Superior Auction

A Note of Appreciation for Another Successful Year in the Auction Industry

2011-12-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since we posted...BUT we have been very busy this auction year! 2011 brought us a variety of auctions. YES, we all LOVED the "Candy Auction" and who wouldn't? But there were several other exciting auctions in the past year - both for Superior Auction and for our clients!

The Johnson Dairy Farm brought us many surprises as our clients opened up the barns the day before the actual auction! Our 90-year-old collector of firearms produced some awesome firearms and related merchandise! The Menominee County "Tax Auctions" of real estate produced some happy buyers. In the past, people thought that there was a redemption period for the owners and didn't bother attending - we've changed that thought process. Our Menominee County Treasurer, Diane Lesperance, is an auction-savvy person and has gained significant dollars for the County.

The Twin Oaks Utility Contractor's Auction in Suamico was amazing - not only in the number of buyers attending but also in the overall prices received for the equipment! Our client was very helpful in supplying contact names for buyers of heavy equipment that we added to our database, which helped to produce the right buyers for the excavators, skidsteers, and other heavy equipment... Thanks, Julie!

Besides the restaurant equipment, hobby farms, heavy equipment, and real estate auctions in 2011, we also sold interesting merchandise at estate, antique and specialty auctions.

Superior Auction has a wealth of experience in selling estates and antiques, and started our company selling in these areas - AND still love doing it! YES, we are a little more careful about which estates we will contract for, but we will always steer you to another reputable auction company if we can't service you.

In 2006, Superior Auction created a "subdivision" of their company called "Bid & Glimmer" Auctions. The reasoning for the division was that there is a lot of costume and vintage jewelry in the majority of estates, and there is a very limited audience for that type of merchandise. Since 2006, we have created a large lollowing of buyers of costume jewelry, through our "live' Bid & Glimmer Auctions, and through our presence "world-wide" with Internet Auctions.

The 2012 auction calendar is looking very promising! Look forward to a prominent local estate auction, as well as auctions already contracted for commercial equipment, a well-known retail operation, a jewelry auction, a consignment auction of coins from several local estates, and some real estate auctions.

I'm currently "trying not to work" as I recover from some foot surgery. Hopefully, all of you who have had to agonize with my pain along with me during auctions, will be relieved from watching that happen! (Thanks for your support)! Doc says I should be walking and driving again by mid-January...

APRIL 16TH AUCTION HAD IT ALL!

2011-05-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, it did!! Rain...wind...snow...every weather element except for sun and warmth!!

Last year we started our onsite, outdoor auctions in early April and the weather was beautiful! You just never know what weather April will bring, and our clients, for various reasons are willing to take the risk.

Though the weather was vicious, the offering of great merchandise proved that "Mother Nature" won't keep the buyers away. OVER 350 BUYERS attended the auction for a client who is moving to Albuquerque and who had operated a large, mobile candy store with her partner in "warm-weather" states.

The main auction for Don & Sandy consisted of "top-notch" tools, quality contemporary furniture, commercial equipment, and some really neat home decor items.

Most Buyers waited until close to auction starting time to arrive because of the weather, so the lines were long waiting to register at 10:00. (I delayed as long as the crowd would allow:) Thank goodness for our computerized system as it really helped to reduce the line quickly!

Tools & equipment sold first, and prices for the name-brand, quality and "in great condition" merchandise sold strongly to already "soggy" bidders. Next we moved to the warm basement where all of the furniture was displayed, and experienced some heated bidding:)

And THEN......we moved to the backyard, which looked like "Tent City." The largest of the enclosed tents held more commercial equipment, as well as some great home decor items.The crowd grew even larger as the 1:00 start time for the candy store inventory approached and we saw a lot of new faces. Our office manager, Jennifer, was very creative in marketing the candy inventory to shop owners, school booster clubs, Waterfront Parade participants, and many other targeted groups for the inventory.

By the time the "Candy Auction" started, I had already changed clothes twice! Thanks, Mom & Pa, for the extra ones!

I am so appreciative of our "Auction Family" - customers, on & off-duty staff, and new attendees, that assisted in moving those 25 & 30# boxes forward on the candy runway while I was selling! That was truly a "warming" experience......

Outstanding prices, a huge crowd, great merchandise, targeted marketing, and super clients made for a very successful auction - in spite of that crabby Old Mother Nature....

