Rollercoaster Auction At Harmer Gpn 'Erivan' Sale

A combination of low openings and spirited bidding led to an exciting auction at Harmer GPN's final "Erivan" sale #10 4/30/24 Sale 3070. Here are some items that stood out to me.

A Hawaii #4 cover to Persia sold for $240K.


A Wells Fargo, Pony Express cover to Switzerland sold for $750K.
(who knew horses could swim?)


Some nice Waterbury and other fancy cancels. Much time could have been saved if they provided estimates or had starting bids at a more reasonable level, but then what fun would that be? I'm sure that the low opens may have brought in a lot of new bidders thinking/hoping they could get some bargains. While some deals were probably obtained, the best items sold for good prices.

Here is a Waterbury Heart that opened at $300, and last sold 4 years ago for $3500. Today it sold for a mere $1000.



Then there is this NY "All Seeing Eye" that opened at $170 after apparently being sold for $475 a couple years ago. Today's buyer had to spend $9,000+ for this cover.



Here are some other nice fancy cancel covers with opening bids in the low 100's that often sold for 10 times that price.
















Two more pieces of eye candy to close with. A cover with a complete set of 300-313 went for $4000, and a cover with a complete set of Shanghai K1-16 sold for $3500.



No bargains for me, but was fun to watch.

I'm a little surprised by the $4 Pony cover, Lot 100, only realizing $150,000+tip.
In Siegel sale 979 lot 36, in 2009, it realized $550,000+tip.

I wonder if lot 101, the Switzerland Pony cover distracted the target audience from this, at least partly.