Antique Clock Collecting: Auctions

Video Transcript

"I've been talking about auctions as a good way to both learn about clock collecting, and start to build a collection. We see a picture here from the auction preview at Bob Schmitt's most recent auction up in Manchester, New Hampshire. He had about five hundred clocks for, in this auction; a one day auction, and he presents them all at the preview laid out on tables for you to examine at your leisure. It it's vitally important if you go to an auction to go to that preview too. You want to be able to see, touch, smell, open, turn around any clock that you're interested in, and maybe even ones that you're not, just for the education experience, so that you know what you're bidding on, or even what other people are bidding on. The nice thing about these kinds of previews too is that you're going to get to know people there, even if you don't get to know them. If you're standing next to somebody, looking at that school clock, and you're interested in it, just poke your elbow at em' and say, what do you think of this one, or is does this hand look right to you, or how about the woodwork on this; do you think that finish is original? So in each case, you'll get some help from the collectors there, who are happy to encourage somebody who's just beginning an interest with it, and you'll certainly know what you're bidding on. The the times I've made the biggest mistakes at auctions are when I was sitting there, had not previewed adequately; said boy, that's going too cheap, raised my hand; I end up owning a clock that I never should have bought because of its condition problems. Bob Schmitt is one auction outlet. Of course, the big guys down in New York, Sotheby's, Christie's, also sell clocks, but virtually, only high-end clocks there; particularly Sotheby's. They won't sell anything less than several thousand dollars. Even Christie's, you're going to, you're talking only about the tippy-top of the clock collecting world if you're buying at Sotheby's or or some of those other ones. But if you get any of the collect digger magazines, notice the auction announcements, you'll see there are clock auctions very often in all parts of the country where you can go look, learn, listen, and maybe buy."