WICKLIFF & ASSOCIATES AUCTIONEERS, INC

"House Sale" is a Success!

2012-02-13T16:35:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, February 11, we debuted our "House Sale" concept, featuring (in this case) modern, traditional style furnishings, rugs and accessories. The concept portion is that none of the items are posted for online bidding, either absentee or live, and we make a special deal with a local moving company to provide discounts to buyers at this auction; the kind of a deal you would never get otherwise.

By eliminating online competition, and enabling lower-cost, convenient moving, local buyers can take advantage of spectacular deals on good quality furniture and accessories with which to live.

The "House Sale" concept also means there are no antiques, no fine art and no fine jewelry. Just stuff for your house. Nicer stuff than you can find at other auction houses. Set in a nice facility, in room vignettes, so you can really see what it looks like. For literal bargain prices. Tell your friends.

For those who attended, thank you! The crowd was large, including a great number of new bidders, and everybody seemed to enjoy the day and the great buys. The comments of 'this is the nicest auction we've ever seen' are appreciated; we work hard to make the auction experience enjoyable and comfortable, and unparalleled in central Indiana.

Now, watch for the March 10 sale, with antiques, fine art by listed artists, nice quality estate jewelry and more, all available for online and absentee bidding.

Welcome, 2012

2012-01-06T16:38:00.001-05:00

In a meeting earlier today, I heard a comment from someone that said “if it ain’t broke, break it”, inferring that a person who continues in the same path, when opportunities exist for change that might be fruitful, that person could be missing opportunities for growth. That statement contrasts the other, more familiar “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Certainly, there is a happy medium between change solely for the sake of change, and refusal to adjust one’s thinking about the future, based on antiquated methods.

Wickliff Auctioneers has existed for over 20 years using Honesty, Integrity and Quality as our guiding principles, and within that guidance, a willingness to explore marketing and sale possibilities that would benefit both buyers and sellers, taking advantage of buying trends, available markets and media to achieve the highest and best results. We continue that tradition, with willingness to “break it”, and at the same time, having a vision of what doesn’t need “fixing”.

We are pleased to announce our first “House Sale”, which will debut on Saturday, February 11, at 11 a.m. This auction will consist of good, and a bit better than good, quality furnishings and accessories that have less appeal to an international marketplace, which suffers from logistics costs when buying furniture at online auctions, but does have utility and appeal to buyers in our local demographic. The House Sale will offer items that are often purchased at mid-level, retail furniture stores that are in good condition and represent an excellent value for our buyer clientele. Similar discernment will be applied to selecting only those items that meet a criterion of quality and usability for our clients. These auctions will offer extended preview times, a offer of discount for moving services from our strategic moving partner, and no online bidding competition. Bidders may leave absentee bids, however, during any of our three (yes, three!) preview times. Come join us for this debut session, and bring a friend!

Our website has just been “freshened”, and we are pleased to report that the results are more than satisfactory. Our site now features a news feed from Auction Central News, an affiliate of our live bidding partner, Live Auctioneers, and easier-to-navigate pages and content. Additionally, the new site is smartphone-friendly, offering an adjusted site to those users who access our web page using mobile devices.

Wickliff Auctioneers will be announcing a new, ancillary service this March. Details are forthcoming, so watch your mailboxes and email for updates. It’s a secret for now…don’t ask.

We are extremely thankful for the continued support of our clients and customers, and for the stability and growth that our company has experienced during the current economic challenges. We appreciate your trust and confidence, and will continue to operate with the same diligence and expertise which has resulted in a much-appreciated reputation that we cherish and seek to maintain.

To a blessed 2012,

Darin

Auction Prices Cause Optimism; House Sale Debut

2011-12-16T11:39:00.005-05:00

Following a strong second-half, calendar year 2011, we at Wickliff Auctioneers are encouraged by attendance and interest in sales of quality items at auction. As has been the case throughout recent economic hardship in the United States, sales of quality items have shown steady demand and resulting good prices. However, the seller's definition of high quality and the buyer's definition of high quality are often two different perceptions! We continue to advise our seller clients of the most efficient and financially-beneficial options for the sale of items of fine quality.

Wickliff Auctioneers is poised to meet the desires of our buyers and sellers and, in the first quarter of 2012, will premiere our first House Sale, which will include mid-level, decorator style furnishings and mid-level antique and vintage furnishings and decorative arts, perfect for the decorator on a budget. The House Sale will be an uncatalogued auction; live internet bidding will not be available. Buyers can, however, enter absentee bids and preview the offering in our gallery. Extended preview times will be available to afford all interested buyers the opportunity to see the merchandise. Stay tuned for additional information and dates.

Our next catalogued sale is scheduled for January 21st, and will include fine art, Oriental, American and European decorative arts, and fine jewelry, plus select, additional, items of quality.

Elkhart Treasure Hunt Nets Antiques

2011-03-15T11:00:00.013-04:00

MARCH 15, 2011- Please make plans to join us on April 1 and April 2 for our next auction. Friday, April 1 is our extremely popular Marketplace auction; all items are uncatalogued and sell to on-site bidders only. April 2 is our next catalogue session with fine jewelry, decorative arts, antiques and fine art. Much of the auction will consist of items from a single consignor in Elkhart, IN. The home is an 1870's Victorian, and has been uninhabited since 1980.

A real treasure hunt was conducted over a two-day period, in which we found period furnishings and decorative arts, toys, glass, porcelain, pottery and much more. Below are a few photos of the home, as we found it.

A Resurgence in the Antique Market?

