RR Auctions - University Archives

[Shoeless Moe]

Anyone familiar with these 2? I once noticed something that I take to be shady, but if anyone is more familiar with auction houses and the following scenerio, please chime in.

I was watching an item in RR Auctions, and when the bidding was over for the entire auction, that was that. I figured the item was sold as there were bids on it, and a price of about 300-400 dollars. Nowhere did I see Reserve Not Met or any minimum order. I noticed the exact same item on University Archives earlier in the week and offered them more for then it went in the auction, although I knew they had to be the ones consigning it as it was the exact same item. They intially told me the item was not available. Made sense since I saw it out in another auction house. Well they got back to me and said it is available and they would take my higher offer.

I found that very fishy. Is it possible there are hidden reserves on items in auction houses? Or were "they" the high bidder so it never really sold to anyone?