Sescal Schuyler Rumsey Auction

I sat through all 3 days of the Schuyler Rumsey auction online; it makes for easy monitoring while working on other things. Unlike the seeming disappointment with the Gross sale results, the activity at the Rumsey sale seemed quite spirited.

Results of single-lotted items compared to estimates varied depending on area, but there were very few passed lots overall. On the other hand, the results on both U.S. and non-U.S. balance lots and collections were very strong, with many lots going well past estimates.

Of the lots I had considered bidding on ahead of time, I was shut out on all but one, and I had to go well above estimate to get it. I subsequently decided to bid blindly on a few lots, won one of them, so we'll see whether or not the gamble was worth it.

Spot on assessment Rev. I picked up a single and a balance lot and the bidding all around was healthy. Great to see even though I prefer to be the only bidder.

I thought of you when a box of revenue stamped paper came up.

I was there on Saturday. Did not attend the auction. They need to turn up the heat next year-cold inside-

That was one of the lots I was bidding on, but got outbid early on. I had requested some cellphone pics of the lot a few weeks ago from Rumsey, but never got them so I was bidding blind. Decided not to push it.

I have to agree with Revcollector, the prices were VERY strong.

While I was not there in person, I was bidding on-line from home.

I won a few lots, but on one in particular I had a fight on my hands to win it. I'll post some pics when they arrive in a week or so.

I bid $2500 on a Vermont lot of covers with an estimate of $1000-$1500. It went for almost $5000!

Most of the collections lots didn't have many illustration, but this Vermont lot had a pdf with 92 pages of covers.

I only won a single lot in the auction out of about 20 (I was bidding blind). I was close on a few others but got blown out on several. Bidding on collection/group lots always seems pretty spirited at Rumsey.

If anyone needs my services next year, please email me. I can get to the viewing on Friday evening and can send you some iPhone pictures of the smaller lots, so you won't be bidding completely blind. They are all well out of my range, but fun looking anyway.

Good to hear prices continue strong in the collections and larger lots at the West Coast Stamp Show . I was looking earlier at the prices realized on line .

There are four maybe five firms that carry a large inventory of lots for a public auction .These auctions have to be a magnet for ebay sellers and collectors. That can be why prices are stronger and the bidding heats up .

The lots I was bidding on were individual stamp lots. I spent way more than I anticipated, but with the lots I won, I'm not complaining.

If the person (dealer?) who bid on the Vermont Postal History material wants to contact me about various items in the lot, please do. Since the whole lot was scanned, I know exactly which items I would have used in my collection. Some of them were not the very rare items, but rather "common" mid- 20th Century items that no dealer ever stocks.

Glen:
If you drop a note to Schuyler explaining you're interested in some of the covers in the lot, he will probably forward it to the buyer. Whether the buyer chooses to respond is something else.

(I asked an auctioneer to forward a note for me to a lot winner. Although they were not interested at the time, they did get in touch with me about a year later. Nothing lost by asking).