2011-02-25T12:36:00.004-05:00

Following our January, 2011, auction of art, antiques and decorative arts, many of us, staff and customers, wondered if the increased bidding, attendance and prices realized were just a ‘hiccup’ of market conditions, or indicative of a trend.

Our February 19 auction seemed to confirm that there is a noticeable increase in demand for quality antiques and decorative arts. Our assertion is based on a higher-than-normal number of new bidder registrations, and better than average online page views via our catalogues posted to both our site and to our live bidding facilitator, Live Auctioneers.

A noticeable difference in bidding results showed that onsite bidders (bidders in our gallery during the auction) purchased a higher percentage of the items than their online, live bidding counterparts. The percentage of winning bidders via Live Auctioneers was reduced by 5.2%, based on an average of the last six month’s totals. We attribute this change to a surge in local buyer interest, again, illustrated by the number of onsite, first-time registrations to our auctions.

Of the categories which have suffered significantly over the last 5 years, mid-level antique furniture (items formerly selling between $500 and $2500), had taken a large reduction in sale prices. These items have been, and remain, a tremendous value when compared to the poor quality seen in new decorator furnishings. Perhaps the public is beginning to recognize that the high-end name brand furnishings have all suffered in quality in the last ten years, while their pricing remained consistent with the quality previously offered. Maybe, just maybe, the public is beginning to explore the option of vintage and antique furniture, given the solid wood, handmade, high quality of most pieces, as an alternative to pressed wood and laminate.

Further verification of an increasing market was told to me secondhand; a friend who exhibited at the Miami Beach Antique Show (one of the largest in this country) in early February shared that he thought the show was a raving success. He sold every single item he took to sell, and commented that the attendance was excellent, and that several dealers were extremely pleased with their sales.

Our market commentary through the change in buyer demographics and the effect of the down economy, has been that the best quality items have, and will continue to find, a receptive market, no matter the category- art, rugs, jewelry, decorative arts or furniture.

We are often asked, “When is the best time to sell?” The answer is qualified by what the client is offering for sale. As we have seen over and over, if the item to be sold is properly marketed, represents a very high quality and is exposed to the correct market, the date of the offering is of little consequence. Today’s buyer/collector wants the best quality they can find, whenever they can find it, and the accumulative nature of the previous generations’ collectors no longer defines or influences today’s market.

However, based on our buyer responses to the last two auctions’ content of better quality furniture, art and decorative arts, the best time to sell may be right now.

Darin Lawson Inducted to IAA Hall of Fame

2010-11-16T11:38:00.002-05:00

INDIANAPOLIS, IN- Second generation auctioneer Darin Lawson, of Carmel, IN, became one of the youngest members to be inducted into the Indiana Auctioneers Association’s (IAA) Hall of Fame at the group’s convention held November 4-6 at the Holiday Inn conference center in Columbus, IN. Only 60 auctioneers have been inducted into the IAA Hall of Fame since 1971.

Lawson, 46, was encouraged by his father, Tom Lawson, 2001 IAA Hall of Fame recipient, to attend auction school in 1989, attending Missouri Auction School in Kansas City, and joining the family business in 1990. He won the Indiana Bid-Calling Championship in 1994, earned the CAI (Certified, Auctioneers Institute) designation in 1996, and served 8 years on the IAA board of directors, including as President in 2003. Prior to attending auction school, Lawson received his B.S. in Journalism from Ball State University in 1987.

He has recently completed a purchase of Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers, Inc., in Carmel, a regional auction company specializing in fine art, decorative arts, fine jewelry and antiques. Lawson is also a licensed real estate broker and sells select real property via the auction method of marketing.

Lawson and his wife, Angela, reside in Carmel, and she is Auction Administrator at Wickliff. Darin was instrumental in organizing fundraisers for Riley Hospital Foundation during his tenure on the IAA board, helping raise tens of thousands of dollars for the cause. He now consults with philanthropic organizations and conducts several black-tie auction events each year.

The Indiana Auctioneers Association is one of the country’s largest professional organizations of auctioneers, providing education, promoting ethical behavior among auctioneers, seeking favorable change within the profession and advancing the auction marketing concept as a dynamic and effective means of marketing assets. More information about the IAA can be found at www.indianaauctioneers.org, or by calling 317-859-8990.

Ownership Change at Wickliff

2010-10-06T13:08:00.002-04:00

CARMEL, IN- An ownership buy-out which began four years ago has culminated in a seamless transfer of all shares of stock in Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers, Inc., to Darin Lawson, now President and Owner of the company.

Sue Wickliff, who started the company in 1989, remains on the board as Chair Emeritus, and beginning in 2011, will be a full-time employee, continuing in the daily operations of the enterprise. Darin’s wife Angie, is Auction Administrator- managing inventory, consulting with clients and supporting seller settlement.

“Angie and I are pleased to continue the tradition of service for which Wickliff Auctioneers has become known,” said Lawson. “The words in our company logo, ‘expertise, quality and integrity’, aren’t just a slogan for us, and we’re mindful of the foundation that was laid for this company based on that mantra. We are charged to continue to operate with the same attention to detail and quality upon which the company’s reputation has been created.”

Sue Wickliff has continued in certain roles with the company during the transition, including client consultations and working at the auctions. So, for many of Wickliff Auctioneers’ customers and clients, it’s been business as usual. “I am enthusiastic to return to the auction business in a full-time position,” said Sue Wickliff, “and continue to utilize the expertise I have gained in a vocation that has been my passion for many years.”

