WTF is it with auctioneers chat?
Discussion
It's made up gibberish by youngsters attempting to copy the proper, high speed language of the original and traditional auctioneers of fast moving and somewhat wild cattle markets of old.
A prime example is that baldy chap who flogs the contents of storage units to tramps and mental ill people. He is a perfectly normal chap who suddenly starts spewing babbling drivel.
If you ever get the opportunity to see a real auction then it's quite amazing to appreciate that every noise they utter is legible to the audience but these TV guys are just making arses of themselves.
A prime example is that baldy chap who flogs the contents of storage units to tramps and mental ill people. He is a perfectly normal chap who suddenly starts spewing babbling drivel.
If you ever get the opportunity to see a real auction then it's quite amazing to appreciate that every noise they utter is legible to the audience but these TV guys are just making arses of themselves.
Watching Wayne Carini's excellent "Chasing Classic Cars" I have been struck by the wide variation in the style of motor auctions.
Bonhams, Christies, Sothebys and RM Auctions seem to be quite low-pressure affairs. The auctioneers speak a language which is recognisable as English and yet they manage to sell good cars for good prices.
Mecum auctions on the other hand have a hyperactive babbling lunatic on the stage and a lot of whooping and hollering assistants pressurising the bidders to make a bid. It's not an atmosphere I would ever want to experience.
Bonhams, Christies, Sothebys and RM Auctions seem to be quite low-pressure affairs. The auctioneers speak a language which is recognisable as English and yet they manage to sell good cars for good prices.
Mecum auctions on the other hand have a hyperactive babbling lunatic on the stage and a lot of whooping and hollering assistants pressurising the bidders to make a bid. It's not an atmosphere I would ever want to experience.
rohrl said:
Watching Wayne Carini's excellent "Chasing Classic Cars" I have been struck by the wide variation in the style of motor auctions.
Bonhams, Christies, Sothebys and RM Auctions seem to be quite low-pressure affairs. The auctioneers speak a language which is recognisable as English and yet they manage to sell good cars for good prices.
Mecum auctions on the other hand have a hyperactive babbling lunatic on the stage and a lot of whooping and hollering assistants pressurising the bidders to make a bid. It's not an atmosphere I would ever want to experience.
I notice that too. American auctions are like cattle markets, but they're more show biz and look like they're more fun.Bonhams, Christies, Sothebys and RM Auctions seem to be quite low-pressure affairs. The auctioneers speak a language which is recognisable as English and yet they manage to sell good cars for good prices.
Mecum auctions on the other hand have a hyperactive babbling lunatic on the stage and a lot of whooping and hollering assistants pressurising the bidders to make a bid. It's not an atmosphere I would ever want to experience.
It's all designed to cause as much hyper as possible and keep the pace high so bidders won't have much of a chance to consider bids.
The Auctions on Fn'L are just like that - there a auctioneer shouting his head off, lights flashing and swirling and it cuts to a wise (ish) old soul who might raise his hand for another $5000, which requires the Auction appointed 'bid confirmer' or whatever they're called to shout and gestate wildly.
As an aside Richard Rawlings would be far better off if he avoided them completely, he's crap at them both as a buyer and a seller - he seems to think he can buy a car for $1 more than the next guy will pay, shout "woooo Gas Monkey" and hey presto it'll sell for twice as much next week.
The Auctions on Fn'L are just like that - there a auctioneer shouting his head off, lights flashing and swirling and it cuts to a wise (ish) old soul who might raise his hand for another $5000, which requires the Auction appointed 'bid confirmer' or whatever they're called to shout and gestate wildly.
As an aside Richard Rawlings would be far better off if he avoided them completely, he's crap at them both as a buyer and a seller - he seems to think he can buy a car for $1 more than the next guy will pay, shout "woooo Gas Monkey" and hey presto it'll sell for twice as much next week.
P-Jay said:
The Auctions on Fn'L are just like that - there a auctioneer shouting his head off, lights flashing and swirling and it cuts to a wise (ish) old soul who might raise his hand for another $5000, which requires the Auction appointed 'bid confirmer' or whatever they're called to shout and gestate wildly
Well they certainly do put a lot of effort into it, it seems. They do appear to be carrying a good amount of avoir du pois around the gut area which does explain it, in hindsight....But yeah, i would love to know what gibberish the auctioneers on the Mecum auctions are spouting as it sounds so over the top!
The difference is that usually Mecum hold their auctions in vast halls that feel like cattle markets and for most of the low cost cars they sell this atmosphere works. I was due to be in Harrisburg Pa this weekend for one of their events but it isn't happening. The whole thing is loud, brash, very American and catering to a specific buyer. RM, Bonhams etc are more sophisticated and elegant events, with smaller catalogues but higher hammer prices. The buyers are often sophisticated car investors who like a more hushed environment and time to think or consider a 20 or 50,000 next bid. Ultimately it is horses for courses and what Dana Mecum and his people want is not what the others want. Both make money, but the English and many sophisticated Americans like a serene environment not a wild west show.
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