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Start with that 2 minute news video from the auction which was Wednesday, April 17. Two different news crews were running live feeds most of day. Decided on attending 6 weeks ago.
Ended up being a *really* fun auction to attend. Probably 200 live registered bidders. Preview began @ 9am and I arrived shortly thereafter. Auction started @ 11am. Getting there that early ensures a few things. Among them: front row parking, having time to carefully inspect merchandise before others can pay attention to you, and keeping track of others that will be your 'competition' for the day. Each are important factors.
Even after auctioneer assured me weeks ago that there would be no additional funerary items not advertised, there was 4x that amount now in front me. No way I could fit everything wanted into vehicle. After all the planning that I had placed into this, I ended up ill prepared. Prioritizing space over funds became main hurdle. Really didn't want to be in a position of strapping large items to roof of coach (and possibly damaging crown molding). Renting a local storage unit if necessary became another option.
(In actuality, my available vehicle space was already at a premium. Just a few days before, I had gone to Cleveland for an unexpected family death. When there I ended up buying out vintage funerary items from a Victorian era FH. Another total surprise. About half of my cubic space was full going into auction.)
I counted 8 FDs before auction started (out of 11 present, not bad). Better still for me, I identified only 2 other vintage funerary collectors. One was in his early 30s from York, PA (relatively local) and the other was late 60s from Finger Lakes region of NY. He had left home @ 4am. Younger guy was a complete prick, not a friendly bone in his body. Older gentleman was awesome. We instantly got along swimmingly.
Respecting other like-minded collectors at an auction is an integral part of being 'successful'. NY bidder and myself went over which items we each considered priorities (and subsequently hung around each other rest of day). Several of them crossed over. Compromise came into play as to not bid against each other and drive prices up. Sure, it's collusion but it's also the smart move.
For those unfamiliar with live auction craziness of this caliber, there is a fevered energy level akin to a mosh pit at a hardcore show. Learn to work with the craziness and emerge unscathed. Unwisely think you can control the craziness and sustain damages. This happens: Reading people. Perpetually assessing probabilities on the fly. Having auctioneer memorize your bidder number early on so it stays in pocket enabling flying under radar. Determining courses of action instantaneously. Manipulating others into bidding higher. Running not-very-nice individuals up to make them pay more on principle - then knowing when to stop and not get stuck as high bidder. Making sure dealers and not collectors also pay more to minimize their profits. The pure art of the bid; so subtle with mere eye contact that other bidders become frenzied figuring out who keeps coming over the top. Making frustrated bidders quit and leave auction.
Oh yes...I was in my element yesterday!!! Won 18 lots total, all intentional.
Prices ran gamut from high (near retail) to low wholesale. Know what made the difference? If items could actively be used in a funeral home, they went proportionately high to other FDs. That being said I did hear a couple different FDs say that quality of (newer) items at Gundel FH was not that great.
Recently I was called a Rain Man of funeral items. Hilarious really. I do have a marked propensity recalling prices realized and will note otherwise. There were over 1000 lots. I only paid attention to vintage items for most part, not newer funeral stuff. I typically add auction fees in when reporting prices, this time I am not. Buyer's premium was a scant 3%, no additional fee for using plastic.
Close up pics were taken very early on during preview. If other bidders were around, camera stayed in pocket. Much more vintage funeral stuff remained than I managed to shoot.
Box lots started auction off. Auctioneer (who was fantastic!) in derby and an assistant would section off a portion. High bidder took choice. About a dozen large boxes were full of new sympathy cards and the like. First high bid was $90 and the next several stayed $70+. Sympathy cards and stereo speakers were first items taken.
Once boxes had been picked over and bids bottomed out @ $5, remaining box lots in that section were bundled. Following two images went somewhere in the middle.
Different box lot section had one large box of new prewar FH matchboxes. There were HUNDREDS in dozens of smaller unopened boxes beneath. Never saw who won this given crowd. (Did manage to buy a few from someone else hours later who bought them from the high bidder.) This lot was picked quickly when prices were still high, so probably over $70.
6 embalming bottles were picked for $40. Bottle closest to lens had a duplicate underneath. Went to the guy from York who then made a "CHA-CHING!" move from the Wendy's commercial. Putz.
Still in box lots, bigger embalming case brought $65. Smaller makeup case brought $45. Neither was that old. Small case was exceptionally nice.
Split this lot with a medical equipment collector. Unfortunately he ended up keeping the curved handle trocar, which I wanted. Is there a specific name for that style? I don't have one yet.
Something along these lines.
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