And then to top it off, I received the following email just a few days after the auction:

"My auction took place on one of the worst weather days of the year but due to Nellie and her extremely friendly, efficient & experienced staff, the turn-out was fantastic and the auction was a huge success! Everything was perfect and I could not have been happier! Attitude and experience is everything and this crew has it all!!" Sandy Paul

(Thanks from all of us for the kind words Sandy.....) Check out the "Highlights" Section on our website to view some of the realized prices for this auction.

UPCOMING UNIQUE AUCTIONS

2011-03-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

What a fun start to the 2011 auction season! We're very excited about our upcoming auctions, including one contracted for recently from Shawano, WI! This lovely, elderly woman and her late husband collected Brewerania for almost 60 years!

I felt like I was in a Brewerania Museum when I first visited......beer trays on the ceiling.....shelves and shelves of German steins, mugs, beer bottles......... signs........tap handles.......lights......Every surface was covered with Brewerania - including the ceilings!!!

Watch for information on this collection as we start preparing for a couple of Internet online-only auctions AND a live auction! The live auction, which will be held in the Shawano area, will feature an antique Seeburg jukebox, Pachinko trade stimulator, National Cash Register, Art Pottery, Carnival Glass, and a whole lot more! Of course, we will also be selling German steins & mugs, beer trays, lighting fixtures, bottles & cans, and 100's of other Brewerania collectibles at the live auction!

We also just contracted for another unique auction, scheduled for April 16th in Marinette, WI. These folks are moving to New Mexico and are selling everything from tools to quality furniture to commercial equipment to cases and cases of recently purchased bulk & boxed candy! They recently operated a mobile candy store in several states.

We've posted a brief description of the auction on our website auction schedule and will be adding an inventory list of the candy, and a list of equipment. Hold off on buying for Easter until this auction - we'll be selling a lot of novelty and nostalgia cases of candy! And I sincerely mean "a lot!"

If you would like to get on our auction notification list, please send us your email address! Check out the upcoming auctions and join us if you can for a day of friendship and fun!! (Oh yeah, don't forget to bring your wallet........:)

STRONG PRICES REALIZED AT WINTER ESTATE AUCTIONS

2011-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

We had the honor of conducting two fantastic Oconto area estate auctions to start our 2011 auction season! The first was for the late Colonel Walter and Margaret Heise and was held in the Abrams, WI area at the Pensaukee Community Center in Brookside on January 22nd. Walter was a well-known area auctioneer for many years and as is typical in many auction companies, Margaret and their daughters were actively involved in the many auctions they conducted over the years.

The weather cooperated for driving, the hall was packed, the food was good, the merchandise offered was varied and everyone had a fun time! The Heiseys had a lot of antiques, and prices were strong! Even Walter's vintage auctioneer hats sold well! Other auctioneer-related items included his old speaker system, hundreds of the over-sized auction bills that used to be posted on barns & telephone poles, and several early issues of the National Auctionner Association magazines. Walter was very active in the professional auction associations - both in Wisconsin and at the National level.

On February 12th, we had the late Bud Haltaufderheld's estate auction in the same location. I learned at the Heisey Estate Auction that everyone called Bud "Bud Ha-Ha" because his last name was so hard to pronounce (and I understand that he was a pretty fun guy...)! This auction again had a ton of antiques, as well as a large amount of "NOS - new old stock" jewelry, as Bud operated the 41 Karat Jewelry Store in Oconto for decades. Jewelry buyers came from Green Bay, Milwaukee, Chicago and the local area. Gold was HOT, as well as sterling silver.

Jewlery stores in the past carried an extended array of fine merchandise including crystal, sterling silver flatware & serving pieces, china and porcelain. The 41 Karat Shop was a top quality store that only carried the finest, and we were excited to offer a Waterford crystal 5-arm Comeragh chandelier, several sterling silver pieces, tons of gold, diamond and precious gemstone jewelry, and several original oil paintings by desirable artists. The crowd showed their enthusiasm for the opportunity to purchase these quality items with fast and furious bidding! I think everyone who attended had fun, and most left with a treasure or two!

Check out some of the Auction Highlights on our website for some of the prices realized from both auctions! Watch for more estate auctions, and specialty auctions of coins & vintage jewlery that are scheduled over the next couple of months......

And THANKS to everyone including the bidders, clients, and our hard-working staff for your part in our success!

BOB DESCHAINE ESTATE AUCTION

2011-01-04T08:06:00.000-08:00

OCTOBER 30th, 2010

I wish I had the time to write blogs about ALL of our auctions this year, and unfortunately I do not. Bob's auction was exceptional in many ways though, so I would like to share some of the adventures connected to this auction.

I never had the opportunity to know Bob personally, but I always admired the immaculate condition of his lawn....seriously! Bob's home is across the street from the YMCA and on a road that I travel frequently.

