Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-08-13
An Institution
CoIO1HIAucH0ns
Attended byMany
By Steed Evans
Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter
Ii you want it, you can buy it-at country auction
In Montgomery County
Always tested method of disposing of household
goods cattle real estate consignment property the co-
Try auction is riding continuing of popularity
rural MONTGOMERY
On the crest of the is antique furniture avidy
sought by scores OF young suburbantes who want their
homes to have that early American look Some get it,
more don't.
On any Saturday in Montgomery County, lines of
cars Wend their way down country lanes and dsgorge their
passengers clutered lawns filled with old chairs new
chairs, butter churns formca topped kitchen furniture
dshpans and boxes of books
The melange is eagerly paved GEOGRAPHICALLY the
DooKsn the hopes that some of it may be put to good
Overall floats the voice of the auctiOneer, muffIed by
knot OF faithful followers who hang to his every
gesture.
Sometimes he will be standing next to the house. re-
cevlng goods to be auctoned from helper inside who
passes the articles out through window "Shoplftng
is problem at auctions, too.
One auctoneer John w. Null, of Frederick is candid
ABOUT tnleVery Antique sales are the worst, he says
blunty. Anything that will fit into woman's pocket
book might be taken. Sometimes have to have
body watching the crowd" he said.
Null is perhaps the Oldest auctioneer in this area
Almost SO now he and his Delbert S. Null of Brad
dock Heights conducts ourshing auction business and
have for years. The older Null started at 16 years age
and is still going strong.
Only his long experience enables him to look at
an article to be soldbe it horse tiny china cup and
saucerand start the bidding off with good idea of what
the article should bring.
If chair is worth $2o Null might start it at 49, never
at it's full worth Often not he'll know what the
wants for of the and he will push hard to meet
that expectation After the sale all and he is totng
up the days work, he may find that articles have
been bought back by their who didn't think the
bidding was high enough.
Null any other auctioneer doesn't necessarily know
when this is happening because often have friends
buy back goods the price too low But the auconeer
gets the commission for the SALE even though no money
actually has changed hands.
There standard for auctioneers. They usual
y get up to five percent of the gross sale at household
auctions and the clerk gets three percent On retail
chandse from stores the auconeer gets 10 percent and
the clerk five.
On big ales involving large numbers of cattle
horses the auctoneer paid percent and the clerk
Onehaf of percent Real estate auctions bring the
aucOneer percent to $4,000 gross and half of
percent of the remainder. --.~,-. -. IL. r.
Oddly enough the best days for household auctions
rainy days That's when the real customers and not
the spectators, come out to buy.
Important at these affairs is the clerk who is
responsible for noting each sale with the and adj
dress of the purchaser The auctoneer holer all he
wants to- but if the clerk doesn't get the transaction down
In his little book the deal is for naught.
The auctioneer has to have the eyes of hawk but
he doesn't have hear too WE'LL This is because most of
his customers signal their bids rather than call them out
Some may merely nod if they want the next bid
Others affect large soges that they wag and down to
show their intentions Others use canes. If the
remains in certain position the auctioneer knows that
the bidding still going Change the position of the
and the bidding stops
Null for instance, has regulars who continue
their bidding merely by facing him. If they turn their
backs, they're no longer interested.
He tells the story of purchases being made by some
unfortunate who listening friends conversation mods
unwttingly and thereby buys himself old pump organ.
Such unattended Sales Of course are voided with proper
explanation.
You go to auction any day of the year, except
Christmas In the old days. however, unwren law called
for auction sales to start February Is and end the last day
of March, 1t not all unusual to hold up an auction