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

From: Count Deiro <countdeiro_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 23:50:32 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
Message-ID: <12919046.1297151432763.JavaMail.root_at_elwamui-darkeyed.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Thank you Jason.

Count Deiro
IMCA 3536


-----Original Message-----
>From: Jason Utas <meteoritekid at gmail.com>
>Sent: Feb 7, 2011 7:36 PM
>To: Meteorite-list <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] TUCSON AUCTION ETIQUETTE/ AN APOLOGY IN ORDER?
>
>Michael, All,
>I'd like to point out that the above articles do not shed any light on
>the professional demeanor of our own Count (Robert Deiro). To quote
>one of the articles:
>
>"Robert Deiro, who started the auction business in 1976 and sold it to
>his son in 1991, is estranged from his son. He's embarrassed his name
>is involved even though he isn't. "This has really been hard on me,"
>the retiree said."
>
>I'm sorry if this brings any unwanted/unpleasant things up, but I felt
>that this should be clarified, as the published articles were very
>misleading if the above lines were not pointed out.
>Regards,
>Jason
>
>On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 7:14 PM, mike oatman <mkoatman at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 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
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Received on Tue 08 Feb 2011 02:50:32 AM PST