[meteorite-list] TUCSON AUCTION ETIQUETTE/ AN APOLOGY IN ORDER?

From: Linton Rohr <lintonius_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 22:36:49 -0800
Message-ID: <E074C1DD715B4F02BA158C6E9F0F884C_at_D190TH71>

Good grief!
All this post-auction bickering reminds me of the old adage, "No good deed
goes unpunished". I had a great time at the auction, in spite of not winning
a single item, and I appreciate the efforts of all those who make it happen.
I don't go expecting the tightly run ship of a world-class auction house,
but to have fun with friends in the meteorite community - some old, some
new, and some I've yet to meet.
Is everything perfect? Of course not! We're all human and we live on planet
Earth. But we should be celebrating our common interest, not quibbling over
petty problems. I can understand the differing points of view, but I don't
understand the point of complaining about it all. I assure you, we'll all
have bigger things on our minds on our deathbeds.
So hats off to Michael, Ruben, Leigh Anne, Suzanne, Lisa Marie, Twink, John,
and anyone else involved. We'll have even more fun next year!
Linton

----- Original Message -----
From: "mike oatman" <mkoatman at gmail.com>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 7:14 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] TUCSON AUCTION ETIQUETTE/ AN APOLOGY IN ORDER?


Dear Meteorite List and Count Deiro,

I read with interest the posts regarding the 2011 Tucson Auction. I
have attended the Blood auction in past years and always enjoyed
myself. The Count's post seems to indicate that Michael's auction was
conducted poorly. I realize that you have emailed that it was not your
intent to
refer to the Blood Auction specifically, but you must agree that it
seems you are directly insulting Mr. Blood and the girls working the ring.


I had a chance to google your Auction Firm and it seems that the Deiro
Auctioneer's have defrauded many well respected members of the
community. Since you mentioned that you serve as counsel to the firms
I assume that all of these individuals and charities have been paid the
proceeds they had due and that your firms are conducting business in a
reputable manner. Sometimes one needs to look in the mirror before
offering unsolicited advice to another.

In my opinion public apologies are in order.


http://www.lvrj.com/news/claudine-williams-memory-deserves-better-than-this-81882842.html

http://www.lvrj.com/news/you-win-some-and-lose-some-trying-to-help-readers-99743969.html

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-regional-local/14198362-1.html

Sincerely,

Michael Oatman



Count Deiro wrote the following

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
Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Tue 08 Feb 2011 01:36:49 AM PST