Unsolicited endorsement of Hake's Americana
 

Some of you know that since spring I've been selling a lifetime collection of a friend who is battling health issues. Some items have been listed on the B/S/T, and some have been consigned to various auction houses. As a longtime bidder in Hake's Americana & Collectibles auctions, I realized that this collection included a number of items (pinbacks, postcards, other memorabilia) that would be a good fit for their auctions.

My consignment experience with Hake's has been amazingly better than one can reasonably expect. Among the highlights:

• Their response to questions via email or phone always has been within 24 hours and usually on the same business day. From beginning to end, their communication has been excellent. This might not seem like a big deal, but once you've dealt with an auction house owner who doesn't return phone messages and emails, you'll appreciate an AH that does it the right way.
  
• Hake's welcomed input on how items should be grouped for the auction. Unlike a number of AH's that usually require items be grouped into large "collector grab bags," Hake's was willing to list individually items that I thought warranted it. And these items didn't bring four-figure bids. Some sold for a few hundred dollars, but had they been grouped in a larger lot, money would have been left on the table.
  
• Hake's also was willing to adjust starting bids. Our opinions differed greatly on only two lots, and on each we were able to easily agree on a minimum bid.
  
• Because of Hake's expertise with the items I consigned, I had no worries that key info would be left out of the descriptions. The two edits I did request were done on the website the same day.
  
• In Hake's recent auction, I had 17 consignments. Fifteen sold, all but two at above the starting bids. Of the two lots that didn't sell, one surprised me but the other didn't, because it is a pretty obscure and thinly collected item. I have no problem with the two lots that sold for the minimum, because as mentioned, I was happy with the price we agreed to start them at.
  
• The auction ended on Nov. 20, and yesterday (Dec. 12), I received a consignment check for five of the items that have been paid for. That's 16 business days. Unlike an auction house that can take up to three months to pay consignors, Hake's sends out consignment checks about every two weeks for items that have been paid for. This is another example of them taking on extra work to make the experience better for the consignor.

Apologies if this reads like an infomercial, and I'm sure there will be one or two responses from disgruntled bidders who at some point felt they were overcharged $5 by Hake's for shipping. But during a time in our hobby when there seems to be more auction houses doing things the wrong way rather than the right, I think this positive experience deserved to be shared.

Agree 100% with Rob, I have been very satisfied with Hake's from both a consignment standpoint as well as a buyer of many of the Negro League items formerly part of the famed Richard Merkin collection.

Never consigned with them, but have had no problems bidding and buying from them.

wait, consider the source tho...rob, aren't you supposedly worse than a convicted felon? #smiley #sarcasm #emoji #hakesiscool

I visited the Hake's office in York PA on my way up to Matty's gravesite in Lewisburg following the 2012 Baltimore National in order to pick up the Billikens I won in their auction. I was given a quick tour by Heather, a most pleasant woman, who is the Office Manager and was very impressed with the layout of the facility and the display of Americana on the walls. What most impressed me was the vibe of the place - very serene and none of that masters of the universe humbug that some of the other AHs reek of. The building is right across the street from a state prison complete with razor wire and guardtowers but I don't think that has anything to do with why they are an honest auction house. I have won items in three or four of their auctions and each time every aspect of the transaction has been first rate. Would that some of the other AHs adopt the Hakes m.o.