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I am eternally grateful that there are ways to buy books that don't include getting up at the crack of dawn. Now, don't get me wrong, I think library, estate, tag sales are great ways to find books but a nice warm bed when the birds begin singing is a lot more palatable for me. That's why buying books at auction is an alternative of some personal preference.
Plenty of good books are bought and sold at auction and, for me, the good old country auction has more of an event feel than just a way to find merchandise. It makes me feel I'm "out" for the evening. I like book auctions but there's something really great about an antiques auction with books because I am forever surprising myself with buying an item that tugs at the heartstring. That's why I own a giant birdhouse in the shape of a church, a wicker loveseat, and things like that. But if the auction is your way to replenish stock, the pure book auction is the best use of your money since there are fewer distractions.
For me, the granddaddy of all pure book auctions is what was formerly Oinoinen's held in Northampton, MA every other Tuesday evening in the grand hotel downtown. You got to have dinner with friends in the garden room of the hotel and the auction space was large and accommodating. But the real draw was auctioneer Dick Oinoinen who passed away some years back. Good books were sold with a dash and dollop of Yankee wisdom that the attendees still cling to today.
This fall I attended P&B Auctions in Fairfield, CT (though their offices are in North Haven). Jim Cantey and his sister Nancy Banasiak along with cataloger Eva Weisbrod and good friend and colleague Terry Jones hold an auction each fall and spring. According to Jim, Oinoinen's most familiar words of advice to booksellers still keeps him focused. "They're cans of peas," he told anyone in the business. In other words, keep focused on selling. If you're a collector of golf ephemera like Jim or medical books like Nancy, these are good words to follow. We are in the business of selling books and that's what P&B aims to do, sell books for others through the auction venue.
P&B is held in a small auction hall in downtown Fairfield, CT. When asked how the internet has affected his business over the past 5 years, he replied that it didn't seem to have a negative impact, "It's a good way to move a lot of books in a short period of time," and, he adds, sending books to auction is a good way to gain reinvestment cash. As for buyers, Jim said, "right now ephemera is hot," especially among eBayers.
For those of us who like the diversity a general auction holds, one place I like to go is Weston's Auctions held regularly in Coventry CT. RJ Weston's auction is a roomy affair given his location in an old shopping plaza that affords plenty of parking and accommodates the display of items. In the 7 years he's been in business, Weston has handled entire estates that includes just about everything, furniture, rugs, silver, libraries. "Four to six times a year we do an antique auction of items of a higher quality," he said. But that doesn't preclude good books being sold at regular auctions and advises using auctions whether you want to sell or buy books.
His auction is large enough to accommodate a staff of 12 or so to move over 100 items an hour in a relaxed atmosphere.
If you've never been to an auction before, there are some tips to make the experience more enjoyable.
If you received a catalog prior to the sale, read it carefully and make notes about the items you want to see. The catalog will usually give you anticipated prices.
Go early and leave your name on the seat of your choice.
Preview the auction carefully. This is your chance to get to know what you want to buy because there's no remedy for "buyers remorse" later on. You buy it, you take it.
Get a number from the staff. This is usually a printed card with room to make notes about the items you intend to buy. Use it. When the bidding begins you'll be amazed at how much you'll forget about what you saw earlier that day. If you fail to get a number and still want to bid, raise your hand. If you win the auctioneer will issue you a number from the floor.
Remember there's a buyer's premium. This is usually 10% so the $20 book you buy will cost $22.
Whether you intend to buy one or a lot of books, bring some empty boxes or bags to carry them in. Most auction houses will provide this but I've been to some where you were on your own.
If you buy a huge amount and cannot take it home immediately, talk to the auctioneer to see if it is possible to make arrangements for pickup the next day. It is best to do this beforehand because if you buy 1000 books and a baby grand piano that won't fit into your Honda Civic, you'd hate to have to call a friend with a truck in the middle of the night.
If you cannot stay for the auction but still want to buy, leave bids with the staff. All you have to do is list the items you want and put down the highest amount you'd be willing to pay (remember, this will not include the buyer's premium). The staff will take your place. If no one bids against you, you'll only pay the opening amount no matter how much you said you'd be willing to spend.
If there are pick lots you'll get to select books from table. Bring them to a designated area in a pile. Do not fret if the book you want is in somebody else's pile, you'll have your chance when it comes up for sale. Table lots, on the other hand, are sold as one item and this is a great way to get a lot of books at once. And, yes, you can find undiscovered gems within.
And, as always, be courteous. Do not hide books during the preview. Do not steal someone else's seat. Do not bid up items if you don't intend to buy them. Play fair and have fun.
After all, that's what this business is about. For Jim Cantey, the auction business is a way for him to engage in the commerce of books without the responsibility of an open shop. For Ron Weston Jr. it's the one thing that, "makes me get up in the morning and want to go to work. It's always easy but it's fun." It's fun on the buyer's end too.
If you're thinking of thinning your stock for cash, simply call your local auctioneer to work out terms. R.J.'s method is to take a call and discuss what kind of books and how many there are to sell. If the value is high and there's enough to make a trip worthwhile, he'll pick up, otherwise it's up to the seller to bring the books to be catalogued. If the auction house holds regular auctions for books, you'll see a quick turnover. Weston said, " books can be sold within 2 weeks and paid a week after that." For high end books, he said that these will fetch more at the higher end auction and that can take more time.
Not all auctions have books so study your local ads carefully or call beforehand. Weston handles a lot of items but this next auction has 8 banana boxes filled with reference books for sale. His next auction is November 21 with the preview beginning at 11 a.m. To attend you can get the details from his Web site: http://www.westonsauctiongallery.com. For P&B Books, call 203-421-1173. You can check out other auctions at our resources link for Bookologist.com.
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