Going . . . Going . . . . . . Strong! : Auctions Do a Bang-Up Business

The auction, one of the world’s oldest and most efficient methods of sale, is alive and kicking in North County.

On any given weekend, there are bargains on the block for adventurous auction-goers, whether they want to spend $10 or $10,000, buy a sink or a saddle.

Auctions combine the irresistible elements of competition and theater. There are winners, losers and a rare chance to match wits with the raw, fickle forces of supply and demand.

“North County is a great area for the auction method of sale,” said Jim Byrd, president of the California State Auctioneers Assn. and a Del Mar resident for 35 years.

“People here are open to buying and selling by auction. There’s also a lot of antique shops, and that helps generate auction sales. A lot of people move here from back East, many on a retirement basis. They bring their possessions with them and might want to sell off some of the items, especially if they move into a smaller place.”

The beauty of an auction, said Byrd, is that it brings out a cross-section of people. “You have dealers buying for resale, private collectors who may want to complete a collection, people looking for a bargain, and others who come just for the entertainment value. There’s something for everybody,” he said.

At one auction in Vista recently, winning bidders walked away with items as disparate as the buyers themselves. A painting ($22,000), a Porsche ($2,200), a player piano ($800), a toy Marx Racer from the 1940s ($90), an antique oak wash stand ($300) and a fully restored 1889 twin jackpot slot machine ($2,300) were among the 500 pieces auctioned in about seven hours.

Auctions are a great spectator sport, and many auctioneers will structure their sales like classical plays, building to a climax when the most valuable items take the stage and thousands of dollars are riding on a single gesture.

Some people shy away from auctions, fearing they’ll scratch their head or shoo a fly at the wrong moment and end up the unwilling owner of a Ming vase or an Art Deco statue.

Some worry they will misunderstand the auctioneer, or be at a disadvantage when bidding against dealers--or that they will lose control of their senses in the heat of battle.

Those concerns are usually allayed after an auction or two.

Auctioneers say they are experienced in distinguishing a bid from a bob, and that auction fever--the uncontrollable urge to bid--isn’t that contagious.

Many seasoned auction-goers examine the items to be sold during the preview and decide what they want to bid on and how much they are willing to pay for each item.

And, although the lingo of the auctioneer can take some getting used to, it is usually clear and easy to follow when it comes to the bid prices.

Most auctioneers are trained to assist the novices in the crowd.

“We watch out for newcomers and make sure they understand what’s going on,” Byrd said. “We make sure they don’t up their own bid, or accidentally bid against their husband or wife while one’s getting coffee. We want to see everybody get treated right.”

As for bidding against dealers, it can actually be an advantage for the “retail people,” the trade term for the non-dealers. Since dealers have to make a profit on what they purchase, they won’t pay market cost and will usually drop out of the bidding when an item reaches 50% or 75% of its retail value.

This allows the knowledgeable bidder to quickly move in and snare an item for one bid higher than a dealer, but still below what it would cost at a shop.

Each person develops an auction strategy.

“Some people have a list and won’t go a penny over,” said Ardena Wesson, a Vista resident who runs an antique store with her husband in Temecula. “Others get auction fever, and they can’t quit bidding. They go right off the scale. With me--I just go. It’s from the heart, not from the head.”

Here are some of the places in North County you can go to get in on the auction experience:

AUCTION PRODUCTIONS LTD.

Where: 244 S. Santa Fe Ave., Suite B-5, Vista. Owners: Bob and Christine Greene Calls: 598-9922. On a recent Sunday afternoon in Vista, auctioneer Bob Greene seemed to be vying for the title of the hardest-working man in show business.

With his singsong cadence mesmerizing the standing-room-only crowd that had gathered at his warehouse facility in the stifling July heat, Greene artfully combined business with show, selling about 500 items in just under seven hours.

At most of his auctions, Greene likes to average about 20 to 30 seconds for each item, but, when some of the winning bids are reaching more than $20,00, it’s a good idea to take your time.

“Auctioneering is like having an advanced degree in psychology,” said Greene, a former Marine captain. “You have to know what the audience wants--and how to pull every nickel from them.”

He describes his occupation as a “17-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week, 365-day-a-year-job.”

Greene stays busy by selling mostly antiques and collectibles through auctions and estate sales, while utilizing his eye for antique weapons and fine art, as well as Oriental and pre-Columbian art.

Although the highest-selling piece at Greene’s July 7 auction was a painting by John Lucas, of British Navy Captain Hood, that went for $22,000, Greene says that “it’s the $10 guy who puts the bread and butter on my table.”

Most of the first hundred or so items were fetching hundreds of dollars, and many, such as a hand-carved Dutch china hutch, several Persian carpets, antique slot machines and an 1881 Colt six-shooter, went for thousands.

Item No. 112, a 1970 914 Porsche, was parked out front. One happy bidder picked it up for $2,200.

