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
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Heavy Equipment, Tools & Sporting Auction
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
BOOMERS and BEYOND EXPO
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!
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!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Online Model Train Auction
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.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
2009 SUPERIOR AUCTION CHRISTMAS PARTY
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……..
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……..
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
AUCTION FOR TOWNHOUSE ANTIQUES OF ABBOTSFORD, WI
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.
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
“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
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
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