Lawson acknowledges that the current economic situation, combined with changing buyer tastes and demographics, has created some challenges along the way, but says that the company is meeting those challenges head-on. “This company has always been a leader in the auction community, and we’re always thinking of effective, new ideas and changes that will meet the needs of both buyers and sellers.” Lawson points to Wickliff’s recent first-ever, Friday evening auction of fine art, stating that the response was very positive, resulting in a large crowd at the gallery, including many new faces, and a record number of bidders-per-lot online registrations. “We’ll still have auctions on Saturdays, of course, but for certain specialty auctions, attracting as many buyers as possible and reducing their options for alternate activities are motivation for changing the Saturday model on occasion.”
The company’s international reputation is now more established, based on their increasing sales of items to bidders worldwide over the last two years. Lawson states that antiques and art have been sold to buyers in such places as Russia, England, Spain, Taiwan, China, Canada, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

“We’re seeing more aggressive international bidding on certain items, particularly if the item is indigenous to that area,” stating that a recent painting by an Italian artist had bidding from two, competing Italian bidders, one of whom eventually won the bid.

Previously of Columbus, IN, Lawson has been working with Wickliff since 1996, and relocated to Carmel in 2004 to assume the position of Vice President and Senior Auctioneer. Lawson has a B.S. in Journalism from Ball State University, and is a second-generation auctioneer who has been licensed since 1989. Prior to his full-time position at Wickliff, he conducted auctions for individuals, small businesses and Fortune 500 companies across the United States and in Europe. In addition to operations at Wickliff, Lawson consults with charitable organizations, and conducts live auctions for high-profile fundraising events, primarily in Central Indiana.

Wickliff Auctioneers specializes in the sale of fine art and fine jewelry at auction, conducting catalogued sessions which include decorative arts, period and period-style antiques, fine contemporary furnishings and more at their Carmel, IN, gallery, located 12232 Hancock Street. Auction items can be previewed online well in advance of the auction events, and the entire catalogue is broadcast live via www.liveauctioneers.com for remote, online bidding. More information about upcoming auctions and information on buying or selling at auction, is available by calling 317-844-7253 or by visiting www.wickliffauctioneers.com

NO SIGN OF RECESSION AT WICKLIFF’S JANUARY AUCTION

2010-02-02T12:31:00.004-05:00

A new Indiana art auction record was set January 19, 2010, at Wickliff Auctioneers’ Fine Art and Estates auction when a Claude Curry Bohm painting entitled “Sunday in Vermont”, a featured painting in an estate collection of Bohm’s work, realized $29,000. (prices listed do not include Buyer’s Premium)

The auction featured the estate property of Elenita Bauer, who, along with her husband, Dr. Tom Bauer, was personal friends of Curry Bohm and Bohm’s wife, Lillian, sometimes accompanying the artist on painting trips to New England. In addition, the Bauers were patrons of the arts in Indiana, active in the Indianapolis Ballet Society and the Hoosier Salon, and as charter members of the Brown County (IN) historical society.

Darin Lawson, CAI, Auctioneer, stated “This group is, without question, the finest, and most complete, single owner collection of Curry Bohm’s work ever offered.” The collection included a variety of Bohm subject matter and styles, ranging from a Bohm oil painting shown in the first exhibition of the Brown County Art Gallery in 1926, to a rare bromide photograph from 1922 with multiple exhibition tags from the 1920’s, to an emotive pastel from 1935 entitled “Man’s Inhumanity to Man”, depicting a depression era homeless shelter.

The Bohm collection also featured a New England scene entitled “Off for the Mackeral Run”, which set a new record for a Bohm harbor depiction, doubling high estimate at a sale price of $12,000.

The auction also included decorative arts, Americana and antique furnishings, and the quality of the items available drew considerable interest from across the globe. The Wickliff site, including the online, photo catalogue received over 50,000 hits in just the week preceding the auction, with over 500 live and online bidders including registrants from China, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, Lebanon, several countries in Europe, and all of North America.

“This auction solidified our opinion over the last few years that, even in times of a struggling economy, quality items, offered in a pure setting and properly exposed, will continue to find a strong market,” said Lawson. The auction also featured the estate collection of William Shirley, an Indianapolis resident with ties to the Shirley Brothers central Indiana mortuaries. “The Shirley estate and the Bauer estate blended so well together, as the primary items collected in both estates were 19th century American, so the focus of the auction, combined with quality items in all categories of the merchandise, received lots of attention and pre-auction ‘chatter’.”

Other highlights of the sale included a turn-of-the-last-century Regina Corona Model 35 disc changer music box. The disc-changing mechanism was inoperable, but the Regina exceeded high estimate by $500, selling for a hammer price of $8,500. A unique and early 19th century sugar chest, with a later, painted red finish, drew considerable pre-auction speculation regarding the origins, had phone, live and online bidders and sold for $4,000.

The Bauer collection also included Native American decorative arts, acquired during a time of residence in the American southwest. Featured was an 11”, paint-decorated Zuni bowl, which sold at $1,300.

The first category in the Saturday auction included over 100 lots of fine and antique jewelry, including the Bauer collection of Victorian carved stone cameos. The top-selling lot was an oval stone cameo brooch selling with a coordinating, cupid-motif stone bracelet, at $800.

There were still bargains to be had, however, in early American pattern glass, Victorian furnishings and oriental rugs. A large collection of Seneca Loop pattern glass sold at low-estimate values, which were, according to Lawson, admittedly conservative. A late 19th century, nice quality Chippendale style dining room group including table, eight chairs, buffet and two linen chests with a pre-sale estimate of $2,500-$4000, sold to a happy buyer for $1,750. A 12' x 22' 1920's/1930's Persian Sarouk oriental rug was indicative of the current market for traditional-style rugs, selling just above low estimate at $3,500.