The proceedings were a bit slow at first; it took nearly an hour and a half to get to item No. 50 of the 500 lots. The action picked up and came to a peak with item 134, the Lucas painting. Those bidders that stuck it out till the end had a chance to get some great deals. There were antique toys and dolls to be had, as well as ancient-looking wall mirrors and spinning wheels, each for $25 to $50.

When Greene sold item 441 to a gentleman for $1, he may have made him an auction-goer for life.

Greene has also auctioned off his share of Hollywood memorabilia, from props from “Gone With the Wind” to the sculpted topiary hedges seen in “Edward Scissorhands.”

Notes: Must register before bidding; no deposit required. No buyer premium; seating provided. Catered food available; charge cards accepted. THE COUNTRY AUCTIONEERS

Where: 30158 Mission Road Bonsall Owners: Cliff and Lorraine Steffe, Debbie Murry and Dick Tichenor Calls: 758-2767. With Cliff Steffe, Debbie Murry and Dick Tichenor each taking turns at the auctioneer’s podium on a recent Saturday, the Country Auctioneers sold enough antiques and collectibles in three hours to fill a country barn.

Some of the collectibles were of the knickknack variety, with many glass or ceramic figures going for as little as $5 or $10. Kerosene and oil lamps could be had for $10 to $25, depending on their age and condition, and a large, camelback trunk of unknown origin sold for $55.

Twenty-one pieces of Steiff stuffed animals were some of the featured items of the auction, along with some Royal Doulton ceramic pieces and some presumably hand-stitched quilts that fetched up to $400. The ever-popular stuffed animals made by Steiff, the German manufacturer, were the object of some fast and furious bidding. Most of the pieces were small--3 or 4 inches high--and each sold for about $60 to $75.

The auctioneers took turns leading the audience through the bidding: “Come on board. You’re lookin’. You’re thinkin’. Yes or no, gotta go.”

“Auctions sales are the reverse of a normal sale,” Tichenor said. “Here, the price only goes up. We don’t care where the price starts, only where it finishes. We add a little bit of carny, a little bit of circus. We try to move fast and try to entertain.”

Notes: Must register before bidding; $50 refundable deposit. 10% buyer’s premium; seating provided. Refreshments for sale; charge cards accepted. Next auction July 27, 11 a.m., preceded by preview. RAMONA AUCTION

Where: 17718 California 67, between Poway turnoff and Ramona. Owner: Chuck Wheaton.

Calls: 789-5852. Situated on California 67 about 4 1/2 miles west of Ramona, the Ramona Auction has been going strong since at least 1937, although some locals say it began in the early ‘20s.

“We’re one of the oldest, if not the oldest, auction around,” said owner Chuck Wheaton, who’s been with the auction for 15 years. “It’s a social evening, too. We’ll get about 300 people on Saturday night, and 50 to 100 on Friday. Fridays we sell miscellaneous items, antiques and small livestock. Saturdays are horses and tack.”

Horses?

“That’s right,” Wheaton said. “Ride ‘em in or lead ‘em in. We sell ‘em.”

On a typical Saturday night, five to 10 horses will be auctioned, bringing prices of $500 to $2,500 each.

Used saddles can be had for $100 to $700, used harnesses for $100 to $200, used bridles from $10 to $500. The Ramona Auction handles anything to do with ranch work.

Notes: Must register before bidding; $20 refundable deposit. No buyer’s premium. Refreshments available. No credit cards; cash or checks with proper ID accepted. Auctions every Friday and Saturday. THE BOUNTY HUNTER

Where: 740 N. Andreason, Escondido (corner of Andreason Drive and Mission Road) Owner: Tom Caeton Calls: 738-9222 The Bounty Hunter holds an auction at least once a month, often on Saturday evening.

They sell antiques and collectibles but “no junk, no pots and pans,” said owner Tom Caeton. “We’re kind of unique here because we have a retail antique store in front, and we hold auctions in the rear of the store. We’re not a fancy outfit, but we have a good time.”

Notes: No deposit; 10% buyer’s premium; charge cards accepted. Catered food available. Items to be auctioned displayed beforehand in store. Next auction Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. JIM BYRD AUCTIONEER

Where: P.O. Box 1064, Solana Beach.

Calls: 481- 2600 Byrd holds estate, household and antique auctions, averaging about two per month over the year.

In an estate auction, the belongings of a deceased person are offered for sale. According to Byrd, that’s where some of the best items can be found.

“You’re dealing with somebody’s entire household and holdings, everything you can imagine--furnishings, fine art, sometimes cars. Lots of what we call ‘hidden treasures.’ You name it, anything you can think of. It depends on the interests of the person who owned the estate. That’s a big part of the mystique of estate auctions.”

Byrd likes to do on-site estate auctions, but also often holds them in rented banquet rooms at a restaurant or hotel.

Notes: No deposit, occasionally a 10% buyer’s premium. Cash or approved checks only. Refreshments usually available.