It has been an exceptional couple of weeks at J.James Auctioneers and Appraisers. There were three Winter Storms the last 14 days and I had a benefit Auction scheduled right between them! I was fortunate enough to be invited to speak at the Plymouth Rotary Club luncheon. After a brief presentation, we conducted a quick live auction to benefit my favorite local charity "Helping Hands of the Plymouth Animal Shelter".
After running around Town with my hat in my hand, we amassed a great selection of gift cards from some of my favorite local haunts, our lots even included a tour and tasting at Mayflower Brewery and two spots at Plymouth's original Art Bar. The generosity of our local business owners is unmatched in America's Hometown. I just love doing benefit events, everyone wins and I can mercilessly guilt people into opening their wallets.
We also added an important team member to our staff. He is eight pounds and black as coal...our new Labrador Retriever George. George will be working security at the auction and may lend a paw to help catalog. George has all the wonder of a Puppy learning and exploring his world. I am confident that he will grow to be an important member of our team.
The catalog for our April 26th Militaria Auction is growing daily. We have over 130 lots photographed and described so far, with about 400 more on the way over the next few weeks. The work load is tremendous, but we are truly having fun researching this stuff, this sale will be epic! I will be posting some pictures in my next Blog, until then, enjoy Winter in New England.
I have an amazing, unprecedented and unsurpassed ability to schedule any event months in advance to coincide with a storm or major weather event. Last March our sale was held in the face of a raging Nor'easter which became a Blizzard the night of our sale. Tuesday evening, our auction was accompanied by another fierce Winter storm right on time. During our preview, I glanced out the window and saw a small and lonely snowflake floating on a light and gentle breeze, two hours later it became sheets of white pushed by gale force winds. I just love Winter!
When I took the stage at 6:00 I was greeted by the faces of some hearty New Englanders and I felt proud to be one. My staff informed me that we had over seventy phone bids and even more left bids in the system. Our attendance was less than half, but our empty seats had been converted into absentee bidders! Although I still prefer the energy of a crowded auction, I knew with the help of technology, our bidders were still engaged.
As the snow laden winds howled outside Memorial Hall, the bidding heated up. Jewelry was a particularly strong category, with my favorite piece, a Victorian Cameo Necklace fetching nearly three thousand dollars. Our selection of Thai Silver Repousse was a true winner, with phone, internet and live bidding propelling these works of art to the stratosphere. I just love selling jewelry and silver, easy to move, store, ship and sell!
Militaria is a perennial winner at our sales and it proved its popularity again. Our Civil War Muskets went for all of the money and a rare WW2 German Helmet hammered at $1500. The competition for militaria is red hot and I am excited to begin to catalog our April 25th and 26th Military sale! It is an amazing collection from a Museum which has been stored away for over twenty years. The group spans three centuries and the globe. I will be posting pictures and highlites of this sale every few weeks.