His home and yard were always kept in pristine condition!

We were commissioned by a local bank to sell the personal and business assets after Bob passed away, and appreciate very much the confidence that they placed in us, as this was a very large estate with some very unusual one-of-a-kind merchandise. Bob was a plumber by trade, but I would classify him more as an engineer...inventor....and definitely a good-hearted person that very generously gave his time and service to help others -

usually anonymously.

One of the featured items that we sold was a snowblower tractor that Bob created, AND which won an award from Mechanics Illustrated Magazine! The lucky winner of this top-of-the-line equipment is from the Crivitz area, and I'm sure they are hoping for lots of snow this winter!!

The diaphragm pumps that Bob built were in demand, as several area contractors were determined to take one or two of them home with them! A good friend of Bob's, Ron Axtell, was very helpful with the equipment that Bob built - thanks Ron and Nate! There were several of Bob's friends in attendance, as well as buyers from across the state of Wisconsin and the U.P. At peak crowd time, the body count was over 300!

It was one of the most challenging of auctions this year, and required a TON of labor! We sold in two rings for a part of the day, but also sold in two locations during the same day! Talk about having to do some intense planning! I am so appreciative of our loyal and hard-working staff!

As is typical for a large auction, there were a few "curve-balls" thrown our way, and I am happy to report that we handled them all in a satisfactory way.....

16 years of experience and auction education

pays off on a large auction like this one!

Buyers, Sellers, and Heirs to the Estate responded very favorably!!

Superior Auction's service to the client continues on, sometimes for days after the auction date. Bob's auction required two scheduled days of "loading out" for much of the heavy equipment that was sold, and a few individual appointment dates for special circumstances. I have GREAT video of one of these days, which shows the buyer's joy over Bob's installation of a steel beam with an electric chain hoist for moving that heavy equipment to and from the basement workshop!
Check our website frequently for more exciting auctions! http://www.superiorauction.net/

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL (AND FUN) AUCTION

2010-09-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU to all of the buyers at today's auction. The September 18th auction at Equity Hall in Pound, WI. was a lot of FUN, and it was good to see so many of our regular buyers, and many buyers that we haven't seen in awhile....

It was a beautiful day outside, and the breeze flew in and created a very comfortable atmosphere. We were a little worried about the truck and tractor pulls next door creating too much noise, but even with the doors open it was not noticeable. Equity Hall has great accoustics, and we will most likely use that facility again. Vern and his staff were very acommodating - thanks!!

As usual, we had a few "characters" sitting in the front row......(Loren & Jeff were misbehaving as usual, and were quite entertaining)! It's not a bad idea to sit towards the front at one of our auctions as you get to hear a lot more of the humorous coments (and MANY auction items have interesting comments attached to them...)

The majority of this selection of merchandise offered at auction was from a Green Bay Estate, and we added a little bit from an upcoming Estate Auction that has an ABUNDANCE of Fenton and depression glass. I had hoped to alleviate the pressure (from a selling point) of having so much quality glass in one auction, and I was only somewhat successful in that, as most of the buyers were after the advertising signs and the sporting items. And let's not forget the OVER 300 FISHING POLES!!

Watch Superior Auction & Appraisal's upcoming schedule for the next six weeks - it's FULL of GREAT MERCHANDISE!!! Antiques, tractors, vehicles, jewelry, quality glassware, antique and modern furniture, MANY TOOLS, firearms, boats, snowblowers, real estate, and MUCH MORE! Information about November auctions will be coming soon!

Wisconsin State Auctioneer Championship Contest

2010-08-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

After a very busy weekend of selling at auction, I traveled to Milwaukee for the State Championship Auctioneer Contest held at the state fairgrounds. It was nice this year to not have a leadership role, and I was able to just enjoy the contest. I brought a good friend along, and she and I not only experienced the contest but also attended the Betthauser Auction Company auction that evening at the Serb Hall in Milwaukee.

There are so many people that have worked (or attended)for multiple years that don't get the recognition that they deserve...WAA President-Elect Bob Hagemann and his wife Sally, buyer Leanne from Chicago who atttends religiously, Gene & Rosemary Schmidt, Tom Kleist and his wife, and a multitude of other auctioneers and buyers!! THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US!

It was a very fun day at the fair, and because of the heat & humidity, my friend and I limited our grazing of "fair food" to just Wisconsin cheese curds and the famous "Wisconsin Cattlemen's" ribeye sandwich.