“Mid-level, ‘brown’ antique furniture is still struggling to find buyers,” Lawson said. “I don’t believe we’ll see a change in demand for mid-level Victorian and American antique furniture for several years, and the only factor that may spur an increase in demand will be a change in decorating styles for the next generation of buyers, which, I believe, is a low-percentage possibility.”

Wickliff Auctioneers began in 1991, and their auction showroom is located in Carmel, IN. The company conducts catalogued auctions from its location approximately 10 times per year. More information is available by calling 317-844-7253, or by visiting www.wickliffauctioneers.com.

Regarding eBay, the Roadshow, and Reserves

2009-07-09T16:00:00.003-04:00

Just speaking the truth…

Imagine what life would be like without cable TV, worldwide web access in the palm of your hand, fax machines and GPS devices to help us find our way. If you’re over 40 years old (or so) you can remember those days of business when we actually had to hand deliver contracts, ad copy and photographs. We had to go to the library to do research on an item. If one was travelling and needed to make a phone call, you looked for those little blue signs along the interstate that advised the next rest stop or exit that had a pay phone (under 30 years old, search Google for ‘pay phone’). All these technological innovations of the last couple decades have improved the ease with which we communicate, participate in commerce and market/promote our businesses and ourselves.

However, sometimes the smorgasbord of information is digested without completely dissecting the form in which it is presented. And, we now arrive at our first topic, eBay and the Antiques Roadshow. These two entities have actually made the jobs performed by auctioneers, antiques and art merchants and appraisers a little harder.

Back in the old days (OK, early 1990’s…), individuals with items to sell chose an avenue to sell those items that best fit their needs. In the case of auctions, that avenue was seen as the least amount of effort on the part of the owner to achieve the highest net return in the shortest amount of time, while exposing the property to the largest number of people as could be reasonably achieved within budget and time constraints. Auctioneers with experience were seen as trusted advisors who were thought to have a grasp on the market for nearly every item under the sun. Specialists existed in certain areas if a specialist was needed, and individuals knew that a selling agreement with an auction house is the establishment of a percentage partnership, where both parties benefit from the highest gross sale price achieved for any item/items.

Times were, someone would bring an item to us and ask our opinion of value of an item, which we’re usually happy to share when the prospect of a commission looms. (Free appraisals are another story, but that’s a topic for a different day.) In previous times, our opinion of actual secondary market value was considered worthy of deep consideration, given that we, as auctioneers, participate in the market place on a daily basis. Today, many individuals have their own pre-conceived opinion of value for an item based on the ‘research’ they’ve done on the internet, they saw one for sale on eBay or at a retail internet site, or that they saw one almost just like theirs on the Roadshow. When our opinion of value doesn’t jive with the individuals pre-conceived value idea, we’re dismissed as trying to ‘low-ball’ the item, for some reason. Here’s the deal: unless the comparison is to the actual sold prices, what is found on the internet isn’t a comparable value! And the price that a retail dealer is asking for an item doesn’t have a hill of beans (in most cases) to do with value.

As auctioneers, in most cases, we don’t get paid unless we sell an item for a client. In our company, we endeavor to sell quality items for our clients, and provide an excellent resource for our customers to purchase those items using the competitive bidding process that is the auction method.

So, all of this great information doesn’t do an individual any good, unless you have (write this down, there will be a test) intimate knowledge of the item, the circumstances under which it was sold, the market conditions for the day it was sold, the condition of the item and the locality of the market in which it was sold (local, national, international). Just finding an item for sale on the internet, and using the asking price as your basis for determining the value of the item is a flawed and foolish perspective. And, if it was valued on the Roadshow, those aren’t secondary market actual sales, they’re opinions of value, and can vary greatly based on the aforementioned market conditions of sale.

And (OK, this is a bit of a rant), thinking that every appraiser on the Roadshow is able to spew forth every bit of information they share at the drop of a hat about every item that is evaluated, that is a terrible misconception, as well. Certainly, there are world-renown experts who have a wealth of knowledge about the items they evaluate, and yes, of course the knowledge they possess about a certain specialty or discipline is coveted by many. However, that one-hour show in which 8 or 10 items are evaluated is the result of looking at tens of thousands of items in a multi-day period. There are thousands of items that are believed by their owners to be valuable that fall under the category of “stuff”, and are not worthy of a live evaluation on television. Usually before an item hits the air, a team of researchers will spend hours poring over the details of the item ensuring that what gets represented as the history, or provenance, of the item is accurate.

Last topic: reserves. A reserve is a minimum price at which an item in an auction can sell, as agreed upon by the owner and the auction company. In the state of Indiana, by statute, all auctions and items in auctions are ‘with reserve’ unless otherwise stated. The term Absolute Auction conveys that every item in the auction will sell to the highest bidder, regardless of price, day of auction. The general public believes that most auctions in Indiana are conducted more in the method of absolute, than with reserve, and in most cases, they are right, even given the fact that the auction may not have been advertised as absolute. Most auctions/auctioneers conduct their sales with the intent of converting all of a seller’s assets to cash in the allotted time frame.

By law, any item may be withdrawn from the auction block (unless advertised as absolute) prior to the culmination of bidding, usually signaled by the auctioneers statement of ‘sold’, which accepts the bidder’s offer and binds the parties contractually.

