Nielsen Collection Auction - Part 1

[Dustin Stinett]

Potter & Potter have part one of the Norm Nielsen Collection auction posted.
http://www.potterauctions.com/auctions/upcoming

[Potterauctions]

The auction is just over one week away, and we've received many gratifying responses from satisfied customers who purchased the hardbound auction catalog. In fact, the feedback has been just overwhelming. Thanks to everyone who ordered!

With that said...

Don't let the fancy catalog fool you! Many of the posters in the auction have starting bids in the $100 and $200 range (and some even less). There is really something for everyone in the sale, in every price range. And I can honestly say that there has not been a magic poster auction like this in nearly a decade. From Alexander to Houdini to Zanzic, from handbills to broadsides to nine-foot-tall billboards (really!), there's a great assortment going on the block.

If you can't participate in person, you can bid online, via phone, or absentee.

Good luck in advance to everyone who participates, and thanks again for all of the compliments and comments regarding the auction catalogs.

-Gabe Fajuri
Potter & Potter Auctions
http://www.potterauctions.com

[Doug Thornton]

Hi Gabe. Do you have info on the limited, deluxe edition of the catalogs? Thanks.

[Potterauctions]

Doug,

The deluxe edition - available around the end of this year or early next - will be a single hardbound volume, specially bound, numbered and signed, and will be limited to 100 copies. The price has not yet been determined, but will be approximately double the cost of the regular catalogs. About 1/3 of the copies we will produce have already been spoken for, so send in your information if you want to be put on the list.

On another note, a customer contacted us today to point out that nearly half of the posters in the auction - 50% - have starting bids of $200 or less. There's really "something for everyone" in this sale, whether you're a big spender, or just want a piece of the Nielsen collection for your own.

-Gabe

[Potterauctions]

In the event you are just now crawling out from under that rock...

The auction begins tomorrow at 10am (Central Time).

We get a lot of comments along the lines of "I can't afford anything in your auction."

Well, in this case, that ain't so!

Nearly half of the lots in the sale have starting bids of $200 or less (and many significantly more, of course). I'd encourage anyone with even a passing interest to place a bid either now, or live tomorrow. Of course, there will be expensive posters selling at big prices, too - but there are bargains in ever auction we conduct. That will be the case tomorrow, too.

Good luck to everyone who participates!

http://www.potterauctions.com

[Bill Mullins]

It's been a while since I did a summary, but since P&P auctions are available through Bidsquare, it's easier to strip the data out than it used to be.

So . . .

Part 1 of the Nielsen collection had 324 lots, of which 312 sold. The total of the bids (including P&P buyer's premium but not including Bidsquare or Liveauctioneers premium) was $727,680, against estimates of $582,400/$834,950 (sum of low/sum of high estimates). 74 lots went for below the low estimate, 149 went for above the high estimate, and 89 were within the low/high estimate. The most expensive lot was #121, the Houdini Water Torture Cell poster, at $45,600. Other big-ticket lots were:

20 Blackstone, "World’s Master Magician" - $18,000
23 Dr. Walford Bodie - $10,200
120 Houdini, "The Grim Game" - $24,000
140 Harry Kellar, "Portrait" one-sheet – $10,800
142 Harry Kellar, "Levitation" - $15,600
143 Harry Kellar, "Oh!" - $11,400
151 Leon & Company, "Fire and Water" – $10,800
195 Okito portrait - $26,400
255 Howard Thurston, "Mantle of Magic" - $19,200
257 Howard Thurston, "Levitation" - $11,400

Gabe mentioned above that many lots had starting bids of $200 or less. 47 lots ended up going for less than $200.

I'm not a poster guy, but one surprise for me was lot #305 "Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants" which went for $660 against $100/200.

While the auction was going on, a number of us were at a magic get-together in Toronto. There were enough attendees interested and bidding on various lots that there was a monitor with a live internet feed of the auction at the front of the room. Several speakers (self included) didn't have the full attention of the audience.

While Mike Caveney was doing a talk on the obscure magician Marquis, Steve Beam was bidding on (and won) lot #167, a Marquis poster. And later in his talk, we paused for a moment while a voice from the lobby said "yes . . . yes . . . . yes . . . . okay." Then David Ben walked in smiling, having just won lot #197, an Okito Floating Ball poster (David does the floating ball as part of his stage act). He got a round of applause, and then the session continued.

[Richard Kaufman]

Bill, I don't collect posters and I heard every word you said. And interesting words they were.

[Bill Mullins]

well, thanks very much!