Author Topic: Auction House Catalogues  (Read 7016 times)

Offline Simes

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Auction House Catalogues
« on: November 08, 2019, 04:28:40 AM »
Fellas,

Having just experienced the wonderful atmosphere of the Carter-Jones Bond Poster auction, and seen a number of catalogues in existence, and marvelled at just how much these must have cost to produce, and indeed seeing elsewhere on this board that the Heritage Sig Auction catalogues have just shipped, I was left wondering if in this day and age, these are not an overhead that can be well done without.

The work to design and the costs to produce and then ship must be exorbitant.

For my part, as nice as they might be, I just do all my research online? 

Can I ask why bidders like catalogues? 

Can I ask why auctioneers feel the need to produce?

Online skyjackers

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2019, 06:31:09 AM »
Next you'll be suggesting that Cinemas go all digital!

A lot of people still like physical objects. I only buy digital music if it isn't available on a physical format, and I realise I'm in a minority.

I'm sure it will continue that everything that can be, will be digitised but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Offline AdamCarterJones

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2019, 10:02:58 AM »
Fellas,

Having just experienced the wonderful atmosphere of the Carter-Jones Bond Poster auction, and seen a number of catalogues in existence, and marvelled at just how much these must have cost to produce, and indeed seeing elsewhere on this board that the Heritage Sig Auction catalogues have just shipped, I was left wondering if in this day and age, these are not an overhead that can be well done without.

The work to design and the costs to produce and then ship must be exorbitant.

For my part, as nice as they might be, I just do all my research online? 

Can I ask why bidders like catalogues? 

Can I ask why auctioneers feel the need to produce?

People like a physical book to look through. It's human nature. I do a lot of my research online too, however, when there are important auctions I tend to always get a catalogue as it's history and quite often a huge reference source.

I still receive the Bonhams catalogues for instance for certain auctions.

The Prop Store auction catalogues are fantastic in my opinion is just one of the reasons I went with them.
Best wishes,
Adam

Offline Simes

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2019, 10:09:20 AM »
The Prop Store auction catalogues are fantastic in my opinion is just one of the reasons I went with them.

Indeed, hence really the impetus for this thread.

'Twas a mammoth read.

Offline AdamCarterJones

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2019, 10:15:38 AM »
Indeed, hence really the impetus for this thread.

'Twas a mammoth read.

I love their catalogues. They seem to have it right.

They've kinda taken over where Christie's left in one sense. Their prop catalogues are even better!
Best wishes,
Adam

Offline redman

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2019, 06:16:31 PM »
The work to design and the costs to produce and then ship must be exorbitant.

this could explain exorbitant buying fees ???

Offline okiehawker

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2019, 07:46:09 PM »
I think the catalogs are much easier to peruse in the bathroom, too!  Also, there is something about reflected light from a catalog image that is more soothing to me than projected light from a phone or computer image.  Okie

Offline Simes

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2019, 05:21:32 AM »
Ok, so we, as collectors of paper, like catalogues.  And some like 'em for their bathroom properties...!?

I would have thought by now that auction houses would have eschewed these as a cost saving element without their being one dent in their sales.

To wit, has Bruce ever done one for his main auctions?

Offline crowzilla

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2019, 01:01:40 PM »
To wit, has Bruce ever done one for his main auctions?

Bruce stopped doing doing auction catalogs in 2005.
Not coincidentally, around the same time he stopped getting top-level consignments.
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Online eatbrie

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2019, 08:02:58 PM »
Just read this thread.  I'm about to trash some 40+ catalogues that I've kept all these years.  I agree, they are not needed.

GO GREEN!!!
(says the guy who drives a 1971 Bronco... hahaha!!!  Oh well, nobody's perfect.)

T
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Offline okiehawker

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2019, 08:46:10 PM »
Just read this thread.  I'm about to trash some 40+ catalogues that I've kept all these years.  I agree, they are not needed.

GO GREEN!!!
(says the guy who drives a 1971 Bronco... hahaha!!!  Oh well, nobody's perfect.)

T

For some reason, T, I notice more things I'm interested in with a catalog and I find it much easier to look at the images in a relaxed way.  Electronics give me headaches sometimes and I tend to get worn out mentally scrolling through too many images.  Maybe I just prefer the old way.  I do scroll through Bruce's auctions, especially the major auctions.  I do miss some things in Bruce's auctions sometimes because it's harder for me to scroll through everything every few days. With Heritage, the catalog helped me discover two German posters I wouldn't have known even to try to find.  I wonder how many catalogs are sent out for those houses that still do it?

Okie

Offline cabmangray

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2019, 08:57:37 PM »
I'm with okie on this one. One can easily trace the history of what a particular poster sold for through the years by simply going through a couple of older catalogs and enjoying all the other images at your leisure instead of scrolling through images on your computer. Some older auction venues like Greg Manning have results that are tough to find unless you have the catalog and auction results at your fingertips.

Offline Simes

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2019, 06:05:36 AM »
But the catalogue and auction results still requires input from the owner to add all the figures.

And in terms of those finding electronic perusing an issue, I would submit an auction house could cobble together a 'list' version for downloading to pdf, and unique printing.  That would cover the above two cases, and allow a consideration for go-green.  (I know someone does the pdf thing but I am meaning exclusively, as the only printable catalogue.)

And, it would save the auctioneer a bundle in production and shipping costs.

Offline cabmangray

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2019, 01:42:35 PM »
I like the idea of "going green" but some people like having a physical copy to refer to. Which is why I bought the German Bond museum catalog. Many of the images in it are, to my knowledge, just not available on the net. I like having them all together, in one place, to refer to from time to time without turning on the computer and burning up electricity.

Just about all the auction houses watermark their images in some way, which I find distracting. And even if you downloaded them as a pdf, you could still print them out, which dashes the "go green" concept. You can't hang a pdf on your wall. I know it's not the original poster but if you can't afford the original, a well printed repro will do just as well. And yes, I know many collectors who find that highly distasteful and disapprove of it strongly.

I have no idea what the printing, binding, and shipping costs are for catalogs but they may be a loss leader. Heritage has always charged $50 for their catalogs so the cost for them to produce them is maybe a couple of dollars a piece. What happens to the extra copies after the auction is over I don't know. They may be sold to someone who then sells them for much less on the open market. They may also be disposed of by shredding them, thus returning them to the mill to be ground up and made into new paper. They may be put into storage and kept for a while in case someone wanted to purchase a copy of the catalog at a later date after the auction was over.

Offline MoviePosterBid.com

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2019, 02:48:32 PM »
it's easier to read a catalog, in less time than it takes top peruse the entire selection online. It's also easier on the eyes

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Offline AdamCarterJones

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Re: Auction House Catalogues
« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2019, 05:17:55 PM »
Catalogues don't give off blue light either, which all screens do. Looking at a screen is literally not good for your health.
Best wishes,
Adam