The highlight of the contest to all, of course, was the announcement of the winners! The top 6 finalists held some surprises for me personally, but you never can doubt the judges, who are all experienced in the trade. The finalists were ALL worthy of the title, and I was pleased to see two female auctioneers in the final round. (Male auctioneers typically have an advantage due to emanance of their voice) and our state contest does not allow for separate male and female categories (as the International Contest does).

Getting to the quick of things, when they announced the runner-up, reserve champ (and there were still 4 auctioneers standing), and said "SHE" dada tada....we knew it was CAROL MILLER who won!! She was the only female standing amongst the remaining six finalists!! FIRST TIME A FEMALE WON IN THE HISTORY OF THE CONTEST!!

Carol is very deserving in so many ways and will represent the Wisconsin Auction Industry well! Her next debut in competition will ocurr in Orlando, Florida during the July 2011 NAA Convention, where she will be sponsored by the Wisconsin Auctioneer's Association in the International Auctioneer Contest.

Cichocki Moving Auction Results

2010-08-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Chichocki Moving Auction was one the most fun and succesful auctions of the year! After almost sixteen years in the auction business, I am confident in relaying that the main components of a successful auction include good merchandise, targeted marketing, and the cooperation of the seller.

We definitely had all three going on with this auction! The beautiful log home, barns and outbuildings are currently for sale and include acreage AND a whole lot of Menominee River frontage! Diane and her late husband were avid antique collectors, and there was an abundance of high quality merchandise available on auction day!

Our crew pulled into the auction site at 6:30am and were amazed at the activity going on! I bet there were at least 25 family members - from little kids to octogenarian Grandma Laveta, working already!! We are so appreciative of that, as the merchandise being offered that day grew somewhat from my original visit...Talk about a cohesive family!! AND they were HAVING FUN!!

The weather was pretty good - not as hot and humid as usual, but we still opted for tents so that people could get in the shade if they needed to. Crowd sizes at our auctions this year have been amazing - this auction produced over 350 buyers !!

One of the eventful parts of the auction day included the "Waterfront Festival Motorcycle Ride" that passed on River Road while we were selling. At the time, we had two rings going, and BOTH auctioneers had to shut their auctions down until the 300 or so motorcycles passed! Customers from both rings got into the spirit of the motorcycle ride, waving and cheering the cyclists on! (I heard from a reliable source that Cozzy's mentioned the auction they would be passing, and encouraged the cyclists to be careful - thanks Cozzy & team!) And thanks to the motorcycle riders that were suporting our local St. Vincent de Paul Store!

Our office manager Jennifer. will be posting result of the Cichocki auction soon on our website - take a look!

National Auctioneer's Association Conference & Show

2010-08-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

The National Auctioneer's Association Conference & Show was held in Greensboro, North Carolina in July. It's hard to miss a National Conference, especially when it's held in a state that I have never visited. The educational opportunities for professional auctioneers, as well as the networking that it allows, is worth much more than the convention fees and travel costs.

Eli Detweiler, a former Wisconsin auctioneer, holds a leadership role with North Carolina and was very instrumental in this year's convention. Some of our customers will remember Eli as the very energetic Amish auctioneer that worked with us occassionally when he was still residing in Wisconsin. It was VERY EXCITING to be there when he won the INTERNATIONAL AUCTIONEER CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST this year! Last year he was runner-up, but it doesn't always work out to mean that you will win the next year...there are SEVERAL professional auctioneers that are also very deserving of this title. Yeah Eli - I'm proud of you!

I traveled to North Carolina a few days early to visit friends in Hendersonville and enjoyed a couple of days with Pete & Judy. They own a very large produce operation and I went to the convention with a case - plus of the best tomatoes ever! Airport personnel, rent-a-car people and several auctioneer vendors and friends were able to enjoy the tomatoes also - thanks Pete & Judy! Kathy Kingston used the tomatoes and an ice bucket/cooking pot to demonstrate a wonderful Italian recipe.....

My roommates were Wisconsin auctioneers Shirley Baumann & Carol Miller - three women in one hotel room!!! We had a very interesting week, and all still loved each other when it was ending....(Shirley & Carol are surprised that I didn't mention bathtubs or snoring...right)???

The technology seminar by Peter Gehres was OUTSTANDING! Check out the auctioneerchannel.com to see one of the projects that Peter has been involved in. He made all of the new technology that auctioneers must keep up with very understandable - thanks Peter!

Just a very few of the other educational opportunities include seminars I attended on "Legal Issues for Real Estate Auctioneers", "On-line Only Auctions", "Art & Collectibles", "Social Networking for Business", "Selling Firearms at Auction," and the "New Era of Real Estate Auctions."

