Hi Count and List, So I guess this means that when selling artwork, one should remove it from the mailing tube during bidding?
Best regards, MikeG On 2/6/11, Count Deiro <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear List, > > I realize that this post is going to be painful and embarrassing for some to > read, but more than a few attending and watching the auction last night were > confused and critical of how it was conducted. Today more than a couple of > Listers have asked on line for clarification of generally accepted auction > policies. > As I am uniquely qualified, not only as a participant in this auction, (I > was bidding over the phone while watching on Ruben’s streaming video) but a > professional auctioneer with over thirty five years of experience, I will > offer these criticisms and explanations. > > I owned and have operated some of the largest auction firms in the nation > since receiving my Certified Auctioneer Institute professional designation > from Indiana University in 1985. Prior to that, I attended Missouri Auction > School and served an apprenticeship at Sothebys in New York. I became > licensed in eight states. I was the Charter President of the Nevada State > Auctioneers Association. My firms have sold, and I have gaveled down, over a > billion dollars in real and personal property, even some meteorites at this > auction last year. I have sold my auction interests to family members and > have been of counsel to our firms and other companies for the past 15 years. > > So the qualifying remarks having been made…here we go: > > SOME (NOT ALL) AUCTION POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES > > Auctioneers have a legal fiduciary obligation to Consignors. > > They should be knowledgeable of the items they sell and should be able to > pronounce names and make accurate descriptions. > > An auctioneer has to know the retail value of every lot and have examples to > quote to the audience, so that he can open the bid at a sum that encourages > bidders to bid on the money. Opening a $500 item at $20 is incompetence. > Getting an opening bid that is off the money...say $100 on a $500 item and > then asking for $120 instead of $200 is something you learn not to do the > first day at auction school. > > It is critical that auctioneers make the audience believe they know what > they are selling, and what it’s worth, so that bidders will have confidence > to bid what is being asked. Failing to answer legitimate questions from > bidders ruins credibility. > > Never say “I have $200”. Auctioneers don’t have anything. Better to say “at > $200”, or $200 is bid.” > > Taking a bid from an opening bidder, and then acquiring another bid and then > not go immediately back to the opening bidder is insulting to him. Work the > first to bidders dry…then take a competing bid. Saves time and respects the > first bidders. > > All auctioneers should employ trained ring persons. They are invaluable in > encouraging bidders, showing lots, and answering questions like “where we > at?” or “what’s the bid?” > > It is not accepted practice for an auctioneer to bid on his own behalf, even > if he does not own the goods being sold. If he does, he should never > announce the fact, as it tends to discourage bidding and hurts his > consignors and credibility. > > He should have several house numbers to sell a passed lot to, or a lot that > didn’t meet an undisclosed reserve, or a lot he has bought. > > Do not disclose reserves. Do not announce the mail in bids. Give the mail > bidder a number and use it as if in the audience. If you disclose the mail > in bid maximum before selling the lot you are in deep kimchee. > Phone bids should be handled by staff, with a bidder number and the > auctioneer should not say “on the phone”. Merely acknowledge staff’s raised > hand. You sell to a number…not a person. > > As a general rule do not identify bidders by calling out their name. It can > do no good and may stop a bid because of a personal issue. > > Bid calling is an art form. One should develop a pleasing appearance and > voice. Use rhythm chants on small amounts and walking chants on the big > numbers. The audience gets comfortable in following you and entertained and > the sale moves quickly. > > Start on time and be prepared. Inform the audience of the order of sale and > the terms and conditions before calling for the first lot.Introduce your > staff and mention who to see for check out and pick up. > > Arrange lots to develop and keep interest and drama. Don’t bunch smalls one > after the other…bidders will get bored and not bid on these items hurting > the consignor. Scatter smalls through the sale. > > Don’t place late entries at the end of a sale. Give them the respect they > deserve and place them through the sale by saying “additional lot number so > and so”. Give a proper description. If you add undisclosed lots at the end > of a sale you will have lost the bulk of the bidders and hurt the consignor. > Tell the audience that there are late entries scattered through the sale and > that they are on display at the front. > > It is absolutely necessary when selling small items such as meteorites to > have as much of a preview period as possible and during the sale, either put > them up on screen, or run them through the audience with ring persons. > > Ring persons should know to run the lot being bid on from bidder to bidder > not to non participating audience members. > > Remember! An auctioneer is a third party intermediary between seller and > buyer who has been paid to be knowledgeable in auction advertising, > promotion and conduct, knows intimately the lot and its value and is beyond > criticism of his business methods.. > > We could go on and on….but these are some of the absolute necessary policies > and techniques. There have been books written. > > Count Deiro > IMCA 3536 MetSoc > > > ______________________________________________ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites Website - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone News Feed - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 Twitter - http://twitter.com/galacticstone Meteorite Top List - http://meteorite.gotop100.com EOM - http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/collection.aspx?id=1564 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