Our company, as a matter of course, usually discourages the use of reserves for the following reasons:
1. We are somewhat particular in the style, quality and quantity of items we offer. We have established a history of offering certain types of chattel properties, and our clientele is typically an educated, knowledgeable buyer who seeks certain property(ies). In being selective about what we offer, we are confident that we are exposing those items to the proper audience, and in our ability to find ready, willing and able buyers for these items. What the item brings is determined by the aforementioned market conditions (we keep coming back to those, don’t we…?).
2. Often, a seller’s wish for a reserve price is more consistent with a high retail price than it is with an actual, arms-length transaction price on the secondary market. A reserve isn’t a price you hope for, it’s a price that is the minimum acceptable value at which you are willing to transfer the property. We have turned down the sale of numerous items because the seller’s expectations were way too high, and the offering of the item would be an exercise in futility. An insurance-based, replacement value appraisal isn’t an indicator of actual market value. Those values are sometimes two to three times the actual value of an item. Ask your appraiser…
3. The best time to sell an item is the first time. Given our worldwide exposure to the market, an item will generate the most interest when it’s fresh to the market, not when it’s been offered half a dozen times at three or four different auction houses with the pre-sale estimate declining each time, because the reserve was too high to begin with. That item is now stigmatized and the question that is asked is, “I wonder what’s wrong with it?”. Once an item is stale in the market, it will sell for less than it would have sold for the first time it was offered, assuming it was properly marketed. Promise.

Auctioneers are an excellent resource for the buying and selling of personal and real property, and present an opportunity for real commerce. Since the hybrid of worldwide, live internet broadcasting of traditional auctions, the method provides a global marketplace for the resale of just about anything.

Our business isn’t built on the quick deal, but on the relationships that develop through our interaction with our buyers and sellers, with integrity and honesty at the core of those relationships. If our company is the best resource for a potential client to sell an item or items, we are diligent in our representation of those items and use all our resources, both internal and external, to maximize the value of our service. If a different company, or method of sale, is in the client’s best interest, we will share our opinion and make recommendations in those cases, as well.

Finally, if the auction method is being considered for the sale of any asset, do more homework in choosing the auction company that is right for the property than you do to form your own opinion of value of the asset(s). Trust the auctioneer and auction company you have selected to use their experience and expertise to obtain the best overall result for you, and be confident in your choice of auctioneer. Our success depends on satisfied clients telling their friends and associates about the great experience they had with our company.

OLD HICKORY FURNITURE, AN INDIANA INSTITUTION

2009-05-14T10:32:00.011-04:00

Around 1880, two or three individuals were known to have made primitive chairs in their barnyards out of hickory poles in the Monrovia and Morgantown, Indiana area.

Following that humble beginning, a group of people in the Martinsville, IN, area banded together in 1892 in an abandoned church, producing hickory sapling furniture as a full-time business. They chose "Old Hickory" as the company name, the same nickname as the late President Jackson. They incorporated in 1898, and began furnishing nearly all of the new national park lodges, including the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park. The dining chairs in the main hall are the very same chairs shipped and installed in 1906. Notable individuals who have enjoyed Old Hickory furniture include President William H. Taft, Greta Garbo and Mrs. Henry Ford.

Our May 16 auction includes a large selection of current Old Hickory furniture, still made in the same style, with sapling hickory logs, now in Shelbyville, IN. Offered in the sale will be chairs and a sofa from the Grove Park series, inspired by original designs in the Grove Park Inn, a four-star, historic American inn near Asheville, NC, which began around the turn of the last century. The inn's decor was an arts and crafts theme, incorporating designs by Roycroft, mica and copper lighting, and rows of Old Hickory rocking chairs on the 500-foot outdoor terrace.

As a matter of fact, arts and crafts designer Charles Limbert, of Grand Rapids, MI, was an agent for Old Hickory furniture circa 1895-1905, further instilling the furniture's place as complimentary to the arts and crafts designs of the period.

The company was owned and operated by the Patton family of Indianapolis from 1908 until the closing of the doors in 1978. In 1982, the company was re-formed in Shelbyville, IN, and then sold in 1989 to the current ownership. Notable orders of Old Hickory furniture include 5,000 oak chairs sold to Indiana University in 1969 for their libray, a $1M order for Walt Disney World in 1989, and in 1994, Old Hickory furnished the first Rain Forest Cafe at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Old Hickory has also provided furnishings and fixtures for subsequent Rain Forest Cafe locations.

In 1999, recognizing the significance of hickory furniture to the culture of Indiana, the Indiana State Museum hosted the exhibit RUSTIC TRADITIONS: INDIANA HICKORY FURNITURE. Old Hickory donated many different furniture settings to the museum.

Whether in a rustic lakeside retreat, a back-woods hunting lodge or as a compliment to an arts and crafts decor in an early 20th century craftsman bungalow, Old Hickory Furniture has stood the test of time due to the style, quality and workmanship present in each piece produced. This auction offers a rare opportunity to purchase a symbol of Indiana heritage on the secondary market. View the Old Hickory in the May auction by clicking here.

Reference Source: Old Hickory Furniture Company website, www.oldhickory.com

WHY BUY FURNITURE AT OUR APRIL AUCTION?

2009-04-13T11:35:00.008-04:00

In last week's "Current in Carmel" weekly newspaper, one of the weekly columnists discussed the lack of value in furniture marketed by national chains. In the article, she referenced a study completed by Smart Money Magazine in 2006 which revealed the lack of quality construction techniques and materials used in home furnishings sold by trendy "lifestyle" retailers. The article was titled "Pottery Barn Unstuffed".

