Rod And Gun Auction Blues

A few months back, I attended an auction held by Hessney Auction Company in Geneva, NY. It was one heck of a drive getting there and I had a difficult time finding accommodations. I settled on an almost flea bag motel in which I swore I would never again stay. As for the auction, it was great. They auctioned off an old Triumph motorcycle, militaria, hunting and fishing items and hundreds of guns. I went primarily for the guns and while I came home with a few guns, on which I had the high bids, I also came home with an apparent antique dagger and a mounted deer head. The deer head now hangs in my son's room, as for the dagger, I think it is up there too. The guns, I still have them all, but am in the process of selling one, the Browning Citori Lightning I have written about here before. It is one heck of a nice shotgun, in excellent plus condition, evidently unfired except maybe for test firing. Once I sell it, I will have more than enough cash to attend another auction.

I really want to attend another of their auctions and that is kind of where the blues comes into play. The same auction house, staffed by some really great folks, is having another auction on the August 18th. Once at the link, scroll down just a short way to see the partial listing of guns that will be up for bids. They are also auctioning off a really nice looking 1961 Corvette; go to the photos link to take a look. I would be tempted to bid on that one along with some guns.

Here is where the blues hit hard. I was supposed to have worked this coming Saturday (part time post-retirement job) but asked if I could be switched to the 18th because I plan to attend the 5th Annual Northeast Bloggershoot this coming weekend. Since my boss was nice enough to change my scheduled Saturday from this weekend to the 18th, there is no ethical way I can take off to attend the auction. It looks like they will have some nice guns up for auction, along with that Corvette too, and I am feeling blue, blue, blue!

I made out very well last time with the Browning Citori Lightning shotgun I bought, also with a High Standard .22 pistol that I got for a really good price. I did fair with a NEF Pardner 12 gauge, also fair to good on a Stevens 66-B bolt action rifle in .22LR, and poorly on an Iver Johnson Hercules grade SxS 16 gauge shotgun. (It is basically only good as a wall hanger or a parts gun and I am guessing only for about 1/2 of its parts at best. I thought I was bidding on another of the same type of gun; shame on me for not being attentive enough.) The deer head came at a good price too and the piece of junk dagger was bought on a lark for cheap. In all, I had a great time and got some decent to excellent prices on the guns and the deer mount - which was well worth it considering that my son really likes it.

I would do it again regardless of the long drive there and back, and of the need to spend at least one night in a motel, and a good sum of money on guns. There is no doubt in my mind that I would do better this time around because I basically busted my cherry the last time around and am no longer a live gun auction rookie. I made a couple of mistakes, made even more good decisions and buys than I made mistakes, and am ready to go at it again - this time without the mistakes. Too bad I cannot make it this time round, I figure it would wind up being profitable in the long run one way or another. I wonder if they accept phone bids on the guns. As I recall, I am pretty sure that they did so last time. I'll have to check on that but even if they do, it is no guarantee I would bid by phone. I kind of doubt I would have the opportunity to see pictures of the items, in which I would be interested, from all angles and do not know if I want my bids to depend on an assessment, of an item, made by someone else. Oh well, maybe the time after this one.

All the best,
Glenn B