The New York herald., 1878-12-02
ANSWER.
AUCTIoNEERs' ORDERS.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Your correspondent, Manhattan" makes what he
calls exposure OF the manner in which GER
tain book auctions are conducted. and complains
that having given auctioneer an order to purchase
q certain '1ot at given price the opportunity was
not afforded to him by the auctioneer to obtain the
slot" at less sum.
As auctioneer who prasticed for twenty years.
and at present unconnected with the business may
pretend to knowledge of the rules which should
with equity govern this question and yet do with
perfect impartality.
Let me remind Manhattan that the business Of
an auctioneer is to SELL and not to buy and when he
mounts the rosrum he stands there the accepted and
recognized agent Of the vender bound by ract,
expressed or understood that. in consideration OF
certain commission agreed to be paid the said auc-
will obtain the very best price for the prop
erty submitted to public auction under all and every
circumstance of the 1t stands to reason there
FORE that il the auctoneer enters into secret under
standing with any buyer to knock down the property
for less sum than has been avowedly offered 1t
must be fraudulent act against the vender. This
rule applies TO all "lots," without regard to value,
let it be three-dollar book or fve-thousand-doar
picture.
Let us put a case-Suppose Manhattan" had .
fine genuine Rembrandt the market value of
which he estimates S. 600 and, wishing to sell it,
he instructs strawberry Hill Robins to sell 1t by
auction. Being unable to attend the sale. with less
reliable auctioneer he would put of, say
81 500 on the picture but having perfect confidence
the auctioneer, he says, II put no reserve my
picture; leave it to to do your best and get mo
On the day of view the work OF the great master is
noticed by Mr.. Gerard Douw who estimates the pic
ture at its worth, and to his time in attending
the sale requests the auctioneer to purchase the pic
turc for him. stating he will give as much as $4,000
for 1t.
On the sale day. as fortune would havc it, not .
person is present who can appreciate Rembrandt.
The ''compsny have left homes. the walls OF which
covered with pictures painted apparently, with
the anine dyes of modern commerce. Poor Rem
brandt would never be tolerated in such company,
and 80 when the Rembrandt il put up the auctoneer
has uphill work. However, 81 900 is reached and
nothing higher seems possible. The auctioneer has
Mr.. Gerard Douw's order to bid 5000. What Is he
to do Why clearly, TO run the price up 10 this
and sell it. He stands there the agent Of
the vender. under contract to do his best and get
the highest price, and has nothing to do with tho
vendec except to cxtort from him the highest price
he is willing TO pay.
No man two masters and 1t would be
well tor respectable auctoneers to decline taking
ders to purchase it puts them in false light;
the other hand purchasers should attend sales them
selves employ Independent men to bid for them.
and, from the experience of Manhattan it viii
clearly pay them to do
In conclusion / would add that far from the
practice OF the auctioneer Manhattan complains Of
being ian exposure" apprehend it shows he was
honorable man, and IL about to sell property Of
mine by auction that would be the man l should
employ if knew his name. j. M.