Also referenced in the article are items sold by Restoration Hardware and Crate and Barrel. To summarize the article, buying furniture at the aforementioned stores is not neccessarily "smart" use of your money.

Poor quality veneers, low-grade adhesives, cardboard (yes, cardboard!) frames on upholstered furniture...this stuff is made to be thrown away after it's life expectancy, which gets shortened considerably if you use the furniture for any purpose other than to just look at. In addition, the slickly-created advertising for these items is a total misrepresentation of the contents and materials.

Our April auction is replete with the polar opposite of these items, as home furnishings are concerned. Much of it was produced in either North Carolina or Grand Rapids, MI, using American hardwoods and hardware, hand-assembled by American craftsmen. After an international exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, Grand Rapids became recognized worldwide as a leader in the production of fine furniture. National home furnishing markets were held in Grand Rapids for about 75 years, concluding in the 1960s, then moved to North Carolina, probably for better weather.

This auction includes high-quality furniture by companies such as Baker (pre-Kohler), Henredon, Kittinger, Statton, Davis Cabinet Company, Drexel/Heritage/Morganton and a few others. An auctioneer friend of mine uses the term "antiques of the future" as a cheesy sales line, but these quality items in our April sale do, in fact, represent generational furniture. Produced with quality and sold via select decorators and high-end retailers, these are the type of items that, with proper care, can actually be passed from generation to generation.

For less than the cost of a made-in-China, Crate and Barrel leather sofa, a buyer at our April 18 auction will likely obtain a Henredon dining room table with eight chairs that was made in America in the 1980's, using the finest quality solid-brass hardware, kiln-dried, solid grade-one hardwoods, thick veneers and quality control that didn't allow sub-par objects out of the factory to benefit the bottom line for shareholders.

Anyone, from younger couples on a budget furnishing a first home, to a second-home buyer looking to furnish the large family home, to a downsizer needing just a few quality items to accentuate the space of a condo or townhome, will appreciate the quality, craftsmanship and timeless style of furnishings made in the mid to late 20th century in the United States.

Why spend money on items that are made overseas by companies using shoddy materials assembled with unskillled labor, when fewer dollars can be spent to acquire pre-owned, finest quality furniture that will outlast the owner's desire to use it? And, those dollars stay in the United States, at a time when our government is giving 'bailout' money to companies that are servicing overseas debt with our tax dollars. In addition, buying pre-owned items at auction is 'greener', as another motivation for you.

Come see the selection we have in this April 18 auction, and be open to the idea of avoiding trendy, national retail stores when a new end table, area rug or dining room suite is needed. Quality is all around us this month, and some wise bidders are going to take home some treasures for less than will be spent on a stainless steel spoon rest at Crate and Barrel.

Make a point to visit our showroom this Friday for our gallery preview from 2-7 pm, or preview our catalogue here.

WHAT IS SELLING WELL THESE DAYS?

2009-03-17T10:33:00.006-04:00

Quality. Period.

We're often asked to give our opinion of what items are selling well in today's economy, and the answer is the same as it always has been...quality, my dear.

The economy has simply amplified a trend that began around the time of the new millennium. In a post a couple months back, I spoke about the changing tastes and desires of today's secondary-market buyers, so we'll not re-hash that story; please visit that dialogue if you wish that insight.

Whether it is art, jewelry, oriental rugs, furniture or decorative arts, today's buyer seeks quality over quantity, and is willing to pay a fair, and sometimes more than anticipated, price if an item becomes available that fits their self-described criteria of quality and desirability.

Using the economy to explain soft prices for middle-of-the-road items is appropriate ; buyers are not going to part with their money these days for something that is not exactly what they're looking for. Anticipating a rebound in prices for mid-level items in any category of art, antiques or collectibles is, in my opinion, unfounded.

I do not see a new demographic of buyers emerging who will fill the void of mid-market buyers as relates to the aforementioned categories. In other words, holding on to grandmother's Hummel collection in anticipation of higher prices is unlikely to result in increasing demand, and thus, profit.

Therefore, if anyone is considering selling an item or items in today's world, be advised that the gap in prices between the top tier in any category and the middle tier of items in that category is widening. It has been widening for years, and will likely continue to do so. As we have always counseled our clients, the best time to sell something is when you are ready to sell. But be prepared that if you're ready to sell the average item, know that it is going to sell for less-than-average prices, and the best of the best will still garner all the attention from the market, as it always will.

THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF AUCTIONS

2009-02-13T12:51:00.005-05:00

A current trend employed by many auction companies today, in an effort to reach new buyers, is that auctions are 'green', and are an effective way of recycling furniture, appliances, antiques, collectibles, etc., while keeping the proceeds of such sales directly in the control of United States citizens who will reinsert those proceeds into the economy. I firmly believe that is all true, and do encourage auctions as alternatives to retail shopping.

But the point of this letter is to say that I am often surprised at how the prospect of buying and selling items at auction is such a foreign concept to so many of my peers. Having grown up in rural, southern Indiana, and having a father who went to auction school before I was born, I am in a unique position to have been exposed to auctions my entire life. However, auctions were not at all foreign to those who lived in our small community, whether your Dad was an auctioneer or not.

