The mysteries of auction sales

[delano]

There is quite a big auction sale site here in Europe which caters to 'professionals'.

So there are now two bidders who seem to be desperate in need of a Tristar trumpet. Tristar is made in India, in Mumbai (Bombay) if I remember well. BTW, most musical instruments in India are made in Meerut and those are slightly better.
The Tristars are of the famous Indian quality so I have no idea why somebody would want one. The Chinese TSO's, costing 90 dollars or so, are MUCH better.
But now they bid 320 euro = 390 US dollar for a (I presume) second hand Tristar student trumpet!:

https://www.catawiki.nl/l/48746045-tristar-trompet

But you can buy them new in India for 40 or 50 dollars (probably less if you are Indian) and on the official website for 90 dollars (including shipping):

http://www.tristarmusic.com/index1.htm

Funny world.

[huntman10]

My initiation into auctions was as a very young boy following my father, a farmer, to auctions of farming equipment. He told me back then of an old way of cheating to raise the prices called "Brother-in-lawing" or shill bidding, where an associate of the seller or auctioneer would place bids not intended to purchase the item, but falsely inflate the price. I have even seen the auctioneer pretend a bid had been made in a large crowd.

To be successful, requires the auctioneer and his associates to have a degree of reading the crowd and knowing how high to go, and we did on occasion see those items in question show up at the next scheduled auction. Anyway, I will assume the scrap brass in those lower quality instruments will be rolling onto the next week's listing!

After Dad passed, we had hundreds of tons of useless farm equipment. We had arrangements to sell it off for substantial salvage, but a remote cousin saved us the trouble and has gone missing for the last 10 years!!
_________________
huntman10
Collector/Player of Fine (and not so fine) Brass Instruments including
Various Strads, Yammies, Al Hirt Courtois, Schilkes,
Selmer 25, Getzen Eternas, Kanstuls (920 Pic, CG)
Martin Custom Large Bore, Lots Olds!, Conns, etc.

[delano]

Yes, I know that funny system but this is a binding auction sale, you have to pay and stand for your bid. Something like a bid on ebay.

[huntman10]

If the shill bidder is, as we say in Texas "in cahoots" with the seller, they are only out the selling and listing fees. It may be worth it to inflate prices, is my point. EBay includes a report option for bidders doing just this, and before eBay kept buyers' names hidden, I know that there were certain buyers of lesser merchandise who always got the bid below certain prices. Also, if auctions can be stopped before the end of the timing, that may be in effect, as well.

I have long been aware of the value of competitive bidding to auctioneers to increase the price from otherwise practical and money wise bidders who get a little too eager as the bidding increases. I myself may have been a little too eager on occasion.
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huntman10
Collector/Player of Fine (and not so fine) Brass Instruments including
Various Strads, Yammies, Al Hirt Courtois, Schilkes,
Selmer 25, Getzen Eternas, Kanstuls (920 Pic, CG)
Martin Custom Large Bore, Lots Olds!, Conns, etc.