Anyone participate in this Hunt Auction?

[daviddbreadman]

I am new to the concept of auction houses other than eBay which I have used for years. For the first time this year I have participated in REA auction and liked the experience. I have participated in this Hunt auction today but it seems to be different and though I have a couple of high bids it seems to be out of my hands in the hands of a live audience. Is this correct? Is anyone participating live or in the online prebid?

[prewarsports]

I was planning on bidding on many of the 19th century handwritten letters but had no idea of their possible background so I did not place any bids. I agree though, it seems that if you cant make the live auction it does not seem worth it.

[calvindog]

Guys, you can arrange a phone call from Hunt when your lot is up and bid live on the phone.

[Rob D.]

Guys, you can arrange a phone call from Hunt when your lot is up and bid live on the phone.

Purely anecdotal: I've tried twice to do this with Hunt and each time was unsuccessful. The first time their agent on the phone failed to place my bid because he didn't realize the hammer was about to drop, and then it was too late.

The second time, after confirming the day of the auction that I was set up to receive a call, I never received a call (or an explanation).

I'm sure their system has worked just fine for many people, but after an 0-for-2 effort on their part, I vowed not to try a third time.

[prewarsports]

I wanted to throw maybe 40-50 bids out there and see what happened but did not want to spend all day on the phone so to me this is not a good system. On the bright side, I wont have to worry about paying a large auction invoice.

[ksfarmboy]

Like Rob I placed a bid to be executed by phone and it never was. Lucky for me as I bought the same item a few years later for much less. I have won three lots by placing max bids online, each for under my max.

[Mark]

I've been to their live auctions, bid online, and received calls for particular items. They've always done a nice job, as far as I can tell. But the focused, live bidding always seems to push the prices a little higher than I intend to pay for the item or two that I target.

[slidekellyslide]

I was planning on bidding on many of the 19th century handwritten letters but had no idea of their possible background so I did not place any bids. I agree though, it seems that if you cant make the live auction it does not seem worth it.

I'm pretty sure the FBI either confiscated them or told Hunts they have to pull them...they are not in the auction now.

[T206Collector]

I won a lot of 8 autographed T206 cards at the Hunt Live Auction in Louisville, by participating by telephone. A few lots before the one I was interested in came up they called me (obviously, I had called and set this up beforehand). Some guy on the phone goes, "okay, you're up... the bid is $X, what do you want to do." I then bid and he said it was topped and I bid again and won. It was pretty cool and was all over in about 45 seconds.

Don't know if that helps any.......

[daviddbreadman]

thanks for replies. I basically put in a few bids on the pre-bidding online and have 3 still out there only one of which I think is possible to hold up. I was worried about the integrity of the ceiling price and whether or not I'm guaranteeing myself to pay my max price by putting that in there. I can't participate by phone so I just gave it a shot. we will see what happens this evening.

[slidekellyslide]

I don't think you have to worry about max bids in a Hunt's auction...I've won numerous items from them over the years and almost always under my max bid.

[Matt]

Just remember that you're not only bidding against other parties but Hunt places house bids as well.

[slidekellyslide]

Just remember that you're not only bidding against other parties but Hunt places house bids as well.

Hidden reserves are the suck....why not just place the minimum at the reserve? Why waste anyone's time? It also IMO goes against the auction house...what if I was going to bid on something else that I would have won, but I was saving my money for a future lot..that I didn't even win because of the hidden reserve?

[autograf]

I've gone to a couple Hunt auctions outside Philly and all (4) auctions in Louisville and won something in all of them. I've also bid online or via phone in about 2-3 more. While I've been pushed to my max a couple times, I generally win something below what my max is. I know all the fuss about reserves with them but I've never NOT won something because of a hidden reserve. Just my experience. They are top notch people from all I've seen. They run an organized live auction here in Louisville that hits 60-100 items per hour, so you get a minute or less for each individual item. If you want to bid by phone, you better get your chips down early because they have a limited amount of phone lines either in Philly or here in Louisville. I'd guess 6-10 lines of which all can't be dedicated to a single lot or they'd never get through 60-100 items an hour.

Added........
I can't say I'm totally enamored with the live format........I think looking at who's bidding often causes the items to skyrocket quicker than if it was more anonymous. BUT.....if you're bidding against a couple people on the phone, then you have to wonder about that too, huh? They do a nice job with their catalogs and their intermediate small auctions often have decent stuff in them that goes for much less than what you'd think. More often than not it is memorabilia-related. They get some really choice stuff in the memorabilia side of things. I have picked up some really nice Louisville Colonels items in the auctions here as well as some really nice Pee Wee Reese items as well.

Added.....part 2.........it's the Cycleback syndrome.........
They need some work on their website. The search function works okay but they need some gallery functionality or some way to browse their lots better. Hint hint...........

[Koufax]

Purely anecdotal: I've tried twice to do this with Hunt and each time was unsuccessful. The first time their agent on the phone failed to place my bid because he didn't realize the hammer was about to drop, and then it was too late.

The second time, after confirming the day of the auction that I was set up to receive a call, I never received a call (or an explanation).

I'm sure their system has worked just fine for many people, but after an 0-for-2 effort on their part, I vowed not to try a third time.

Rob, it just happened to me today. I placed online bids on 2 lots before today's live auction. I called them yesterday and they said they'd call me today to be involved when those lots went up to bid. Never received a call. Both lots were sold $100 above my online ceiling bids.

