Note to Bruce: PLEASE start having previews of you mini/major auctions!

[Harry Caul]

You are only in part I of your mini/major auction, and I'm already at the edge of my seat to see what will be in parts II-IV.  That In a Lonely Place French 1-panel and Italian Grand Illusion are incredible!

However, I REALLY wish you would start offering previews of items in your mini/major auctions.  I recently bought the same Bogart 1-panel at a different auction, but I would have had serious second thoughts about bidding there if I knew you would be listing one.  Additionally, many of the posters in your mini/major auctions tend to go for serious cash... cash that can be difficult to arrange with only a weeks notice.  I know you regularly criticize HA for their high BPs and house bids, but one thing they do right is to build excitement around their Sig auctions.  I've bought several posters in their sig auctions that I probably normally wouldn't feel as comfortable bidding on.  They often list their sig items online for 2+ months--basically as they roll in and are photographed.  Then internet bidding is open for several weeks before the live auction.  This has given me plenty of time to really obsess about certain posters!  I also have plenty of time to start the process of setting aside funds or other posters to sell (or tell myself I'll sell ) to pay for them. 

BELIEVE ME, YOU WANT YOUR BIDDERS TO DO THIS!

I'm glad you started posting a schedule of your upcoming auctions (I think that was at my request as well).  However, the contents of your auctions still tend to catch me off guard.  I realize it isn't feasible to have previews of all your auctions, but this is something you should definitely do for your mini/majors.  It will come as no surprise to most people here to find out that I'm willing to pony up some big bucks if there is a poster I really want... but make no mistake, I'm not an impulse buyer.  With your mini/majors I usually feel caught off guard and under the gun for time.  In those situations I tend to back off as opposed to going all in.

I realize 2-3 week preview periods won't be of use to everyone.  I'm sure some of your buyers have deep enough pockets and can throw around big cash on a week's notice.  However, I don't see a downside to adding them.  It will give you more time to attract both more big buck buyers and small time buyers who need some time to budget for big purchases. 

I know you've started posting a single image 'teaser' of some of your items, but it isn't quite good enough.  Your teaser for this mini/major was a bunch of Argentinian posters.  And while they are all quite cool (especially the Kane), Argentinians don't really float my boat so I was all prepared to sit this one out.  I really think a full item-by-item preview would be great for buyers and great for your sales.  Please consider adding them... by your next mini/major if possible! 

Thanks for listening to me ramble... if others agree, please let Bruce know!

[Disheveledamethyst]

Slightly related, I can't access anything on emovie right now. Is anybody else having this problem?

[joneyyy]

i can se the website, but nothing in the auctions?

[Disheveledamethyst]

i can se the website, but nothing in the auctions?

Same. I can't access any items or auctions and all searches turn up no results. I'm sure it will be fixed soon, but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't alone.

[Bruce]

1) The galleries were down for five minutes or so due to a coding error. If you ever see that again, PLEASE shoot us an e-mail, so we can fix it. I can't monitor this board 24/7! It's fixed!

2) Harry, your first mistake was thinking of "sitting this one out"! After 21 years of cool stuff, haven't you learned that this is never a wise thing to do?

I will write more later, when I have some more time (I have a day job, you know). I just finished the 249 items in Part II, and I foresee more teeth-gnashing and wailing when that starts tomorrow night!

Bruce

[Dr Hackenbush]

I, too, would greatly appreciate a preview of all items in the Mini/Major auctions for the reasons listed by HC.  There are posters I'm thinking of bidding on in the first installment, but am hesitant as something I really like may pop up later.  

[Zorba]

I, too, would greatly appreciate a preview of all items in the Mini/Major auctions for the reasons listed by HC.  There are posters I'm thinking of bidding on in the first installment, but am hesitant as something I really like may pop up later.  

Hear hear!   

[CSM]

I don't care too much either way because I know assclown Misterbis2008 will bid irrationally on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I might want 

[Bruce]

The vast majority of the best items go on in the first three parts, so you will know all those items two days before any of the items close.

Part IV, which starts next Tuesday, has many interesting items, but not many expensive ones. I will try to get a preview list or gallery for you guys up by the day before.

How come none of you ever complain about anything Heritage does? Is it because you know they will ignore you?

Bruce

[Harry Caul]

Thanks for the response Bruce!  Please don't take my suggestions as complaints... I'm really trying to offer constructive feedback to help your site grow.  I really do think it will get you more bidders and higher selling prices in the long term by having previews on the big-ticket items. 

