Tales from the Trench

I just found out my old Auctioneer is still having Saturday Auctions. I had moved and gotten out of the business and lost track, well he's having one this Saturday so I'm going.

This is the 1st Auction House I ever went to, and where I made the bulk of my money buying.

This brought back fond memories of Auctions Past, and I have more than a few stories I will pass along in time. But this one in particular shows how even Auctioneers can let the Auction get away from them.

I'd been going to Smith's Auctions every Saturday, for many, many months. I learned all I know, not that I know much, but I learned at the Podium of a Great Auctioneer. From my 1st $75 purchase, I knew I could trust his honesty and he all ways kept his word as did I. He would extend me bidding money when he knew I already blew my wad for the night. So we where on very good terms. How ever it was business and friendly as we were, we also understood it was an AUCTION, and ANY DANG thing can happen, even me practically stealing the buy of the night, in plane sight of God and everyone! Poor Steve was POWERLESS, how could this happen?

Long,hot,summer nights can make a person a little more prone to taking in more liquids, and doing so makes one visit the little Auctioneers room. That night I had talked the owner of the Antiques Mall a BIG RED BARN in fact, I was in, into coming along for the fun of it.

When we got there, we looked around and found our other Dealer friends, and hot dogs and what not, settling in for the long night ahead. Now Steve's Little Auction House was never known to be "Quiet or even particularly Orderly" "Inspection" lasts the entire Auction. I had spotted an old 10 Drawer Solid Oak Printers Cabinet, made by the Grand Rapids Furniture Company out of Grand Rapids,Michigan, probably made around 1930 or so, with 2 nice ornate steel handles on each drawer. But it was PAINTED BATTLE SHIP GRAY, there was another printers Cabinet sitting on top of the one I wanted. It too was painted gray. In both were old Wood Block Letters and Zinc Blocks as well.
Each drawer had upwards of 60 little compartments for the blocks. You see the drawers sold anywhere between $25 and $50 each. Used as Shadow Boxes, or what not. Except the other Cabinet was not made of Oak, nor by the Grand Rapids co. and was not worth buying in my situation.

But that Grand Rapids Cabinet that was a prize, under all that paint though? Was it so badly INK Stained, or Worse BURNED, and that why it was painted gray? Well I thought I'd hope to get it cheap, but honestly felt someone would bid upwards of $250 for it, just to put their thimble collection in.

The evening wore on and about midway through, Steve, said he was taking a 15 minute break, and was giving the HAMMER to his "Under Study" The 7Up had to be released and just about that point, his understudy put up the Cabinets! ( OH HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY,JOY!)

The bidding seemed to go in slow motion as the understudy tried to get a higher price. I wasn't sure what Cabinet was up, but got the bidding going to a stunning $25, when the OWNER of the Mall, yelled out, "STOP! It's Steel! " Pointing to the gray paint on my Cabinet. I calmly pointed to the "Stripped OAK!" a small area where it clearly showed OAK. "Oh, ok, he says"

But now the whole house heard him and me and now is confused and and before I knew it, the bid was to $45 and then I find out it's CHOICE! At this point I didn't know for sure what Cabinet the other Bidders where after, I looked around the room and spotted the other Bidder, he was a guy I knew kinda ok, he was an old PICKER and I was sure he wanted the same Cabinet I did! His was the $45 bid! I wondered why no one else was bidding too! I thought to my self "Hell People it's frikin OAK!" and us two bidding? Whats wrong here?"

Now from the Men's room, we hear, "WAIT! HOLD ON!"

But the Understudy was already banging the hammer down "SOLD" I was STUNED, all that yelling between the My Friend and Steve in the Bathroom, I didn't know what was what, but I was sure I'd lost the Cabinet!
Understudy gives the Old guy CHOICE, I'm lookin right at him, he looks at me, and he says "TOP ONE" My Heart Leaped Up in the Joy of Victory!
The Old Picker Took the top Cabinet, the ONE I Didn't want!

"DAMN! DAMN! " Steve yells, still dragging toilet paper behind him.
I was given Choice of the 2nd Cabinet at $45 IF I wanted it! WELL OF COURSE I Say! and Steve Comes Swooping over to my Cabinet and Pulls out a Drawer and Yells to the Room! THESE SELL FOR $45 Each People! HE just got 10 of em for that!"
As he looked at the understudy, who;s face was so red, he shamed tomatoes!

I took it home striped and picked it clean and it was a beauty! I tongue oiled it for days and weeks and took it to the shop where I put $650 on it and sold it for $450 3 weeks later to a marble collector, who wanted it as a Coffee Table/ Display for his collection.

Now the point to this is, I must have been the only person there, other than Steve who knew that was Painted OAK! Doubtful, I don't give myself so much cedit as to think I alone could see it was Oak.

Steve had left his post and that started the whole session off. Even with a hand at the "Helm" confusion set in. It didn't hurt that my Mall Owner Friend, Jon, yelled out in concern for me either, that may have put a great number of people off it. Why the Old Picker didn't pick the better of the 2 cabinets is beyond me, perhaps he only wanted one to store little stuff in and didn't need a fancy box, or he knew I had a shop and was being nice, or what ever the reason I got the prize cheaper than I ever thought possible. Had Steve been behind the Hammer, I'm sure He would have Sold each Separate, and Push hard on mine, bringing in more bidders, tell everyone it was Grand Rapids, and Oak and so on, getting his $259 for it. I was once again LUCKY.