I was willing to go higher on both, although my original ceiling bids were fairly strong to begin with. Do the sellers of the cards realize that Hunt is leaving money on the table? This is not only disappointing, but for you lawyers out there, is there a legal angle to this that should be looked at?
Yes, they're missing out on their own higher commissions, but what about missed opportunity for higher consignor payments? Do I just look the other way and never bid in their auctions again?

And sadly enough, I actually won a third lot at my ceiling bid that I now have no desire to pay Hunt one penny for given their negligence on the other lots.

[Rob D.]

Sorry to hear that, Sandy. Having been in your situation, I can appreciate the frustration.

The thing is, I'm sure that during a live auction, the logistics of placing all of those calls at the right time and coordinating phone bids with bids on the floor borders on being a nightmare. But the first time the system broke down for me was about nine years ago, and the second time was two years ago. And when I've related my experiences, on more than one instance other collectors have said that the same thing -- or something similar -- happened to them, too.

So given that Hunt Auctions apparently doesn't have the bugs worked out of its own system, it surprises me that they continue to offer this service -- such that it is.

[Koufax]

Thanks for relating your experiences Rob. Unfortunate that they can't provide better phone support. But since this is clearly not a new issue for them, why do they continue to promise folks that they WILL call, and then fail to execute? Why not just say they'll make "best efforts" to call, or something like that. They even told me the timeframes to expect calls on my lots! Like you, I'll now be blacklisting them.

OK, full disclosure ... My biggest disappointment here? The 2 lots I lost were both K-Bats. Wonder if someone on the board here won them, and if so, were they called and not me? I've been underbidder on a few other K-Bats and still don't have one to add to my type collection. Geez, I'd love one of them, they reek of 19th century baseball nostalgia. Oh well, someday!

[Rob D.]

Just to be clear, I haven't blacklisted them or said that I won't bid in their auctions. I still do and plan to in the future.

I just won't use the place-a-bid-over-the phone-during-a-live-auction feature.

[perezfan]

They called me today on both lots I requested... each time was 3 lots prior to my lot coming up. The bidding process was very simple as a phone bidder. Too bad I was up against someone with deeper pockets on both lots (which I really wanted). I was the under-bidder on both.

I have never had issues with Hunt's and have won many items in most of their live auctions over the past 7-8 years. I consider Hunts to be among the best in the business, and would stake their integrity right up there with REA (or anyone else). But sorry to hear about the negative experiences and their failure to call. Must be a really frustrating feeling...

[daviddbreadman]

I mentioned that I expected I might win one lot which I did. It did not go to my ceiling BUT went close. Then again I kept my ceiling low enough so that I still thought I was paying a fair price so perhaps I just estimated the selling price pretty correctly. I find the format frustrating but also a bit inefficient, thus creating opportunities. I feel that they are accidentally leaving a lot of players on the sidelines. Their internet pre-bid is aggravating and probably dissuading a lot of people who'd otherwise be in there bidding. And the auction itself, limiting the ending prices to essentially those onsite?? I just can't understand the model. I feel the lot I won probably would have garnered 25% more had it been all internet auction.

[Koufax]

Just to be clear, I haven't blacklisted them or said that I won't bid in their auctions. I still do and plan to in the future.

I just won't use the place-a-bid-over-the phone-during-a-live-auction feature.

Rob, understand the clarification, didn't mean to put words in your mouth, sorry about that. I too have only ruled out the place-a-bid-over-the phone-during-a-live-auction feature!

Breadman, I agree completely with your last post. I got a good price on the lot I did win. Yes, their system seems inefficient, an opportunity for us buyers, and not a good selection for consignors out there. If you look at the K-Bats price for the SGC 50, it's $600 below the SGC 40 in the Goodwin auction that hasn't closed yet.

[Mrc32]

They get GREAT consignments. I think we all could agree with that.

What is amazing is after watching how REA draws massive numbers simply by conducting an Internet auction, that Hunt wouldn't take their great consignments and run an internet auction.

Good stuff will draw good prices if people aren't scared away from the website and live portion.

[Leon]

Unless there is something I can't live without I don't participate in the auctions that do live, internet, phone, telefax, Morris Code AND/OR brail etc.....it's just too cumbersome. But, each company has to do what is best for them and their consignors and my opinion is just that, my opinion... regards

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Morris Code

Aderholt, Berg or Arnovich? :)

[Rob D.]

Aderholt, Berg or Arnovich? :)

Day.

[daviddbreadman]

Those who won lots, have you received email notification?

[Mrc32]

Those who won lots, have you received email notification?

I think I won a lot with an internet bid. It is impossible to tell for sure, so I emailed them. they replied that they will send me notice in the morning if my bid was the winner. I assume they are sending out all notices on Thursday.

[rubesman]

This last auction I tried to bid by phone, and, as with Rob D., the agent failed to place the bid. Someone (hopefully from the board) got the T204 T. Jones at a great price.

[rickybulldog50]

Has anyone heard anything or received an invoice from Hunt yet? Just curious.

[daviddbreadman]

I had to call Hunt on Friday to find out if I even won the lot I thought I did. They confirmed I did and gave me the total due over the phone. You can send payment to the address on their website. Terrible communication and entire process if you ask me. They were very helpful on the phone though. They will be invoicing you via postal mail.

In the end, what a strange experience bidding on this Hunt auction. I don't like it their setup at all.

[rickybulldog50]

I actually had to email for my answer. The person said the invoices are going out in the mail on Monday 7/20.