Coventry Slot Machine Auction... what a......
Coventry Slot Machine Auction... what a......
...great day. All those involved worked tirelessly throughout and I am sure that many of us would like to extend our thanks to you. Now we need an Essex auction. Coventry is just too far - but yes I will travel up again for the next one!!!!!
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bryans fan
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Auction
What a great effort from the two J`s !!!
Really good first auction, hope it hasn`t put you off doing another! Well worth all your efforts, some nice machines turned up on the day and were there to be sold. There wrere bargains to be had, I do hope that some of the people with long pockets and short arms don`t start regretting what they should have bought!
Well done to all involved.
Really good first auction, hope it hasn`t put you off doing another! Well worth all your efforts, some nice machines turned up on the day and were there to be sold. There wrere bargains to be had, I do hope that some of the people with long pockets and short arms don`t start regretting what they should have bought!
Well done to all involved.
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badpenny
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Thanks Guys, I am typing this from the cupboard under the stairs where I am still hiding, I only expect to be in here for another fortnight or two.
I for one enjoyed it. I know Jerry did, but will leave him to answer for himself, he didn't get away from my house til gone 6.30pm facing a drive home.
Certainly running the blasted thing stops you buying ! We both admitted afterwards that you don't have time to look or bid for yourself.
I will get around to submitting a list of lots and prices for those who collect this sort of information, but not for a day or three.
Thanks for your enthusiasm, we knew you wouldn't let us down.
Badpenny :thumbs:
I for one enjoyed it. I know Jerry did, but will leave him to answer for himself, he didn't get away from my house til gone 6.30pm facing a drive home.
Certainly running the blasted thing stops you buying ! We both admitted afterwards that you don't have time to look or bid for yourself.
I will get around to submitting a list of lots and prices for those who collect this sort of information, but not for a day or three.
Thanks for your enthusiasm, we knew you wouldn't let us down.
Badpenny :thumbs:
I can't add much to what Badpenny has just said. We both felt the event was a success, and were more than happy with the support we were shown by vendors and those who turned up on the day. My only regret is that I only managed to buy one machine.
I shall be printing a full report in the next issue of the magazine, in the meantime, thanks again for all your support, and you can be assured that we plan to make this an annual event, so let's look forward to next year!
Jerry
I shall be printing a full report in the next issue of the magazine, in the meantime, thanks again for all your support, and you can be assured that we plan to make this an annual event, so let's look forward to next year!
Jerry
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jimmycowman
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great day out well done all ,came away with two machines one alot less than i was going to bid to and one a bit more , i regret not biding for lot87 bmc 3 draw fortune teller wall machine dont think it sold but anyway , got back in time to milk the cows so mrs didn't have to ... whens the next one?????? keep it central for the cows sake..
Hello Guest
Thankyou for your observations, most of which we have already identified. I'll briefly answer each in turn.
1. Yes, entry was by catalogue only and I can assure you that we caught a good number wandering around with no catalogue, but clearly a few slipped the net. It's annoying that there are a small minority who will pay hundreds of pounds for a machine, but are too tight fisted to pay £4 for a catalogue. And as you say, it is unfair on the majority. Better policing is required next time, but it's all a question of man-power.
2. As far as I am aware, there was a no smoking ban enforced by the venue, and I was not aware that anyone was smoking in the sale room. Next time, we'll make this clear in the catalogue. It was probably the tight-wads who didn't buy a catalogue who were doing the smoking!
3. Point taken. If you could imagine the million and one things we had to consider to make this event a success, we were bound to forget a few details. This was one.
4. Again, point taken. Before the auction started, I realised the bidding numbers wouldn't be visible. We'll get that right next time.
5 & 6. I don't fully agree with your points. The placement of lots is far more complex than you might imagine. It's all very well dumping a few allwins at the front end, but this wouldn't necessarily please the vendors. No vendor wants all his lots at the beginning or at the end, and we can't all be in the middle! I considered the fairest way of placing lots was to list all vendors in alphabetical order, and then to split their lots. So, for instance, I was vendor number 4 and half of my lots started at lot number 18 and the other half started at lot number 99. This was the most random method I could think of to place lots, with no risk of being accused of favouritism. The basic problem at the start of the auction was that there seemed to be an element of shyness, which was infectious. But once things got going, I don't believe the order of lots was particularly important. As for the Hidden Treasure being the star lot, that's only true for anyone who desperately wanted a Hidden Treasure, and is surely subjective.
7. I'll come to that later.
8. Timing is of course important, and I think we got it about right with respect to this country. As for Chicago, we'll consider that next time.
9. Yes, as with checking catalogues on the door, we were desperately short staffed. What many won't know is that we didn't gain access to the sale room till nearly 10.00 in the morning, which was far too late. The machines were not adequately displayed due to lack of time to get organised. There shouldn't have been any machines on the floor, although we were very short of space. We will certainly be addressing the portering thing next time, and Mr Hoops could well be getting a knock on his door!
10. As with point 7, there are a number of issues here that I think are valid, but these I think will wait for another day when the two of us have had time to discuss them between ourselves.
To sum up, there were shortcomings in the event, most of which we identified very quickly. The important thing is that it was, by and large, a success and gives us a firm foundation on which to build for the next.
Once again, many thanks for your support.
Jerry
Thankyou for your observations, most of which we have already identified. I'll briefly answer each in turn.
1. Yes, entry was by catalogue only and I can assure you that we caught a good number wandering around with no catalogue, but clearly a few slipped the net. It's annoying that there are a small minority who will pay hundreds of pounds for a machine, but are too tight fisted to pay £4 for a catalogue. And as you say, it is unfair on the majority. Better policing is required next time, but it's all a question of man-power.
