Tales from the auction

[SteveS]

I placed a bid with the auctioneer who "forgot" to place my bid and it was won for a price under my bid. I was just a bit more than ticked off at the time. The auction house said they were "sorry".

 

OUCH! .... That's bound to hurt, Stephen!

I made telephone bids on a 'tina at Bonhams last year - my bids were ignored and I lost the instrument - and I was prepared to go higher than the amount it sold for.

 

I complained to the auctioneer afterwards about the auction not being fair, pointing out that I was prepared to go higher, and suggested a rerun of the auction for that item (not apparently an unprecedented thing to do). He explained that they weren't used to telephone bids and so my bidding 'got lost'.

 

I found this ridiculous and I told him so - Bonhams have been in business for about 220 years, the telephone has existed for at least 120 years - and they're still not used to telephone bidding!! What BS. Needless to say I was livid at this, at the apparent unfairness of the auction, and that he wouldn't rerun the item auction.

 

I can't help feeling this was a scam - I'm sure auctioneers have their scams.

Edited November 9, 2011 by SteveS

[OLDNICKILBY]

Oh the Bar Stewards most certainly do.I ain't met a straight one yet

[RAc]

I placed a bid with the auctioneer who "forgot" to place my bid and it was won for a price under my bid. I was just a bit more than ticked off at the time. The auction house said they were "sorry".

 

OUCH! .... That's bound to hurt, Stephen!

I made telephone bids on a 'tina at Bonhams last year - my bids were ignored and I lost the instrument - and I was prepared to go higher than the amount it sold for.

 

I complained to the auctioneer afterwards about the auction not being fair, pointing out that I was prepared to go higher, and suggested a rerun of the auction for that item (not apparently an unprecedented thing to do). He explained that they weren't used to telephone bids and so my bidding 'got lost'.

 

I found this ridiculous and I told him so - Bonhams have been in business for about 220 years, the telephone has existed for at least 120 years - and they're still not used to telephone bidding!! What BS. Needless to say I was livid at this, at the apparent unfairness of the auction, and that he wouldn't rerun the item auction.

 

I can't help feeling this was a scam - I'm sure auctioneers have their scams.

 

well, I can see how auctioneers can be wary about phone bids, because that way they don't have anything in writing and therefore no legal security for enforcing the bid. Even though I'm a 90% digital person now (I do most of my paperwork via email and .pdf, only refuse to participate in social networks), I would myself do that kind of thing in writing (also insist in a written confirmation) so both parties are on the safe side. Remember that when it comes to money and trying to get it, nothing counts unless you have evidence for it, and that applies both to the bidder and the auctioneer...

[SteveS]

well, I can see how auctioneers can be wary about phone bids, because that way they don't have anything in writing and therefore no legal security for enforcing the bid. Even though I'm a 90% digital person now (I do most of my paperwork via email and .pdf, only refuse to participate in social networks), I would myself do that kind of thing in writing (also insist in a written confirmation) so both parties are on the safe side. Remember that when it comes to money and trying to get it, nothing counts unless you have evidence for it, and that applies both to the bidder and the auctioneer...

It is common practice to register with an auction house before the auction, providing them with name, address and most importantly a credit card number. I'm sure they will do background checks, especially with potentially high value items (possibly including credit checks).

Despite having used telephone and internet bidding with many other auction houses, for me it was only with Bonhams did I have any problems.

Edited November 9, 2011 by SteveS

[Dirge]

 

It is common practice to register with an auction house before the auction, providing them with name, address and most importantly a credit card number. I'm sure they will do background checks, especially with potentially high value items (possibly including credit checks).

Despite having used telephone and internet bidding with many other auction houses, for me it was only with Bonhams did I have any problems.

So how does one find out they are auctioning a concertina in the first place?

[SteveS]

So how does one find out they are auctioning a concertina in the first place?

Over the years I have used various auction houses and have my details registered with them as specialised customer - they inform me when anything that may be of interest to me comes up (and not just concertinas).

[Chris Timson]

Gardner Houlgate publish their catalogues here. They have concertinas regularly in their musical instrument auctions and they certainly have telephone bidding - I've seen Chris Algar telephone bidding there more than once.

 

Chris

[malcolmbebb]

If anyone is interested in today's Bath auction: (hammer prices). Prices noted, descriptions from scribbled notes/memory.

 

http://www.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/Catalogues/mi021211/index.html

Item 24 small German 20 button, sweet little box, ceramic? buttons with numbers, one button replaced with ill-fitting dowel. Air leak at bellows joint - apparent slight distortion £60

Item 28 Standard size German box, tatty, several buttons missing. £70 (?!)

Item 29 Rosewood 20b Lachenal, damaged fretwork, brass reeds. £130. OK but not brilliant.

Item 30 Another dinky German box, up together but leak similar to 24. Had a nice box - but for a standard size concertina! £150

Item 44 33b rosewood Lachenal, steel reeds, possible internal bellows repair £920

Item 45 Similar 30b but a bit nicer, one or two sticking buttons £1450

Item 49 Lachenal, fairly plain metal ends, steel reeds £1350

Item 50 Didn't recognise make, very nice, gilt on black, £3000.

Item 63 Rosewood Lachenal, tidy, some buttons not sounding.

All the dearer Lachenals were generally tidy, steel reeds, quick to sound and with recent-looking pads where I could see, but I think all had at least one button slow to sound, hissy or sticking. Most also minor air leaks - no big surprise.

 

For completeness:

Item 60 Hohner black dot double ray - brown pearloid, working, not that nice to look at, heavy old box £100.

 

I didn't buy anything. But it made a change to visit an auction.

 

Malcolm

[Andy Holder]

I was watching Gardiner Houlgate online.

If you go to http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb you can bid live on the internet. It can be quite addictive though!

Most auction houses now do internet bidding and searching so there's no chance of picking up a bargain because no-one else knows about it!

In some ways you're likely to get a cheaper price on eBay because there's no buyer's premium. With an auction house you have to factor in 17-19% plus VAT on top of the hammer price. Plus, if it's a long way away, you'll probably pay an arm and a leg to have it packed and shipped. I was recently quoted £40 by Mailboxes to put a concertina in a box and deliver it to me from an auction. That means a £1,000 instrument may well cost you nearly £1,300 all in.

Andy

[malcolmbebb]

I think these auctions are based on the buyer turning up and having a look at whatever they want to bid on. There is no requirement to supply an appraisal or anything beyond a basic description, although I am sure you can request more info. Caveat emptor.

 

I changed my mind about bidding on a couple of boxes, having seen them. (but I was only seriously looking at the cheapies!)

 

Gardiner Houlgate charged 15% + vat buyers fee in the room, and I think it may have been 18% + VAT on line.

 

Quite a number of lots went to on-line buyers. There was one telephone buyer for concertinas (but I have no idea who).

 

I think the tatty £70 German box has shown up on Ebay with a £70 start. Certainly one like it.