From The Lake Sun Leader
By Norine Albers/A look back
Published: Monday, July 7, 2008 12:06 AM CDT
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This sale bill for a farm auction south of Macks Creek was published in the Reveille 60 years ago. |
One of the most exhilarating feelings is to poke around in an old, weathered barn to see what history has left behind that will be sold to the highest bidder on auction day. The environment of nostalgia and aroma lend to the history of the moment.
What is going on is a country auction sale of estate items belonging to a patriarch and matriarch of a long settled county family who no longer are in need of their belongings.
Although, it sounds like a cruel tribute to the owners of the estate, it is not. Items up for auction are no longer needed on this farm.
Winning bidders carry away a part of history to share with others. Whether the high bidder is a collector, reseller, family or friend of the family, the history will live on. The story of its origin is carried away with each item.
The eventual retail buyer is appreciative that a piece of history was preserved and will be passed on for others to enjoy.
Auctions have long prevailed as a preferred method of selling. The lore of the auctioneer’s melodious voice has touched the ears of attendees of all sorts of bidders for an untold number of years.
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‘The auction method of marketing has been and will continue to be one of the best ways for people to sell their property,’ auctioneer Gregg Sellers said. ‘I have always been in a business that helps people, this is no exception. Besides ‘ it’s fun.’ Norine Albers/For the Lake Sun |
Auctioneering is usually a family endeavor. An auctioneer, cashier, recorder, ring men, auctioneer alternate and a food service are needed for an auction.
An 1894 sale bill states that there would be for auction one filly, three milch cows, one Jersey, all giving milk. Three good brood sows, one farm wagon, one spring wagon, one two-seated carriage, one cart, one two-seated sleigh, one stirring plow, and work and carriage harnesses. Straw in rick, sheep troughs and racks, four ladders, two hundred apple and potato boxes made to hold one bushel, grindstone, work bench, and household items.
For 34 years, Ordell Jones Auction Service was well known and respected throughout local counties. Mr. Jones is retired from the U.S. Postal Service.
In a recent interview by Dwight Weaver for the Camden County Historical Journal, Ordell had this to say in regard to his beginnings as an auctioneer: ‘I didn’t have the money to go to auction school. I just practiced on my own. In all of my years auctioneering, I had lots of different people help me out. All of the fellows who helped had gone to auction school. The one person who helped me more than any other was Doug Scott. He was like a partner for 15 years.’
Weaver stated that Ordell ‘was hard working, straightforward, and honest. He never misled buyers about the condition of the items he sold.’
Sellers Auction in Montreal is maintaining the country auction tradition.
‘Born Sellers’ is their motto. The auction house finds homes for historic and household items.
‘I grew up going to auctions with my mom and dad; from estate sales where my mom would get her ‘treasure’ boxes, to livestock auctions where my dad would buy that year’s steers, usually, without my mom ever knowing he was bidding,’ auctioneer Gregg Sellers said.
‘From an early time, I was amazed at the rapid, rhythmic chant of the livestock auctioneer. As I grew older my favorite song became ‘The Auctioneer’ by Lee Roy VanDyke,’ Sellers said. ‘It wasn’t long before I couldn’t stand it any longer. In 2005, I went to the Missouri Auction School in St. Louis. I came home and had a piece of paper that said I was an auctioneer, now what?’
The phone wasn’t ringing, so I started a little consignment auction in a building we owned in Montreal, he said. The building was built as a gas station in 1983 and ran by my family and myself. My family has been involved in everything I’ve done. The auction business is certainly no exception. My wife Patricia, my mom Hazel, and my brother Kenny, are the backbone of the business along with aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces.
The day of the auctions, Sheriff John Page and Buffalo Prairie Baptist Church Pastor John Book help out in the ring.
‘Without family and friends, I wouldn’t have an auction business,’ Sellers said.
On a personal note, Sellers noted the auction business has brought his family back together again.
Auctions always leave their impression on guests, including these gems:
‘ ‘I was the ONLY dealer at an estate auction.’
‘ ‘We were bidding on a set of Luray china in the snow and I won the bid at eleven dollars!’
‘ ‘Bidders were buying the old quilts to use to keep warm during the auction.’
‘ ‘Look at that ugly lamp. Nobody will bid on that thing. A twenty-five cent bid? That’s MY husband!’
‘ ‘I come for the hugs and the hot dogs.’
‘ ‘Who is buying all that stuff? My wife is!’
‘ The auctioneer dashed a fine piece of glassware to the floor (upon receiving a very low bid) exclaiming, ‘Is that all it’s worth?’
‘ A baby stroller was sold for two dollars. It had ‘all four wheels.’
‘ ‘Oh, your supper is in the oven and you want to bid? Go turn off your oven and come back for the item you want to bid on, we’ll wait for you.’
‘ ‘Buy that big ol’ Case; we’ll deliver it to you.’
No matter what the auction find may be, the high bidder is pleased with his auction find and newly won merchandise.
Whether it be an ashtray made out of bull’s horns, a vintage Westmoreland milk glass elegant cake stand or a box of nails.’
Contact the writer at norine@lakesunleader.com