2. As far as I am aware, there was a no smoking ban enforced by the venue, and I was not aware that anyone was smoking in the sale room. Next time, we'll make this clear in the catalogue. It was probably the tight-wads who didn't buy a catalogue who were doing the smoking!
3. Point taken. If you could imagine the million and one things we had to consider to make this event a success, we were bound to forget a few details. This was one.
4. Again, point taken. Before the auction started, I realised the bidding numbers wouldn't be visible. We'll get that right next time.
5 & 6. I don't fully agree with your points. The placement of lots is far more complex than you might imagine. It's all very well dumping a few allwins at the front end, but this wouldn't necessarily please the vendors. No vendor wants all his lots at the beginning or at the end, and we can't all be in the middle! I considered the fairest way of placing lots was to list all vendors in alphabetical order, and then to split their lots. So, for instance, I was vendor number 4 and half of my lots started at lot number 18 and the other half started at lot number 99. This was the most random method I could think of to place lots, with no risk of being accused of favouritism. The basic problem at the start of the auction was that there seemed to be an element of shyness, which was infectious. But once things got going, I don't believe the order of lots was particularly important. As for the Hidden Treasure being the star lot, that's only true for anyone who desperately wanted a Hidden Treasure, and is surely subjective.
7. I'll come to that later.
8. Timing is of course important, and I think we got it about right with respect to this country. As for Chicago, we'll consider that next time.
9. Yes, as with checking catalogues on the door, we were desperately short staffed. What many won't know is that we didn't gain access to the sale room till nearly 10.00 in the morning, which was far too late. The machines were not adequately displayed due to lack of time to get organised. There shouldn't have been any machines on the floor, although we were very short of space. We will certainly be addressing the portering thing next time, and Mr Hoops could well be getting a knock on his door!
10. As with point 7, there are a number of issues here that I think are valid, but these I think will wait for another day when the two of us have had time to discuss them between ourselves.
To sum up, there were shortcomings in the event, most of which we identified very quickly. The important thing is that it was, by and large, a success and gives us a firm foundation on which to build for the next.
Once again, many thanks for your support.
Jerry
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badpenny
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My thanks to "Guest" as well. It's good to hear how it appeared front of house.
JC has pretty well echoed anything I'd like to clarify.
The only bits I'd share with you are that the "jolly official" at the venue told us (not asked) a list of things that we were not going to do, one of which was "be banging any 'ammers on my tables."
My inability to read bidders numbers dictates a visit to Specsavers.
We originally had volunteers to help with portering, however they cried off. The two guys who did it gave up their Sunday and did their best, I certainly wasn't going to risk a non slotty waving several hundreds of pounds of machine around. Consequently I accept "Guest's" kind offer to be porter at the next one.
As for Chicago, it was a very difficult decision for me personally as to which I was going to attend, and I'm sure the organisers over there were nervous when they realised they were about to clash with us.
We want to improve and that can only happen by openly reviewing every aspect of the day. We originally said it was more of a social event, that quickly changed to being 90% auction, if that's what everybody wants, then that's what we'll try to provide.
Gearing up to run auctions will dictate we must invest in simple things like laminated, printed numbers and tackle the more tricky issues like stopping the stingy ones trying to avoid paying £4.
As JC said thanks for your support and for making your day the success it was.
Badpenny
JC has pretty well echoed anything I'd like to clarify.
The only bits I'd share with you are that the "jolly official" at the venue told us (not asked) a list of things that we were not going to do, one of which was "be banging any 'ammers on my tables."
My inability to read bidders numbers dictates a visit to Specsavers.
We originally had volunteers to help with portering, however they cried off. The two guys who did it gave up their Sunday and did their best, I certainly wasn't going to risk a non slotty waving several hundreds of pounds of machine around. Consequently I accept "Guest's" kind offer to be porter at the next one.
As for Chicago, it was a very difficult decision for me personally as to which I was going to attend, and I'm sure the organisers over there were nervous when they realised they were about to clash with us.
We want to improve and that can only happen by openly reviewing every aspect of the day. We originally said it was more of a social event, that quickly changed to being 90% auction, if that's what everybody wants, then that's what we'll try to provide.
Gearing up to run auctions will dictate we must invest in simple things like laminated, printed numbers and tackle the more tricky issues like stopping the stingy ones trying to avoid paying £4.
As JC said thanks for your support and for making your day the success it was.
Badpenny
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Bent Copper
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Thank you both for your comprehensive replies to my list, which are all fair comments. I signed in before I posted that, but for some reason the system had logged me off and it came up as 'Guest'. This has happened before so I don't know why this should be (and it will probably happen again). The system must have logged me off during the 3 days it took me to type it all out! 
Anyway, many thanks for all your efforts. One point is that you don't bang gavels on the table anyway. You bang them on a block of wood, so the Jolly Official needn't worry about his precious tables getting holes in them.
And yes - "Should have gone to Specsavers."
Finally, I don't know who the girl was on the cash desk, but I was amazed at how well she coped with the job, and without a calculator as well. Even the percentages! It was as though she had been doing the job for years. Kept smiling as well, which can't have been very easy! So three cheers to her.
Anyway, many thanks for all your efforts. One point is that you don't bang gavels on the table anyway. You bang them on a block of wood, so the Jolly Official needn't worry about his precious tables getting holes in them.
And yes - "Should have gone to Specsavers."
Finally, I don't know who the girl was on the cash desk, but I was amazed at how well she coped with the job, and without a calculator as well. Even the percentages! It was as though she had been doing the job for years. Kept smiling as well, which can't have been very easy! So three cheers to her.
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pennymachines
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