Several FUN things about attending NAA Conventions included seeing old friends and making new ones...attending the "Great Ideas Forum"...listening to auctioneer's stories about "Auctions Gone Wild"....and meeting up again with CAI graduates....

Attending NAA Conventions helps me to remain focused on what I intended to do when I first became a part of the auction industry, - providing a professional, honest and fair service to the communities that I serve. I am very appreciative of the opportunities that the NAA provides!!!

"Surround Yourself With Good People"

2010-07-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

One of the best things that was brought to my attention by a favorite college professor years ago, was to "surround yourself with good people." It's a simple concept but Jerry Anderson made an impact on me with that statement. (We won't go into his "fly with the eagles" communication:)

I am so grateful for our Superior Auction staff! Many of our current employees are "core" staff that have been with us for all or most of our 15 years in business! The majority of them have full-time careers in other fields, and work with us because it's "fun" and they love the auction environment!

My husband Gene is one of the best people that I could have "surrounded myself" with....although he works full-time as a helicopter mechanic, he is always there for business advice, a sounding board, putting up signs, providing "ring" and customer service at our auctions, and so much more!

My first office manager 15 years ago was my nephew, Eric, who was still in high school at the time. He was (and is) an awesome business manager and currently manages one of my brother Jeff's travel business operations in Orlando. Kris Anderson was my first "official" office manager and managed to work productively in a very small office that she shared with me in our home , and with her newborn daughter Cassidy Johnel. Jennifer Nowack, our current office manager, is lucky enough to have a large office all to herself in a separate office building. Jen's been with us full-time for over six years and puts out a huge amount of work, managing "behind-the-scene" duties both for our live and on-line only auctions.

Kathy Sackman (Kat) has been with us for several years in many roles, most recently taking over the management of the prep duties for our auctions. Jerry & Karen Stujenske are a big part of the prep crew and have been very helpful in many ways to our success!

Clerks, cashiers and ring people are essential to the business also. Linda, Kristina, Terri L, Terri K, and Penny have been contributing for many years, and are much appreciated! We also are very grateful for all of our high school students (many of which it is their first job opportunity), and for all of the occasional personnel that work for us.

Without a doubt, contract auctioneers are a very important part of "surrounding yourself with good people." They are the people that are most noticeable to the buyers, so it's important that they present themselves positively, are honest, entertaining, and have good customer service skills. Joe Cicero, has been a part of our business for "forever" and we snag him whenever we can get him! He's been pretty busy lately though, presenting seminars on Internet security all over the nation!
Carol Miller (Bailey's Honor Auction in Oconomowoc) has been a favored contract auctioneer with us for a long time, and we are honored to have her expertise as an auctioneer whenever she's available. Carol is an excellent example of "surrounding yourself with good people!" We're excited that she will be joining us for the August 7th auction in Wallace, and participating in the Waterfront Parade with "Opal, the famous duck boat."

Client Testimonial from May 1st Auction in Amberg

2010-05-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Nellie,

On behalf of my family, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful auction we had on May 1st. From the moment you met with me you understood the situation, and projected an efficient and professional demeanor. Your entire team mirrored those traits in every step that was taken.

I can't thank you enough for the assistance you offered when determining what should be placed in the auction (and you didn't turn away much!). You made certain that all of the vehicles started and where in operational condition, therefore bringing top dollar. I'm not sure if you have control over the weather, but we couldn't have asked for a better day.

The most amazing part to us was that EVERYTHING was sold. The only evidence that anything had occur ed on the property was a little bent grass. Thank you so much for the very positive experience. I recommend your services to anyone who might need them.

Sincerely,

Ron Abele

Heavy Equipment, Tools & Sporting Auction

2010-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

It was a busy day on Saturday, May 1st in Amberg, Wisconsin. Amberg is a small town with many beautiful lakes and rivers, and is approximately 45 minutes from the Marinette-Menominee area. Close to 500 people attended the auction for the late C. Peter Abele, who was 95 years old when he died.

The setting was beautiful, with pine trees, a beautiful lake and very pleasant weather. If I had thought of it at the time, I would have had a large "CONGRATULATIONS - YOU MADE IT!" sign waiting for everyone- the property is at the end of a very winding and very long dead end road!

Even though we are fully computerized, which makes for quick registration and quick check-out, the lines were long and seemed never-ending with buyers waiting to register. We've noticed that the auction crowd size is up considerably this year, and we like that!! We appreciate all of the people who come out to buy the great merchandise offered at our auctions, and also those who come just to socialize. It's nice to see families in attendance, and you can be assured that our company is very "family-friendly," never using any off-color humor, etc.