For example, at an estate sale, friends and neighbors would travel for miles to attend the auction of items which had belonged to a friend or relative who passed away. Some would bring pies or other home-baked goodies for the Sunday school group to sell to raise money to give to mission, others would come with the intention of 'helping' someone else pay a fair price for the more significantly-valued items, some would come intending to buy items to use in their own homes, garages or farms, and yet others would come because it was the right thing to do. It's viewed as a way to show respect, or bring comfort, to a surviving widow or children of a lost companion by reminiscing about good times past, and showing the family members that the dead live on through their impact on others' lives in ways that are oft overlooked. I can't tell you how many times I've seen heirs of an estate weep openly and joyfully because the children of an old family friend was the winning bidder for the farmhouse, planning on restoring it and moving in, and the family had no idea of their intentions until the hammer fell.

Perhaps that sense of community has been lost on my generation, endearing those past relationships to history. Or, perhaps, a reawakening of that sense of community is the actual 'change' that many in our culture are depending on Washington to provide. I urge you to seek elsewhere, and change the lives of those with whom you live and work by buying the family farmhouse, or at least by bringing a pie.

JANUARY ART AUCTION RESULTS

2009-01-28T14:26:00.003-05:00

Standing-room only in our gallery, phone and internet bidders from the UK, Scotland, Spain, the Netherlands and all over the United States, combined with the most per-item page views on our web catalogue since we began tracking, indicated the global marketplace that is present for fine art at auction.

This auction was a testament to sellers who believed in the auction method, had assembled a desirable collection of domestic and European art (including many paintings by historic, Indiana artists), and trusted our company to effectively market this collection to a worldwide audience.

Active bidding by numerous bidders on nearly every piece resulted in most of the paintings selling within estimate, and while no auction records were set, the market responded positively, even considering the state of the national economy.

Sale results from the January sale can be found here- Wickliff January Sale Results

We are equally as excited to present the furniture, porcelain, antique Oriental rugs, wicker, patio furniture, lighting and decorative accessories from the Verble Collection at our February 21 auction. Bidders may preview that catalogue here.

Additionally, we are pleased with the exposure gained by our partnership with Artfact/Invaluable. The site has long been an excellent resource for determining values on fine art and antiques, and the company, which formerly was service provider for ebay Live Auctions, now has it's own proprietary live bidding platform. We have committed to Artfact to broadcast all our auctions for 2009 using this service, and hope that our bidders will find value in the convenience of online bidding. Their service fee is only 3%, making the total Buyer's Premium only 15%, a tremendous value when compared to other auctioneers' 20%-25% online buyer premiums. Check out http://www.artfact.com for more details. Currently, they are offering an Artfact Basic membership, an excellent price/value resource, free for new users.

VERBLE ART COLLECTION IS QUALITY AND VARIETY

2009-01-16T10:20:00.003-05:00

At this point in our marketing of our January sale, many of our patrons are surprised to learn that nearly every painting in our January 24 Art Auction comes from one home. It is true, and the collection represents decades of collecting Indiana, American and European art.

One of the sale highlights, at least from our perspective, is the group of paintings by Brown County artist Varaldo Guiseppe (VJ) Cariani. Many times throughout the year, we will offer one or two large Cariani oils in our art auctions, but this collection has three large still life paintings, two large landscapes and two smaller landscapes, each well-presented and ready to hang.

Another favorite of our staff are the pair of William Aiken Walker (South Carolina 1838-1921) oils depicting cotton harvesting in the old South. While these paintings are unsigned, a letter of provenance from the Indianapolis Museum of Art, referencing Ellwood Parry as consultant who authenticated the paintings, is attached. Rarely are Walker’s paintings sold outside of the southeast United States, and these paintings represent a real opportunity to own a piece of Americana.

Also featured are three great paintings by George Ames Aldrich. Aldrich is claimed by Indiana as affiliated in this state, as he exhibited regularly in the Hoosier Salon in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and was involved heavily in the South Bend art scene in the 1920’s, but he was classically trained in Europe as early as the 1890’s, and then in the early 1900’s, attended Academies Julian and Colarossi, and later joined the Societe des Artistes Francais. We are pleased to offer three outstanding examples of Aldrich’s work in this auction.

The Verbles also appreciated and decorated their home with historic European paintings. Many 19th century oils graced the walls of their large, waterfront home. Some are historic paintings by artists with little or no biographical information, but several are by listed artists, featuring a Petrus Kremer (Antwerp, Belgium, 1801-1888) oil on canvas, 39 x 31, entitled "In Her Studio", depicting acclaimed artist Maria Van Oosterwyck in 1660, painting in a studio setting, and presented in an ornate gold leaf frame .

In all, over 80 paintings from the Verble collection comprise this rare offering of such a pure, fresh-to-the-market group of art. Visitors to our gallery will also have the opportunity to preview our February auction, also comprised of the Verble collection, featuring period and period-style French furnishings, antique and semi-antique oriental rugs of high quality, a large collection of Dresden porcelain and a fantastic selection of period decorative accessories and decorative arts.

See our catalogues for upcoming auctions here!

ART AND ANTIQUES IN THE CURRENT ECONOMY...BUY OR SELL?

2008-12-31T11:48:00.000-05:00

As many of our clients are watching their retirement nest eggs and their home values decline, some are considering the sale of art and antiques as a means of generating cash flow. Coincidentally, others, at the same time, consider buying art and antiques as an alternative investment to other financial market-based vehicles.

So, who is the benefactor from this dichotomy? The sellers, in this case, are concerned about falling prices and lessening demand, while the buyers turn to the auction market for a potential ‘bargain’ on an item which they feel may have better investment potential than their 401K. Therefore, we have a seller base that is reluctant to sell to a buyer base that is actively seeking out fine art and antiques. In the standard supply-and-demand equation, both parties would then be enacting a textbook example of market-based valuation.

