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“A LIVELY PAPER FOR LIVELY PEOPLE – THE AUCTIONEERS’ PAPER”. the NATIONAL AUCTIONEER MAGAZINE was published in Chicago, Ill under the direction of M. Cumings. Mr. Cumings started publishing the magazine after he ceased his auction business in 1899. He was an energetic man “Devoted to the interests of the Auction Trade, Auctioneers, Agents Manufacturers and Wholesale and Retail Dealers in all kinds of Merchandise”. The periodical contained advertising directed to the auction profession. Individual auctioneers advertised their services. There were ads for merchandise to buy, publications for sale, auction cuts and auction opportunities. Every issue had “lively” letters from individual auctioneers from across the USA and Canada who candidly voiced their opinions on current issues facing the auction trade.
By April of 1901 there were 2 city and 7 state associations devoted to auctioneers and the auction method of marketing. Can you guess which cities and states were organized at that time?
The New Orleans Board of Auctioneers was chartered in 1886. It is reputed to be the oldest auctioneer’s association in the United States. The cost of membership in 1901 was a whopping $900! In addition, there was a “sinking fund tax on sales of one-tenth of one percent”. The United Auctioneers of Greater New York was listed next without a starting date given. However, current senior members of the Auctioneers Association Inc. of NYC agree that the United Auctioneers started in 1901. Membership fee was $10 with annual dues set at $12.
The following states were listed in the National publication in the order that they were organized. Illinois Auctioneers’ Association (June 1st 1899), New York State (September 12, 1899), Colorado & Kansas both commenced on the same date (September 28, 1899), Oklahoma (December 20, 1899), Iowa (March 6, 1900) and Michigan (July 19, 1900). That was the extent of state associations until Ohio formed (May 1, 1901) with a membership fee of $2 and annual dues of $1. Missouri formed on August 28, 1901 with a $1 membership and $1 annual dues, followed by Minnesota on September 10, 1901. The total state associations formed by the end of 1901 consisted of ten.
Most of the state associations adopted the National Auctioneer Publication to be their official publication.
In 1901 the proud auctioneers called themselves “Knights of the Hammer”. Many auctioneers were called Colonels. However, most of the letters sent into the the NATIONAL AUCTIONEER reflect the words “brothers”, hustlers and “brother Knights of the Hammer”.
The April issue boasts a letter from F. M. Smith of Auburn, NY Pres. of the NYSAA titled “National Talk”. Evidently in 1901 there was a push to start a National Auctioneers Association. Mr. Smith’s letter is in favor and in part states “If my life is spared I will guarantee a representation from the Empire state and will meet with the western hustlers in Chicago, but would suggest if the majority agreed to have the meeting at Buffalo and take in the great Pan American Exposition, which would be a great treat for western men. In case this should strike favorably I would further suggest that the date should be at a time of our New York State Agricultural society to be held in Syracuse. The New York State would arrange for cut rates of railroad fare and will provide for the comfort and happiness of those coming from the west.” Despite these efforts and others, the “national” association would not be formed until 1904 in St. Louis. Ironically, it was another World’s Fair that attracted the auctioneers who then formed the International Auctioneer’s Association.
Several books were available to educate auctioneers. One of them was “Twenty Years of Hus’ling” by J.P. Johnston an auctioneer and also the author of “The Auctioneer’s Guide”. Another book was “Fakes, Grafts and Swindles Exposed” by Col. J. Alfred McCurry the noted auctioneer. “The Auctioneer’s Manual” which showed how to become an auctioneer, start an auction business, conduct an auction sale and sell all kinds of property with a history of the auction business from the days of Noah was written by an auctioneer and was available for .75
1901 witnessed the death of “Capt. Jack Stewart the well-known live stock auctioneer of Mt. Sterling, KY., died last week from softening of the brain. For a quarter of a century he has been in the front rank as a live stock salesman his services being in demand in all parts of the country. He was associated with Woodard & Shanklin, Lexington, KY., in conducting the mammoth sale of trotting stock. Capt. Stewart served in the Confederate army during the civil war, but gracefully accepted defeat after the surrender of Lee at Appomattox” – Chicago Sun.”
