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259656 galoot@l... 2016‑07‑22 Martin Donnelly Avoca auction
Gentle galoots,

The above auction is still in process as I write, but I am back home.  
Since Mike Dunbar retired MJD is auctioning off most of the tools and 
"stuff" from the school (including such items as a more than lifetime 
supply of _metal_ gas cans to make steamers with and a framed set of 
all the class photos).

When I moved in 2009 I carefully packed the crucial chairmaking tools 
so I would know where they are, and then had the accident and wasn't 
back in the house for 7 months, and all the stacks of boxes and stuff 
had been "organised" in the meantime.  I haven't been able to find 
things like the scorp and the spoon bits since.  Having now replaced 
them I expect they will surface soon after Pennsic ;-)

I was after users, not the collection or provenance values, and based 
of what I know original costs were I came out well.  Thanks to galoot 
merchant Josh Clark for bidding assistance in 2 lots I got (approximate 
list) 3 assorted spokeshaves (1 normal, one ebony very nicely made 
normal, and one Woodjoy brass circular), 2 scorps, a travisher, a metal 
jack plane, a specialised beader, 6 spoon bits, a "gent's" brace that 
uses a thumbscrew to hold the bit, a small hollow for removing facets 
from spindles and some general assorted.  I swapped a couple items that 
were duplicates for me for items Josh picked up.  Total bill a little 
under $400 which is less than the current cost for the travisher, 
scorp, and 2 spokeshaves.

I hadn't been to a Donnelly auction before, but the organization 
reminded me of Pennsic.  What is going on is very specialised but they 
have been doing it so long that they have all the bases covered.  Each 
lot has a bar-coded label and 3 people are sitting on computers 
entering what lot sold to what bidding number while as soon as it is 
sold the next lot comes up on 2 large screens at the front of the room 
(a very large tent surrounded by other large tents full of the lots).  
They have 5-6 banquet tables on wheeled dollies which are loaded up in 
selling sequence, and 8-10 mostly young folks holding the item being 
bid on or a picture of it, and as soon as the bid ends they are off 
delivering it. (pix for items too big to carry)  There is a constant 
stream of empty tables going back for reloading and folks in line 
carrying the next 5 lots on deck.  There is no description; they say 
the lot number, a starting price and are off.  The first 3 hours this 
morning averaged 160+ lots per hour.  (You see why help from someone 
used to it is good!)

Reading the entire catalog (3000+ items online in advance) is pretty 
amazing too.

Esther (decompressing from tool overload)

Recent Bios FAQ