[Exhibitman]

You don't need to be a professional ethicist to know that what H & S is doing with HOC is dishonest. Owning a few items at net bid cost with no real BP, no real commission and no shipping is a small price to pay for all of the added bid increments--i.e., added BP fees and commission fees, since both are % calculations--that SHILLING through HOC permits H & S to make. It is crooked as the day is long, in my humble opinion, and no amount of clever talk will get around it. I don't have a problem with an auctioneer selling its own stuff but an auctioneer should not be bidding on items in its own sale, period, regardless of whether done directly or through a related entity. The appearance of impropriety is too great.

I'm Ad@m W@rsh@w and I approve this message.