In the June 1901 issue of the National Auctioneer is a list of items as “Advice to Young Auctioneers”. The list could be secured with a refrigerator magnet and guide us today; “carefully examine every detail of your business. Be prompt in everything. Take time to consider, but decide positively. Dare to go forward. Bear troubles patiently. Maintain your integrity as a sacred thing. Never tell business lies. Pay your debts promptly. Never appear more than you are. Shun strong liquors. Employ your time well. Do not reckon on chance. Be polite to everybody. Never be discouraged and then work hard.”
The red auction flag and the brass bell were the auctioneers trade sign much like the barber pole was for the barber. The red flag was hung out to denote “auction today”. Many of them had the auctioneer’s name on them. Often, the flag was hung above where the auctioneer would stand so that the crowd knew where to assemble. These flags were available from suppliers for $1.00 and consisted of a printed red material approximately 24”x30” attached to a wooden stick. Of course, the bell was rung to attract the crowd and signal the start of the auction.
As this is the July issue of the AUCTIONEER I thought you might be interested in an assortment of auction listings of what was being sold in July of 1901. “J.C. Herold, Little Rock Arkansas sold a lot of storage goods on July 1st, contents of a livery stable July 5th. Will E. Fisher, Honolulu, sold elegant furniture on July 1st. Rhodes & Reeds, Los Angeles, CA sold horses and cows July 2nd, furniture July 3rd. Jones & Gividen, Louisville, KY had real estate sales July 2nd. C.A. McDonald, Greenview, ILL sold 40 Percheron and road bred horses and mares on July 6th. Col. Tude Hamilton, Crawfordville, IN. sold horses at Indianapolis on July 9th.Clark Tolland, McPherson, KS had a farm sale July 11th. Thomas Healy of Hartford, CT. sold real estate July 13th. Joe Martin, Seattle, WA sold carpets on July 13th. H.C. Childs, Clinton, MA sold a large business block July 18th for $20,300. Geo. W. Patterson, Ft Dodge, Iowa sold dwelling houses July 19th. E.C. Nowels, Lamar, CO. sold ranch property July 20th. Harry Simmons, Albany, NY, sold a large shirt waist manufacturing plant July 29th”. To illustrate how busy auctioneers were I present for the month of July “Hanan Real Estate Exchange, Detroit, MI. had real estate sales about every day all the time. They had balloon ascensions, trapeze performances and fireworks”. Finally a Des Moines, Iowa newspaper mentioned auctioneer H.B. Allison sold 1,300 unclaimed packages for American Express. He sold two and two fifths packages per minute for nine hours straight without the use of voice amplification. How’s that for an auctioneer 72 years old?
We complain today about non-auctioneers conducting auctions. Col. Fred M. Smith of Auburn, NY (Pres. NYSAA) gave the following account in July 1901 “This week on the court house a foreclosure sale occurred of residence property in this city, located in one of the best streets. One of the savings banks held a mortgage to about $4,100 with accumulated interest and expenses. There were two younger mortgages on the same property, one owned by a lone widow in need of the money. The sale was advertised in the usual way and the referee or sheriff made the sale. The only competition was a trustee of the savings bank and a friend looking to snap bargains. The property was struck off for a trifle less than the bank’s claim. Had the property been thoroughly advertised and the sale made by a competent auctioneer the price obtained would have covered the widow’s claim. There is a crying demand for a law in every state in the union providing that these sales should be made by an experienced Auctioneer who could get something for the property. It is simply an outrage to allow petty officers of the law who could not sell gold dollars for fifty cents apiece to make them. Poor people are defrauded by such action in thousands of instances.”
