Auction 25
Lots 1-10 Lots 11-20 Lots 21-30 Lots 31-40 Lots 41-50 Lots 51-60 Lots 61-70
Lots 71-80 Lots 81-90 Lots 91-100 Lots 101-110 Lots 111-120 Lots 121-126
Auction closed MARCH 7th, 2009, at 10:00 PM Eastern.
Phil and I would like to thank the consignors and bidders who took part in Auction 25. With the encouragement of many friends we are happy to be continuing the business and supporting antique collecting in Canada. Normally, we like to build our sales around core collections. When we decided to hang out the sign for Auction 25, we did not have a collection consigned. Instead, the sale was built with pieces from a number of consignors. The end result was a nice range of things: stoneware, ginger beers, fruit jars, glass sodas, etc. Bottles and crocks have traditionally been our specialty and continue to be our main focus. In future sales, we are looking to gradually expand into other collecting categories, including tins, decoys, and woodenware. We would like to keep the emphasis on primitive Canadiana as this is our passion.
Going into Auction 25, we mused about changes in the hobby and the downturn in the economy. Well before the recent financial crisis, there was a lot of talk about a general decline in the antiques trade. We wondered how this might affect our online auction and the collecting categories we feature most. Now that the sale has closed - here are some reflections. We had about a dozen pieces of stoneware in this sale and these performed reasonably well. Prices realized for the two top pieces were what we expected. Crocks in the $150-300 range performed well. Stoneware is definitely holding its value and the category may even be increasing in popularity. Ginger beers have been our stock and trade since we published two collectors guides five years ago. Immediately after publishing, we saw a spike in demand with resulting increases in price. Several large collections were dispersed in rapid succession with more than a few records set.
Exceptional pieces continue to bring exceptional prices. In Auction 25, a rare Drolet ginger beer from Ottawa fetched $2000, which is very near the top end for Ontario bottles. A rare variant Orange Crush from Truro brought $1600. While the very best bottles continue to post big prices, we have observed that mid-range pieces are down. Ginger beers which would have sold for $300-500 a few years ago have fallen in price significantly - often by half. Why? We suspect it is partly market saturation. A lot of bottles have come to market in a short time and the community of collectors is simply not that large. It may also be that newer collectors are reluctant to spend in these uncertain times - when the bottle is one that comes up for sale relatively often. The least expensive ginger beers are holding their own. Several of our group lots went far above the estimated range. Falling prices for ginger beers should translate into increased demand as pieces become more affordable. We carried a small collection of early glass sodas in this sale. No question - the market for sodas is down from the highs seen in the early 1990s. But we were encouraged by the results this time around. Nearly all lots sold and several posted strong prices. We believe sodas are a good investment right now as prices are relatively low and likely to increase over time. We offered a small number of fruit jars. We were disappointed with the prices realized for the top pieces, but they sold on high minimums. The less expensive jars were simply priced too high to attract entry bids.
The setting of ranges and minimums is a difficult balance that we try hard to get right. No one wants to sell their pieces for less than they paid. Everyone wants to protect their investment. At the same time, buyers want the opportunity to get a deal. If starting prices are too high, an auction becomes a fixed price sale and that takes a lot of the excitement out of it. We generally set minimums at half the high estimate. So if we think an item is worth $300-$400, the minimum is $200. We think this is a good compromise. Sellers are protected by the reserves. We guarantee you will get a decent return on your consignment. This is one real advantage our service offers over the competition. Most auction houses sell with no reserves. The result can be high risk and little or no return. With our system, buyers still get a chance to pick up items at a very reasonable price.
Auction 26 is looking to be quite the sale. We have had a large collection of Canadian fruit jars consigned. There are some stellar pieces and plenty of good jars at every price range. We will be offering a collection of stoneware with good pieces from Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. We also have a different mix of items in some new categories, including: three amazing Western Canadian coffee tins, a threadless insulator, duck decoys, folks art native canoes, and much more. We will be accepting consignments into the month of April. We will be set up at the Four Seasons Collectors Club show in Toronto the weekend of April 18th. Come see us, have a look, and maybe add a piece or two of your own!
