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Auctioneers have always been recognized as prominent and respected members of their communities. They had to be or they could not have been successful in business. Remember, for the most part, Auctions were local events. The Auctioneer was entrusted with major financial responsibilities with the Auction sale of real and personal property. All eyes were on the Auctioneer before, during and after the Auction. History has shown us that Auctioneers were well-dressed community leaders, just as most are today.
Today, Auctions are the last niche of the free enterprise system at work in the World. Only at Auction do we find new world records set. Only at Auction can true market value be established publicly through the competition of all seriously interested parties. Private treaty sales have to yield and adjust to the values set at commercially feasible Auctions. Independent studies reveal that the Auction Industry grosses well over $200 billion dollars a year, not including the stocks & bonds industry that utilizes the Auction Method.
So why is the Auction Method of Marketing the best kept secret? The answer is simple. No one is going to tell this story but us, and we are a small group. It is estimated that there are somewhere around twenty-five to thirty-five thousand Auctioneers in America, many part-time. The National Auctioneers Association (NAA) has approximately sixty-three hundred paid members (6,300). Currently, the National Association of Realtors, of which some Auctioneers belong, boasts approximately one million and eighty-six thousand members (1,086,000). Obviously, the “Private Treaty” method of sale is well entrenched in the fabric of the American economy, and that’s OK. However, the Auction Method of Marketing that was responsible for the rapid expansion of America still works well and we should attempt to educate our citizenship on the advantages of this method.
A fact that I find very interesting is that the “International Society of Auctioneers” and the “National Association of Real Estate Men” were both founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1904. Both were the first national associations organized for their professions in America. Even more interesting, is that after starting the International Society of Auctioneers, a number of prominent Auctioneers were instrumental in forming the National Association of Real Estate Men later in the same year and location. The main reason was that a tremendous amount of real estate was sold at Public Auction at the turn of that Century. The private treaty sale was in its infancy during the late 1800’s. One hundred years ago the Auction Method of Marketing real estate was the most popular choice.
So how can the small profession of Auctioneers best share the advantages and benefits of the Auction Method of Marketing with the World today? How can the vast history of auctions be revealed in a cost effective manner by this small professional group?
The solution, which has been approved by the National Auctioneers Foundation Board (NAF) would be to expand the existing Auctioneer’s Museum, Hall of History, by designing and implementing a low cost, dynamic, interactive Museum website with a sortable database of images and narrative descriptions of all known artifacts related to the world history of auctions, auctioneering and auctioneers resulting in an increased awareness of the contributions that “The Auction Method of Marketing” has made to World Development.
The solution is a “Virtual Museum.” This museum could be accessed from anywhere in the World from a PC. The Virtual Museum would house images and data on many thousand of documents, articles, books and artifacts.
The Benefits of Expanding the current Hall of History housed at NAA/NAF Headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas “Virtually” include the opportunity for a major increase in Artifacts that could be sorted and studied.
Auctioneers, Auction Companies and Auction Schools would be encouraged to provide images & descriptions of items they own to the Virtual Museum. Most likely, many of these treasured items they would not be willing to physically part with. However, they would be willing to share the images and data. My wife, Sue & I would be willing to donate images & descriptions of over 3,000 historical Auction artifacts in our collection to the Virtual Museum database. All state Auctioneers associations would be encouraged to donate images and data on all their historical memorabilia.
Another benefit would be that all stakeholders would have instant access to specific information and images on anything pertaining to Auctions, Auctioneers, Auction companies and historical information. Such stakeholders as individual Auctioneers, State Association Leaders/Newsletter Editors, Auction school owners and instructors, writers, researchers, genealogists and reporters.
Another benefit would be that the cost of providing the information/images would be minimal as compared to owning artifacts. Once the website is designed and built it can house thousands of images and descriptions on artifacts without the associated costs of handling, storing, preserving, displaying and insuring. All the images and descriptions can be safeguarded inexpensively through proper backups. The beauty of working on the Virtual Museum is that email is practically free.
The Curator of the current Hall of History, Lynn Ward, is already cataloging and photographing artifacts in preparation for the design and implementation of the Virtual Museum.
The Virtual Museum Expansion offers many new opportunities. Part of the planning is the design of a Museum Store with “Shopping Cart” feature. In the future you may be able to purchase audio & videotapes of Auctions, Auctioneers and special events.
You might be able to purchase special offerings of Limited Edition copies of select artifacts from the museum collection. Perhaps the Virtual Museum will have “Rotating Exhibits” or special features. Anniversary dates with supporting graphics and data for State Associations, Auction Schools, Auction firms or Auctioneers could be posted.
The Virtual Museum could feature special themed exhibits, such as “Auctioneer’s Business Cards Through History,” or “Unique and Unusual Auction Hammers.” Perhaps someone has a collection of “Livestock Advertising Canes” that they would like to share with the World. Each segment of the Auction Industry could be highlighted with it’s own section such as Livestock, Real Estate, Tobacco, Antiques, Automobiles and Commercial Liquidations supported by historical text and sample broadsides, catalogs, stationary and advertising.
Besides being an interactive website with a wealth of information available to all stakeholders, the Virtual Museum will offer other benefits. It would raise the level of awareness for the Hall of History and attract donations of historical artifacts for this physical museum. Finally, perhaps the “Virtual Museum” would be the catalyst for generating new interest and support for the future expansion of the Hall of History.
As a Trustee on the NAF Board and a member of the Museum Committee I am very excited that in the future, with your help, our story and that of the Auction Method of Marketing will be available for all to share and enjoy.
If you have interest in the furtherance of this project please contact the museum Curator, Lynn Ward to find out how you can help. In the mean time, please safeguard all your historical artifacts and documents and watch for more upcoming information on this important project. Please, also, check out the current NAF website www.AuctioneersFoundation.org
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