The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found an auction company that liquidates estates in Chicago called Direct Auction Galleries and they had a Columbia Grafonola Deluxe up for auction on Halloween. The picture and video showed a Deluxe with a working Regina attachment. The Columbia did have some issues. The feet and skirt were gone and it appeared that the tone arm had been modified to play vertical and horizontal records. Also there were some issues with the finish on one side and a small stain on the front. Still I was interested, because I thought I could get it for half the price I would expect to pay for a perfect example. I also thought I could restore it, (although the tone arm would have been hard to find with the right reproducer). I went to the preview tonight and was told by the owner of the company that the Columbia had been with-drawn by the owner. He might just as well have kicked me in the teeth. I will probably never get another chance to own one, but for the last week I was pretty excited. Better luck next time.

I just happened on to an auction in Illinois about 25 years ago and an auctioneer pulled a stunt like that. Two different people drove from California to bid on something that was at the sale. One of them so mad they called the Sheriff and shut the sale down! An auctioneer is not supposed to do that once an item is advertised. Maybe something has changed since then, but if nothing else, is a really poor way of doing business. I have no idea what the outcome was on that deal, but it sure turned into a shouting match. It seems like it was over some rare piece of pottery and whatever it was, it was pictured in the Antique Trader as being on the sale. There was a couple of others that came from a long way off, but those two from California were the furthest.

It's a shame, but the guy that owned it probably thought someone was going to get a good deal on the Reginaphone as well...

Unfortunately the public has little to no recourse against crooked auctioneers as there is virtually no governmental oversight in this area. What little there is, the pertaining governmental agencies do nothing to pursue dishonest activity. Virtually all auctioneers engage in dishonest and underhanded practices. The only solution is not to patronize auctions. But alas greed usually overpowers sensibility.
And the auctioneers know this!

edisonclassm wrote:greed usually overpowers sensibility

This is the most accurate statement I've read all week!

Truth be told, auctions have become little more than managed liquidations. True auctions are rare and mostly a thing of the past.

As a licensed Illinois Auctioneer myself, I can tell you, if a consignor decides to pull an item at the last minute, the auctioneer has very little recourse. He is also out all the presale advertising costs and has to take the brunt of the ire that is being thrown towards them about this piece being withdrawn. I too am very disappointed that it will not be for sale this week, but the blame is purely on the consignor,not on the auctioneer. I know this Auctioneer personally and he is beside himself over the removal of this item, which was the crowning jewel of this particular sale. It is true that there are some dishonest auctioneers out there, but it is sad that the 5% of bad ones out there cast a shadow on the 95% of us who run straight, honest sales.

edisonclassm wrote: Virtually all auctioneers engage in dishonest and underhanded practices. The only solution is not to patronize auctions.

Yet, I bet I'll see you at Stanton's Auction in a few weeks. I hope in your "virtually all" stereotyping you didn't mean to include Steve Stanton. I would trust him ahead of anybody in the business.

Raphael