRTY-FIVE K??!!!!?? yeah the
room clapped ... or was it crapped. ;>?)
Must have been rare.
Ronnie
=====
ReyneH
Usually they only take consignments less then 10K if
a) they are coming with a group of important things
b) they relate to an important thing in a sale
c) one owner sale
Let me know if you come over for a sale. We can sit in the back and clap
together.
Actually, its rare that you see anyone clapping at a NY sale.
They know better!
ReyneH
then again so does Jerry Springer.
Do you get Springer over there?
Foolabaloney
> ... "HEY DICKHEAD visit my shop sometime."
Now it's my turn to be embarrassed. They really say that?
>But I must admit, even here (in the land of the Bog) on those rare occasions
>the floor has been known to politely clap. Awhile go, at a local sale, a
>small
>Worcester covered urn, no more than 3 1/2 inches in height, was hammered down
>to a successful buyer in the room
>for 35k .. THIRTY-FIVE K??!!!!?? yeah the
>room clapped ... or was it crapped. ;>?)
>
>Must have been rare.
I do believe I got clapped for once (which is different from getting clap,
honest). I was bidding against a really annoying phone bidder. I say
annoying because the auctioneer kept going back to the phone handler and the
auction house (and I) would think the auctioneer was about to hammer it down
and the phone bidder would come in at the last second. It went on for too long
but I won the item (think it was only around $2100). Applause all
around....Maybe they just liked me. I sold the item within a week of putting
in the shop. Heh, heh.
Oh, add 10 percent to that $2100.
See ya,
LF
Claes Zangenberg
news:39fde16...@news.freeserve.net...
Actually; our local auctioneer will mumble comments all the time. Like "you
do realize what lot this is?", "well, you must surely be drunk" and that
sort of thing. "This piece is surely unique. In fact I have never seen
anything like this, and I have seen a lot of shit" and "of course it hasn't
got a crack - it's in two pieces!" are among my favorites. A few times he
has stopped the bidding with comments like "That's it! Your not safe to be
out on your own - I won't let you bid anymore without a prior psychiatric
examination".
He also through a dozing dealers out, me included, suspecting we had formed
a consortium. He has yet to realize it's a standing arrangement...
C.
Claes Zangenberg
news:qhmL5.417$7O3....@news1.online.no...
> He also through a dozing dealers out
Thinking back, it may in fact have been a dozen dealers, rather than a
dozing dealer. Though the latter would surely be kicked out too.
C.
mcat
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk wrote:
>
>Crowd broke into shouts and applause??!!!!!!?? ... why do the Americans shout
>and applaud at auctions? .. not like it's the Jerry Springer show. Huh?
>
>Yours embarrassingly,
>
>Ronnie
>=====
Yeah, that bit embarrased me, too. But they had two phone bidders at
the back, and the last minute-jumper-in on a line at the front of the
house. You should have seen the animated way the guy on our end of
the phone waved when he got his bid. I think that's what elicited the
audience response.
mcat
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>Do you get Springer over there?
Yea we get all the dregs of the day over here. Although, I can't imagine any
British TV station actually paid money for the Springer show.
Anyhow, we also had to endure Mr. Springer on British with his own UK based
talk show, chat-show, whatever ya call it. That was a painful experience. Gad
only knows why, but one of the British channels in their wisdom actually gave
Springer his own spot on prime time. It ran for about six weeks, all his
guests being Brit celebrates, the poor guy hadn't a clue what they were on
about. Whoosh!! went the Brits and their satirical wit right over wee Jerry's
head .. he a bit of a plonker, right?
Apparently, he was originally from England (the North I think) and immigrant
as a young boy to the States. Thank Xhrist for that.
By far the best and funniest Yank on Brit TV is a dame called, Ruby Wax. I
believe she now resides full time in the UK. Ever heard of her?
Ronnie
=====
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
> You should have seen the animated way the guy on our end of
>the phone waved when he got his bid. I think that's what elicited the
>audience response.
Oh! and here's me thinking it was spontaneous.
Ronnie
----------
aa...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
>Ronnie wrote:
>> ... "HEY DICKHEAD visit my shop sometime."
>
>Now it's my turn to be embarrassed. They really say that?
>
;>)
R
-
ReyneH
turn it on once a month
HOWEVER
If a day ever comes when I think my life sux, all I have to do is turn on
Springer and I will feel 100% again in around oh lets say 2 minutes.
A little trivia for you....Jerry Springer used to be the mayor of Cincinnati
Ohio
R
VolcanikAsh
Ashley
"Use the talents that you possess for the woods would be silent indeed if no
birds sang but the best."
Slanejess
>
>They know better!
>
>
>Reyne
Reyne,
I can recall only one time people have clapped at an auction I've been to,
although granted I haven't been to hundreds and hundreds. It was over a sheet
of tin that was shaped and lithographed as a figure of a black boy. One arm was
hinged and the hand had an attachment for a garden hose. The idea was that you
could stand it in your yard and attach a hose, and it would look like the
little black boy was watering your grass. Sold for one thousand dollars even
after LOTS of spirited bidding. Afterwards everyone clapped but me, I was too
busy keeping my jaw from dropping to the floor. I would have required about a
thousand bucks before I would be willing to take such a horrible thing home,
let along display it there. No accounting for taste.
Susan
Maryann
>I suspect?
>The reason behind not charging a buyers premium is because more than likely
>they are hocking their own wares. They probably run ads in the paper
>advertising for buying whole house contents etc. This is what they do with the
>drek.
This is definitely not a high end auction house. However, they do
have some real gems mingled in with the dross now and then. They do
seem to draw quite a few dealers from the Charleston area who seem to
know their stuff. I go mostly for the glass and have found a few
really nice pieces. One buy turned out to be a tragedy--I bid on and
won a milk glass Lincoln platter-pictured in Belknap's "Milk Glass"
for just a few dollars and someone dropped it and broke it before they
gave it to me. I know this is not in the same ballpark as a Steuben or
Tiffany but it neverless the loss broke my heart along with the
platter. They felt so bad about this that they. of course, didn't
charge me for it but have given me several pieces of fairly nice milk
glass since.
" "
Maryann
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
mcat
Ronnie, I'm curious. Now that you've seen a picture of the chair (I'd
bet it's not quite what you had in mind) do you still think it was
such a good deal? Before you answer, let me describe the condition a
little better. It has surface rust all over, the leather seat pad is
torn on one corner, and one leg had a weld seam that may be an early
repair. Say you did get it, would you clean the rust off (it couldn't
possibly be patina, could it?) or sell it as is?
mcat
--I'll buy you the next one I see ;)