Mixed Lot

It's healthy to have a vice or two and mine are well documented.  Yesterday, I realised that I have another - buying and selling.  Buying and selling (primarily antiques in my case) is similar to gambling.  It's similar in that you cannot always be sure that your financial outlay will return a profit.  There are, as always, some exceptions such as in the buying and selling of scrap gold or silver (buying at X to sell at Y).  Buying antiques to sell generally, however, involves an element of risk.  The dealer asks 'What can I sell that on for?' and then negotiates to buy in the hope that they will achieve a profitable margin.  Sometimes that judgement is sound and sometimes it's not.  But, and this is my point - that judgement call is addictive.  It's a vice.  When I buy something for £50 and sell it for £100 I feel, well I feel, I actually feel overwhelmed with my own brilliance.  Then I fall back down to earth, for example at yesterday's sale when an lot of mine sold for just £28 when I had originally bought it for £40...
Not that yesterday's sale was a disappointment - far from it.  It was an excellent sale with some great prices achieved on our 'cornerstone' lots.  The Chester hallmarked silver tray, for example, selling for £528 ABP.  The Arts & Crafts dish for £198 ABP.  We had little jewellery in this time round - we're saving that up for our special Christmas sale on Thursday, 9th December.  It was the silver that did it for us yesterday.
A few months ago we announced our intention to move from one sale a month to two.  Despite some initial reservations, we have managed to prove that to be the right strategy.  Our ambition is to move to a weekly sale wef April 2011.  We have some big decisions to make, not least whether or not St Andrew's Hall is the right venue for our auction rooms.  We also have to determine whether or not a Thursday is right for us.  It has been suggested that a Tuesday may be better.  We really would appreciate your views on both of these issues (and anything else that you feel relevant) - just email us at barnesauctioneers@btinternet.com
I have made two decisions already.  The first is that Barnes Auctioneers will remain a solely family concern and that we have abandoned any idea of partnership with another saleroom or individual.  It is no secret that we entered into quite detailed discussions with two potential investors some months ago and that they have been ongoing.  Ultimately, and inevitably, though we would need to compromise on our path and I cannot do that.  I cannot leave the path I am on because in the far distance I can see something.  I saw it back in 2008 when we held our first sale in twenty years.  I know that we must reach that point and that at that point we will realise our ambition together as our own little Band of Brothers and, in any case, as our greatest King once said 'The fewer men, the greater share of honour'.  We English didn't need the Scots at Agincourt...
The second decision I have made is to let go of Barnes Auctioneers.  What I mean to say is to let go of managing every aspect of the business and concentrate of what I do best.  If we are to grow it is critical that we have the best people in key positions.  In particular we need a full-time auction rooms manager and it is my hope that we will achieve that by April 2011.  That will enable me to put greater energy into the vision and strategy side of the business.  We already have an amazing team of people and we will grow together in our own unique style.
Naturally, as is our practice, we celebrated after the sale yesterday.  Most of us, along with a couple of friends, went on to Delaney's for a shandy or three.  We raised a glass and the anecdotes and the story-telling and the raucous laughter began and went on and on into the evening.  I guess the forthcoming advert will need to say 'WANTED - Auction Rooms Manager - preferably with a sense of humour'