I spent part of the day there and picked up a De Forest R5, I was the only bidder. I passed on AK’s 30, 42 and a Victor 28 as I either had them or did not want them. They were few very early radios there. Lots of smaller radios, bakelite, plastic and wood, many transistor radios. Many went for more than I expected, my experience on large sales like this is the top stuff sells well and as allowances are spent the rest is almost given away. I stayed up to about the last hour and prices seemed good. Consoles went cheap. Some buyers bought huge quantities.
The highest price I saw was a franken radio made by a late friend of mine. A Stewart Warner chassis, I believe, in a custom case of brass and stained glass. I went for $525.00.
There was a large quantity of old commercial electronics, ham stuff and test equipment. This was sold by the group or table on choice. As the chosen items were taken the rest went in quantity for a few dollars, probably for scrap the way it was being hauled off and loaded into trailers. One person bought a pile about 12 feet long and was reselling choice items on site out of it. In my estimation that portion of the auction would have brought more dollars if the items hade been better sorted and sold individually. There was simply too much stuff sold too fast.
I overheard one comment, “This is the second large auction that I have been to and there were no tubes.” I guess the usual “family friend” may have helped sort things out.
I may have to watch Ebay and Kijiji for entertainment.
Ed.