It takes a lot of cooperation and hard work to have a successful auction and I am grateful for our prep and office staff who prepared the merchandise and did the marketing. I am also very appreciative to our mechanic, Nick, who is the best heavy equipment mechanic and operator in the area!

One of the key elements in having a successful auction is having the cooperation and trust of the client. Personal Representative Ron Abele was a top-notch client, providing me with the tools I needed to perform! The Personal Representative of an estate has a very serious job to perform, and has a legal and fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the estate - Ron did an exemplary job!

Check out the "Highlights" page on our website http://www.superiorauction.net/for some of the prices realized at this, and other previous auctions. If you would like to receive an email notice of our future auctions, you can sign up at the bottom of any page on our website.

BOOMERS and BEYOND EXPO

2010-02-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Superior Auction and Appraisal will be participating in the "Boomers & Beyond" Expo on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at the Radisson in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This event is designed to bring together key service providers for the aging population to help them attain an optimum quality of life. Our auction company's services are a good fit with the Boomers Expo, as we offer several types of auctions which would be helpful to not only Boomers, but to their aging parents. Specialty auctions of collections - coins, vintage toys and trains, jewelry, fishing lures, Art Pottery, records, etc - are all examples of auctions that that we have conducted for boomer-aged clients that are getting ready to retire and have started their "down-sizing." Many of these categories are conducive to Internet-only auctions, or combined Internet and live auctions.

Boomer- age people often have their parent's estates to deal with at the same time that they are planning their own retirement. Superior Auction offers complete estate services, including auctions for "living estates," where the client has made a decision to move to a nursing home, assisted living environment, or an apartment. Nellie's Certified Estate Specialist (CES) designation has proven to be very helpful when working with estate auction clients.

Medical Care Providers, Community Resources, Financial Planning, Elder Law Advisors, and Chiropractors are just a few of the other vendors that will be available to help you take the guess work out of retirement and the aging process. The event is open to the public from 10am until 5:00.

Stop by our booth and visit with Nellie and Penny about what Superior Auction & Appraisal can do to help YOU!

Online Model Train Auction

2010-01-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

WOW! Thanks to all of the bidders from the online-only model train auction! It was very exciting to watch the end of the auction last evening.......sales were higher than expected and I'm sure part of the reason was because of the near mint condition of the merchandise being offered. We are very thankful for opportunities provided by companies like Proxibid and AuctionZip which enable us to expose our client's merchandise to a much broader audience. Although we will always continue to conduct live auctions, either on-site or in banquet facilities, we feel we would not be working in our client's best interest if we did not take advantage of utilizing the Internet. If you have merchandise you would like to sell at the best possible prices, please give us a call and the opportunity to develop a plan for your type of merchandise.

2009 SUPERIOR AUCTION CHRISTMAS PARTY

2009-12-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

2009 SUPERIOR AUCTION CHRISTMAS PARTY

WOW!! I’m not sure why, but this was my favorite Superior Auction Christmas party ever! (Maybe it was because Mom did the 200 plus ham roll-ups this year)!! I’m sure that the help from Karen and Jennifer in getting the house and Christmas tree ready was also a big factor…

I’ve thought for many years that it would be less expensive and less work intensive if we just all went out for a nice dinner, but there is something about gathering in a relaxing environment, reminiscing about the past year of auctions. Gene, THANK YOU for the everlasting fire in the fireplace…..

And then, I’m not sure if a local dining establishment would appreciate the “leftover” white elephant gifts that are inevitable at the end of the night! (And by the way Sparky, don’t be surprised if you find the horse head on your property sometime in 2010)! Lee Hornick – you were the tallest person in the vicinity….was it YOU who put it on top of the postal cabinet????? (It’s always a good idea to watch the quiet ones….)

Our annual Christmas party is just a small thing that Gene and I like to do for all of the people who have made our company successful. Although there were some obvious changes in the past year, everyone was very upbeat, positive, and supportive in our success! THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT!

KRISTINA- NO, you are not off the hook for going to your “real job’s” Christmas party and just dropping off what you did…..(although I DID notice a dessert hidden in our bedroom..). We thought it was only fair to give you a white elephant number also – wait and see what you got!!!!

Some of us actually made it until 11:00!! I think that may have had something to do with the four pots of coffee that were consumed early on (are we all getting old, or what??)

