MEARS opens up auction house

[kingjammy24]

http://www.mearsonline.com/news/newsDetail.asp?id=565

rudy.

[lund6771]

I wonder what REA will do now?

Lampson?

[trsent]

I wonder what REA will do now?

Lampson?

Why would MEARS drop REA? Why would REA drop MEARS? I assume they work well together.

[mvandor]

Can't be good for GUU, seems two noob auction houses competing for the same more educated and discerning share of the market is likely to make it difficult on both - while the established hacks just keep on truckin'.

[harpt]

while the established hacks just keep on truckin'.

Hopefully the FBI will be having something more to say about that relatively soon.

[lund6771]

Why would MEARS drop REA? Why would REA drop MEARS? I assume they work well together.

because they are competitors now

[trsent]

because they are competitors now

Maybe you should direct your question to Dave Grob or Rob Lifston.

I would guess they will contine to work together. From what I can tell, MEARS Auctions will have a lot more vintage memorabilia than most auction houses.

[kingjammy24]

lund, i've spoken to lifson. he sees no issues or even competition. without putting words into anyones mouth, i believe REA and MEARS will continue their current relationship. MEARS has stated that the auction house entity will be "separate" from their authentication arm.

should be interesting to see how it all pans out, especially given the current economic climate which will only continue to deteriorate throughout 2009. more houses competing for fewer collecting dollars would seem to mean reduced profits all around.

seems the only way to make some coin in this industry anymore is to go the auction house route. even steiner runs its own auctions. i'm not under the impression that anyone's even really a pure auction house anymore, except for REA and maybe GUF. eventually, everyone will be a dealer/auction house/authenticator, like MEARS, GFC, Mastro. authenticating isn't really a cashcow unless you do it "lampson style".

rudy.

[trsent]

lund, i've spoken to lifson. he sees no issues or even competition. without putting words into anyones mouth, i believe REA and MEARS will continue their current relationship. MEARS has stated that the auction house entity will be "separate" from their authentication arm.

should be interesting to see how it all pans out, especially given the current economic climate which will only continue to deteriorate throughout 2009. more houses competing for fewer collecting dollars would seem to mean reduced profits all around.

seems the only way to make some coin in this industry anymore is to go the auction house route. even steiner runs its own auctions. i'm not under the impression that anyone's even really a pure auction house anymore, except for REA and maybe GUF. eventually, everyone will be a dealer/auction house/authenticator, like MEARS, GFC, Mastro. authenticating isn't really a cashcow unless you do it "lampson style".

rudy.

Rudy, are REA and GUU Auctions purley auction houses?

Does the staff of either auction house every buy items to list in their auctions?

Just curious - I would have no issues if either did.

[David]

Literally speaking, you're an auction house if you auction. Nowhere in the definition of auction does it give rules about ownership. If you own all lots in an auction, it's an auction. If you don't, it's an auction.