[78-L] Auctions vs. "Make offer"

[Julian Vein]

Steven C. Barr wrote:

> I attended a "farm auction" virtually every week-end. These are/were "real
> auctions," and the winning high bidder paid whatever his winning bid was!
> At one in particular, there was a 1938 State Farm road atlas which I really
> wanted...so when it came up I bid ten bucks right off the top! Nobody
> wanted to beat that (or they figured there was no point in trying to out-bid
> me?!)...so I bought it for my $10!
> 
> In fact, that was one of my "strategies"...if I REALLY wanted something,
> I'd start my bidding off with a higher-than-expected figure! In a very few
> cases, there would be someone else with the same "want" and we would
> go back and forth at this level.However,I was also known by area
> auctioneers as "that guy who will ALWAYS bid a quarter on ANY box
> of junk"...to the point that they would say, "Okeh, a quarter!" and look
> right at me expectantly! These boxes were usually stuff from the kitchen-
> cabinet drawers, dumped into a pasteboard box...I bought a lot of useful
> old-style kitchen odds & ends that way...!
> 
> ...stevenc 
> 
> _______________________________________________
It's possible to use a form of intimidation on ebay. If your user name 
is related to the artist you're bidding on, other potential bidders may 
think this guy knows what he's doing and is probably determined to get 
the item at any price and may well back down.

For example, if my user name is "iloveken" and you're bidding on Ken 
Griffin 78s!

      Julian Vein


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