HERE’S SOME HIGHLIGHTS……….Lori Beland will never, ever, grow into that Badger T-shirt…..we will ALWAYS have to have Alphonse with us to keep us on track…..Jerry-did you get to keep that neat lantern??….Karen, what DID you do with that grey graniteware bedpan….Terri L – did you get to keep the handcrafted TP holder??….WHO GOT TO TAKE THE BILLY BOB FISH HOME????….Penny-you look like you liked what you got, but I can’t tell (or remember) what it was,,…Betty Ann, where are you going to hang that awesome mirror – your house is already full of wonderful auction purchases….Loren, what WAS it about that lightbulb that made you want to KEEP IT???…John Helfert – you were so “tame” this year…(think Taming of the Shrew….we will NEVER forget the “stuffed shrew” that poor Sue got that year…)….Nellie-are you REALLY going to give that Jimmy Buffet cup and saucer to Bill Knight??? (Aaron Ihander “the cop” assured me that it was a palm tree and not a marijuana plant….)…Marge, I’m so sorry that Terri L stole your wonderful Christmas ornaments….the “box of empty” that Linda Hornick received initially is going to come back and haunt someone someday…

The dishes are done….and MOST of the “forgotten” white elephant presents are found….

Time to start thinking about the 2010 auctions, looking for next year’s “perfect” white elephant gifts……..

AUCTION FOR TOWNHOUSE ANTIQUES OF ABBOTSFORD, WI

2009-11-25T13:25:00.001-08:00

TOWNHOUSE ANTIQUES OF ABBOTSFORD, WI GOING OUT OF BUSINESS AFTER 40 YEARS!

August 2009

Dorothy Mazza, propietor of Townhouse Antiques in Abbotsford, Wisconsin for over 40 years, has decided to close her shop. Two live auctions are scheduled for September 12th and 13th in the Wausau, WI area.

It's hard to believe that Dorothy is 88 years old, as she has a very quick mind and gets along like someone much younger. Her knowledge of antiques is amazing - she has a true passion!

Dorothy is well-known in Wisconsin and Minnesota as a quality dealer, and has appreciated fine things her entire life. Years ago she became friends with the late Mrs. Fisher, who was a well-known antique dealer in Wisconsin Rapids. That friendship, and her friendship with Mrs. Fisher's daughter, was part of the reason that Dorothy decided to start her own business some 40 years ago.

Originally, she operated two antique stores in the Abbotsford area- the Farmhouse Antique Store in rural Abbotsford, and the Townhouse Antique Store in the city.

Most of Dorothy's ourchases were made from a loyal group of "pickers," who knew that quality and condition were required. She was adamant about keeping regular hours at her shop, and would even postpone her attendance at family events until the shop closed at its scheduled time.

Dorothy's days off were spent buying, often taking famliy members along. Nephew Bill (who sells windows LOL) has fond memories of experiencing Aunt Dorothy's excitement when she made a great discovery. He said she would "shake with excitement like she had discovered the 'Gems of Egypt!'

Niece Joni recalled how it was always so fun to visit her aunt, as she always lived with her antiques. The antique store was also her home and Joni used to dream of taking over the business someday.....

Aunt Dorothy influenced another niece, Debbie, who has also developed a passion for antiques, and according to Aunt Dorothy, has become quite knowledgable as well.

When talking with Dorothy, it is easy to see why she has so many caring nieces and nephews around her. She feels so blessed to have them in her life, and I am sure they feel the same.

After decades of exciting times in the antique world, I'm sure it is hard for Dorothy to quit the business. Until very recently, she would still open Townhouse Antique Store on the weekend, enjoying the many friends who would stop in to buy or just to visit.

As the saying goes though, all good things must come to an end, and Dorothy Mazza feels that the time is now. Everything in the two-story building, which is brimming with quality merchandise, must be sold in order to sell the real estate. She has two live auctions scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 12th &13th, at the Schmidt Ballroom in the Wausau, WI. area. Auctioneer Carol Miller of Bailey's Honor Auction in the Milwaukee area, will join Auctioneer Nellie Beland of Superior Auction & Appraisal of Menominee, MI. in conducting the auctions.

Colonel Ed Walk

2009-11-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

“ALL IN ALL DONE”…COLONEL ED WALK

The only “Colonel” in our town was Ed Walk. Colonel Walk died this last year at the age of 85, and his legacy as an auctioneer will always be remembered.

He was one of the “old-timers” who never used a speaker system, and very reluctantly started using the paper clerking system which is now long outdated.