Why then, are some antiques and art devalued in the current marketplace? Simply, a cultural paradigm shift has occurred from the previous generation of art and antiques buyers to the current. Many factors have affected this shift, most notably the busy lifestyles that are now the norm in social interaction. No one has time, nor the desire, to have an entire room in their home devoted to the accumulation of antique furniture that belonged to Grandma and Aunt Mae, who loved and cared for these items based on their memories of these things as survivors of the Great Depression, just as Grandma and Aunt Mae’s generation were. Late baby-boomers and early ‘gen-x’ers’ have not endured the pain and struggle of a devastated economy and place little significance on items which may represent a triumph over struggles related to job losses, wiped-out savings accounts and the migration of extended families to live under one roof.

To many of our parents and grandparents, satisfaction was gained by the assemblage of a large collection of antiques as trophies, symbolizing their victory over troubled times and becoming a shrine to their ability to overcome adversity. Others accumulated the things they saw in early life as only being the articles available to the wealthy, which, at the time, seemed unattainable.

Today’s generation of art and antiques patrons has eschewed this accumulative mentality in exchange for an appreciation for quality. During the 1980’s and 1990’s the ‘car-load’ of purchases acquired at the auction used to be the source of pride. Today, the high-quality, single item purchase yields the same amount of satisfaction for the buyer.

And, we come to the point. The greatest impact on the value of art and antiques is not, in fact, the state of the economy (although certainly a factor), but the shift in the tastes, desires and decorating styles of today’s buyer.

Gone are the days where a marble top, Eastlake Victorian washstand would sell for $500-$600 at any auction. Victorian furnishings, especially the later Charles Eastlake designs, are out of favor among decorators and homeowners, and have been selling sub-$200 for over two years in our region. Gone also, are the days when antiques dealers would spend days traveling to surrounding states to acquire items from various auction houses. Most auctioneers today post the majority, if not all their items, on web catalogues for pre-auction preview, and speculative buyers can make a bidding decision based on a quick web-site search of all prospective auctions for a given day.

The other major factor affecting today’s values, especially those of items categorized as collectibles, is the pervasive nature of the internet. Items that used to be considered rare have now become common. For example, in the early 1990’s, bidders from surrounding states would travel to our auctions to buy Hummel figurines, if we offered a large collection. As of this writing, there are over 4,200 Hummel listings on eBay. Rare? Not so much… Combine the current over-supply with the fact that Hummel figurines were primarily cherished by family and friends of soldiers who served in the European theater in WWII as memorabilia from their travels, a group that is not actively collecting today, and you have a recipe for a deep decline in value.

To summarize, the current market for high-quality antiques and art which compliment current design trends is good, even great, for some items. Conversely, antiques that are out of style or are a mid-level quality item in any category are finding smaller markets, due in large part to a shift in buyer demand, and in much smaller part to a sluggish economy.

Is resurgence in sight? Will a cultural shift occur in our lifetimes that will bring buyers back to the auction seeking Victorian furniture, cut glass or pie safes? No one can tell. Suffice it to say, as we have always counseled our clients, the time to sell is when you are ready to sell. Speculative selling or buying is a risky business, and the subject of a much longer discourse. As we have adjusted our business to reflect changing buying habits, some items which used to be a staple of our offerings are now being referred to other auction houses which may represent a more willing clientele.

Our affiliation with Artfact/Invaluable makes our catalogues available to a paid subscription database of art and antiques buyers from all over the world. Although currently climbing, the US dollar’s low value against other world currency has generated international interest in American antique auctions. Now, can you speculate how many online buyers from the United Arab Emirates are going to be interested in having a $75 piece of Roseville pottery shipped from across the globe? But, how many international bidders might find competing for an original Italian Art Renaissance painting worth the effort?

See you at the auction!

WICKLIFF AUCTIONEERS PARTNERS WITH ARTFACT

2008-12-31T11:29:00.000-05:00

Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers, Inc., regarded in the auction industry as Indiana’s leading fine arts auctioneers, announced today it has agreed to a partnership with Artfact, LLC, a global auction marketing and antiques database.

Artfact is the world's largest and most comprehensive fine auction database service including unabridged upcoming and past auction catalogs and price results for over 2,000 prestigious international art, antiques, and collectible auctioneers. Wickliff joins the ranks of such auction houses as Christie's, Sotheby’s, Doyle's, Eldred's, Hindman, and Weschler's as a Platinum Partner.

Beginning with beta testing in November, 2008, Artfact will also provide partners with an online, real-time platform upon which to broadcast live auctions, ArtfactLive!. The eBay Live Auctions platform, previously offered as a service by Artfact and formerly the most prevalent among live auction broadcast services, will cease in December, 2008, per an announcement made by eBay earlier this year.

“We were pleased to be solicited by Artfact, the leading auction marketing and antiques database in the world,” said Darin Lawson, CAI, auctioneer and Vice President of Wickliff. He added, “We’re also happy to be able to offer our clients a stable, worldwide marketing solution with ArtfactLive.com, a service should eliminate the hassles and issues that had been a part of eBay Live Auctions.”

Wickliff Auctioneers holds many auction records for the sale of paintings by historic, listed Indiana artists, but over the last two years, has begun to expand their marketing of art by historic European artists, having shipped many paintings overseas, as a result of the affiliation with Artfact.

Since 1991, Wickliff has sought to provide the highest quality items from estates and individuals to auction buyers. Catalogued auctions are conducted on a monthly basis, with the photos and descriptions of each item available on the Wickliff web site prior to each auction event.