Auctioneers griped about unfair and stiff competition in their letters to the editor of the NATIONAL AUCTIONEER magazine in 1901. They referred to unqualified and cutthroat competitors as ”Cheap Johns”. Many auctioneers expressed opinions in favor of state licensing in hopes of eliminating the unqualified Cheap Johns. A flavor of this subject can be gained from excerpts of a letter to the editor from auctioneer B.F. Heffner of Clyde, Ohio dated Feb 4, 1901. “The Cheap John, or would-be auctioneer, who run all over the country after sales and offer to do the work from $3 to $5 a day no matter how large the sale is; I have at least10 of those fellows to contend with, but feel safe in saying they do not average 5 sales a year each, while I cried 72 sales last year and my charges are $10 and expenses for the 1st one thousand dollars worth sold and one percent for all over that. This of course looks like a very small fee to our western auctioneers who are accustomed to getting from 1 ½ to 2 per cent for their services, but it is the largest fee charged by any Auctioneer within 40 miles of me. I look for a good year’s business; have 9 sales booked ahead, horses and other stock are selling high”.
Auctions were marketed simply and effectively 100 years ago. Typically, 200 or less broadsides were printed and posted throughout the community and neighboring towns. Print advertising in the newspaper was just starting to be utilized. There is no evidence that direct mail played a part in the marketing of an auction in 1901. I’ve touched on the use of the flag and the bell already. Auctioneers utilized these simple marketing plans all across America. In addition, some auctioneers offered prizes, give-a-ways and entertainment to attract bidders to the auction. Farm auction broadsides usually gave a start time of 10AM and offered a “Free Lunch”.
As of December 15th 1901 the list of known American Auctioneers was recorded at 6,924. The breakdown was as follows: AL –5, AZ – 4, AK – 14, CA –127, C0 – 54, CT – 149, DE – 6, DC – 22, FL – 12, GA –37, Hawaii Islands – 3, ID – 4, IL – 708, Indian Territory – 2, IN – 255, IA - 806, KS – 267, KY 118, LA – 59, MA – 847, MI – 316, MN – 204, MS – 3, MO – 226, MT – 8, NE – 192, NH – 175, NJ – 165, NM – 6, NY - 480, NC – 7, ND - 24, OH – 299, OK – 55, OR – 10, PA – 313, RI – 198, SC – 20, SD – 94, TN – 31, TX – 27, UT – 9, VT 118, VA – 173, WA – 34, WI – 213. There were also 436 auctioneers counted in Canada. Yes, there really were 847 auctioneers in Massachusetts and only 7 in North Carolina in 1901!
As the year came to an end an editorial by Mr. Cumings in his publication the NATIONAL AUCTIONEER addressed the subject of “What Do We Want an Auctioneers’ National Convention For?”. Mr. Cumings and state leaders debated the subject in every issue of the magazine during the whole year of 1901. The following are the 15 reasons provided by the editor for forming a National Association. 1. To unite the auctioneers all over the United States in one grand body. 2. To give them a chance to get acquainted with one another. 3. To give them an opportunity to meet and discuss the problem of how to better their condition. 4. To jointly devise ways and means to elevate the profession. 5. To set on foot legislation that will give them legal benefits such as the exclusive right to sell property at auction. 6. To prohibit legal sales being made under the hammer by any one not a legally qualified Auctioneer. 7. To give the Auctioneer some legal status and protection. 8. To define what a legally qualified auctioneer is. 9. To give him certified authority from the state government. 10. To do away with all licenses, and if not, to make them uniform and moderate. 11. To wipe out all laws and ordinances requiring an Auctioneer to give bonds. 12. To place the profession in a position that will make a member proud to belong to it. 13. To throw around it such influences as will make it as honorable as any other profession. 14. To make an Auctioneer responsible for intelligent and faithful performance of his duty. 15. To create good feeling, brotherly love, respect of others, financial security, respectful methods, fraternity, unity of action, general excellence, power to protect themselves, financial advancement, elevation of the standard, decency, morality and a thousand other things.” His final paragraph says it all “The Auctioneers of the world handle half the property of the world. Their responsibility is greater than that of any other class. Why shouldn’t they be at the very top? They never can get there except through organization.”
In general for the year 1901 the auction profession was thriving. The auction method of marketing was popular and real estate auctions were on the rise. Within the industry there was a push for professionalism and education. Competition was keen and the issue of licensing was strongly debated. Wow, this sounds like 2001!
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