I remember when Colonel Ed and his cashier Roy Chmela, conducted their auctions with Roy wearing an apron and collecting the dollars bid by going out into the crowd to the successful bidder. Eventually Ed used the CT-12 paper clerking system, realizing that it “might” be a little easier that way……..

Colonel Walk was of the “old-school,” usually not hiring any ring-people prior to the auction. He always had Roy by his side, but sometimes didn’t even have a clerk scheduled and would just request someone he knew from the crowd. Cliff Boessen was a constant with Ed for many years, often performing a lot of the grunt work necessary prior to the auction, and then assisting Colonel Walk at the sale. Danny Bayee was another dedicated auction worker for Ed, typically clerking many of the auctions in the Marinette-Menominee area.

Ed was a good mentor to me when I was just starting out. He stood behind some shrubs during my first “solo” auction and kept on saying “faster Nellie- faster!” Heck, I was so scared that I was just happy that ANY words or numbers were coming out of my mouth – regardless of the speed, (or lack) of them!!

Ed and I used to drive around together just for the camaraderie, but I soon realized that it was a good thing that I was a habitual seatbelt-wearer. We’d be driving down Highway 64 and all of a sudden he would slam on the brakes and exclaim “I had an auction at that farm in (19….) and we sold (……..) for ($…..)! It didn’t matter which rural highway we were on, the same thing happened time after time. What a memory! (I can only guess that his lack of exposure to computers, cell-phones, etc made for a much “roomier” mind). That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it…………..

Colonel Walk was a very patriotic guy, especially after serving in World War 2 and receiving many awards and citations. Many times he would start his auctions with the Pledge of Allegiance and sometimes would even get the crowd to sing the National Anthem! A frustrating side issue of his patriotism to the competitive bidders was that he would sometimes get “sidetracked” when selling an item that reminded him of Americanism and proceed to tell “war stories” until he felt like stopping……………

He was always fastidious in his appearance, wearing his usual “uniform” of green work pants and shirt, as well as his signature cowboy hat. He spoke his mind, and I fondly use some of his sayings while conducting my own auctions. When the crowd would get a little too loud in their socializing, and the actual bidders would have a hard time hearing where the bid was at, he’d holler out “HOLD LADY’S AID TOMMOROW……TODAY WE’RE HAVING AN AUCTION!!” And the saying, “you can’t please all of the people all of the time” would once in a while relate to an unhappy client who had unrealistic expectations. His advice to me for those situations was “pay them and get the hell out of there!” Fortunately, the majority of Ed’s clients were very happy with his services though.

Ed worked for the Scott Paper Company for 39 years before achieving his dream of becoming an auctioneer. In 1964, Colonel Walk attended the Reich American School of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa and combined that knowledge with his basic principles of hard work and honesty to create a successful career in the auction industry.

I can still hear him saying “25…30….35………….all in all done???? SOLD!”

Auctioneer Nellie Beland
Superior Auction & Appraisal LLC
906-864-2942
www.superiorauction.net

Beland will Continue Leadership with WAA in 2009

2009-11-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

2008 WAA President Nellie Beland, CAI, CES, CAGA, of Menominee, Michigan and Marinette, Wisconsin, will continue her service in 2009 to the Wisconsin Auctioneer’s Association. Beland will serve as the 2009 “Past President” on the WAA Board of Directors and will be participating in her ninth year with WAA in promoting professionalism in the auction industry in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Beland holds degrees and certificates from the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City, MO, Indiana State University in Bloomington, Indiana (CAI), Certified Appraisal’s Guild of America in Dallas, TX, an associate’s degree in management from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, and a Certified Estate Specialist designation from the Auction Marketing Institute (AMI). As lead auctioneer, she owns and operates Superior Auction & Appraisal, LLC, especially successful in selling prime Real Estate at Auction, Commercial Equipment, Vintage and Estate Jewelry, and Quality Estates and Antiques in the State of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Superior Auction & Appraisal LLC is well known for incorporating the “Fun Element” of auctions, which is conducive to a successful event for both the sellers and the buyers.

The auction company is fully computerized, offers both “Live” and Internet auctions to maximize exposure for your merchandise, and employs over 20 part-time and full-time associates with a large variety of experience and expertise in several areas.

Superior Auction Wins First Place

2009-11-10T12:09:00.000-08:00

At the recent Wisconsin Auctioneer’s Conference & Show, a panel of judges chose Superior Auction’s “Real Estate Advertising” on-site sign for a multi-parcel auction for a first place award. Other first place awards in recent years included the company’s “duck boat’ in the Unique Promotional Item category, three first place “Best Website” awards, and two “Best of Show” in the advertising categories.