I think I focus so much on suggestions for eMovie as it is my preferred auction house and, yes, I do think you'll listen to them! 

[eatbrie]

Matt, remember that neither Holiday nor I will bid on these linenbacked auctions (and I do collect French posters), so you have 2 bidders less to worry about

[Bruce]

Thanks Harry. You see I DID "have your back" on that Bogart poster. Had you known I would have it, you might well have passed on the other one, and then now you'd be sick after being outbid on the first day!

 

Bruce

P.S. to Thierry (and Holiday): I am pretty certain I have several items to interest both of you in the other three parts, so you will glad you had Tuesday night off. Wasn't it nice of me to group all the linens together so you could not think about our auctions for a night?

[eatbrie]

You're the best!

 

[Dr Hackenbush]

How come none of you ever complain about anything Heritage does? Is it because you know they will ignore you?

Who's complaining?  It's constructive criticism so we can spend more money with you.  No need to take as anything other than that.  As for HA, the few times I've contacted them about something they've always gotten back to me, albeit not as quickly as eMovieposter

[Harry Caul]

Thanks Harry. You see I DID "have your back" on that Bogart poster. Had you known I would have it, you might well have passed on the other one, and then now you'd be sick after being outbid on the first day!

 

Bruce

Who says I would have been out bid already?   

[Zorba]

Who's complaining?  It's constructive criticism so we can spend more money with you.  

Hear hear   

 

I don't care too much either way because I know assclown Misterbis2008 will bid irrationally on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I might want 

 

I am not sure but I think that name or one like it won about 200 auctions one day in december?. That man takes what he wants.

[CSM]

I am not sure but I think that name or one like it won about 200 auctions one day in december?. That man takes what he wants.

Yes that man or woman (I prefer Mr. or Mrs. Assclown but whatever) has won most of the daybills listed in the last two daybill auctions. 

And I don't even think it's a matter of "want" - it's clearly well into the obsessive depravity realm!

[50s]

I don't care too much either way because I know assclown Misterbis2008 will bid irrationally on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I might want 

Chris, if it is any consolation, I am sure assclown couldn't care less for any of those lovely posters you missed out on... he is just in it for the great bonus's Bruce offers for large quantity purchases

[Dr Hackenbush]

Yes that man or woman (I prefer Mr. or Mrs. Assclown but whatever) has won most of the daybills listed in the last two daybill auctions. 

And I don't even think it's a matter of "want" - it's clearly well into the obsessive depravity realm!

He better stay away from that ONE EYED JACKS daybill.  The film noir stuff he can have   

[110x75]

Your teaser for this mini/major was a bunch of Argentinian posters.  And while they are all quite cool (especially the Kane), Argentinians don't really float my boat so I was all prepared to sit this one out. 

Sit and stay away from your keyboard, Mr. Caul, leave those to me 

[Harry Caul]

They are all yours Matias... however, if there happens to be a Barbarella in there I may have to make an exception!

[wonka]

I am in the camp with Harry on this one.

It would be really nice to see what is coming, to plan what to go after in varying degrees.  I don't spend that much on posters, because funds are rightfully going towards my 2 year old daughter (and another kid on the way), as well as our basement renovating project.

Having said that, I love being able to scout out Heritage vs. my eBay watch list to see what to spend my efforts and money towards.  Would really like to add eMovie to this planning as some times I just have to unfortunately pass on stuff I normally would have bid on, as I shot my wad on posters I might have skipped on otherwise in favor of wares offered by Bruce and Co.

[110x75]

Barbarella? Nah, you can keep that crap...

[CSM]

Chris, if it is any consolation, I am sure assclown couldn't care less for any of those lovely posters you missed out on... he is just in it for the great bonus's Bruce offers for large quantity purchases

You might be on to something Steve but I somehow doubt the bonus will offset the exorbitant cost of buying 100 posters at ANY price in one auction and then another 50 in the next.

My real consolation I suppose is that the auctions have artificially inflated the "value" of certain titles and so hopefully more collectors will consign to Bruce so that more of the 1940s daybills get on the market!

[Bruce]

Guys, talk to old-time Australian collectors about the rarity difference between 1960s and newer daybills and 1940s and earlier.

Once you have looked at that (and the difference is huge), it makes a lot more sense that the older ones often sell for a high premium. They truly are "almost never offered for sale".

Bruce