Yankee Auctioneer

By George H. Bean

Copyright 1948

I stumbled upon this book at a local thrift store recently.  I’ve never been to a country auction before, but I’ve always thought it would be an interesting experience.  After reading George Bean’s account of his life as an auctioneer in New England, I can imagine the sights, sounds, emotions, and interesting characters one would encounter at a country auction near the beginning of the 20^th century.  

Through his stories, Mr. Bean tells how he learned all the tricks of his trade – by trial and error.  He spent much time on his own, at the beginning of his career, learning how to tell the difference between valuable antiques and unwanted junk. He learned methods of getting the auction audience to bid higher on items up for sale.  For instance, by alternating valuable antiques with inexpensive quick sellers, he could keep more of his audience interested.  After reading his stories, I believe he also learned compassion for the people who, whether by choice or necessity, put their estates up for auction.  While some people may have been pleasantly surprised by what their houseful of stuff brought in, others could be crushed to find out their lifetime collection of worldly goods is deemed worthless to everyone else.  

His concluding chapter was most interesting to me.  In Mr. Bean’s experience, what most consider junk can be converted to something very useful by an enterprising individual.  He learned to suggest ways in which an object may be used in order to generate interest.  If an old spinning wheel wasn’t selling, he may suggest using the wheel as a trellis for ivy placed beneath it.  How about those old flatirons?  With a coat of paint, they could be used as bookends or doorstops.   

And here I thought the repurposing and upcycling were new ideas.  Those beautiful but mismatched tea cups?  They are now cute candleholders.  The antique milk bottle makes for a very nice vase.  But one of my favorite reuses?  Grandma’s antique cabbage slicer.  It’s no longer used to make sauerkraut.  It now makes for a very nice shelf in the living room.