October 10, 2009 at 7:13 pm | Posted in Antiques, auctions, Economy, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tags: "Antique Art", "Antique Auctions", "Estate Auctions", antique sterling silver, art glass, auction gallery, auction house, auction industry, auctioneer, auctions and the economy, charlie fudge, citrus county antique auctions, citrus county economy, citrus county estate auctions, citrus county unemployment, crystal river antique auctions, crystal river auctioneer, crystal river estate auctions, estate jewelry, estate sales, florida antique auctions, Florida Auctioneers, gold coins, hummel figurines, sterling silver, tiffany lamps
Tiffany Lamp
Crystal River, FL October 9, 2009 – Professional Appraisers & Liquidators Auction Gallery in Crystal River is making adjustments due to our declining economy. Charles Fudge, owner, and auctioneer for nearly 4 decades, knows the antiques and estate auction industry very well. He’s been observing market changes over the last 40 years, and has ridden the waves of the economy as it fluctuates. His business has primarily been known for buying and auctioning the creme de la creme of antiques and art. Items typically found at his antique auctions range from Tiffany Lamps and Sterling Silver, 18th & 19th Century Paintings by listed artists, Gold & Diamond Jewelry, Gold Coins, Art Glass & Crystal by famous makers — to collectible figurines by Lladro, Royal Doulton & Hummel. He knows its time to add estate auctions to his schedule.
In the past, when he purchased the complete contents of an estate, he kept the antiques and old paintings for his high-end antique auctions, and sent everything else off to other auctions. But times are changing. People are more budget concious. So, although there is still a very good market for antiques, art and collectibles, he also knows that in a declining economy there is also increased demand for for gently used, name brand furniture, appliances, housewares, and the like.
He has begun to hold weekly estate auctions to accomodate that market. Fudge will continue to hold his high-end antique auctions, which are attended by locals as well as buyers from all over the U.S. Auction-goers are loyal folks, and word travels quickly. People are already travelling 100 miles to attend his weekly auctions. The audience is mixed — used furnitre dealers, flea market vendors and individuals wanting to furnish a new home, or redecorate their existing residence. Last week a beautiful knotty pine set of bunk beds withcowboy design like-new mattresses sold for just $75.
Fudge knows that with unemployment on the rise, and a questionable economy, diversity is key. Expanding his business by adding estate auctions will increase profit margins while enabling him to offer a wider selection of merchandise to a broader audience. He predicts that in this economy more and more people will head to the nearest estate auction, to affordably replace a broken appliance, or redecorate their home. His auctions will be held every Monday night beginning at 6:30pm, and Williston auctioneer Joel Kulcsar will be there to help.
For those not familiar with an estate auction, Fudge explained, “Imagine everything in your mother’s or grandmother’s house — everything from their Antique Furniture and Sterling Silver to their blender. Now add your aunt’s home and your neighbor’s. Picture the contents of all of them being sold in 3 or 4 hours. That paints a pretty good picture of an estate auction.” The suprises in an estate auction are endless. Automobiles, boats, and even airplanes may be found at an estate auction. There are no limits as to what you might find. On July 27, 2009 at the estate auction of legendary psychic, Jeanne Dixon, her crystal ball sold for $11,950.
In these tough economic times, more and more “newbies” are attending estate auctions, rather than heading to the nearest big box retailer — in an effort to get more bang for their buck. Auction newcomers quickly become hooked when they see quality merchandise sell for pennies on the dollar. Even better, estate auctions usually have a lot solid wood furniture, instead of the composite and flakeboard being sold these days.
Auctions are exciting because prices are driven by demand. Retail value has little to do with the actual prices realized. The final price is determined by how many people bid on an item, and how badly they want it. What are the other differences between High-End Antique Auctions and Estate Auctions? Typically, Estate Auctions are not catalogued. Without a catalog, an Auctioneer can determine the order of items sold, according to audience interest. This speeds up the auction, the less time an auctioneer takes to describe the items, the more quickly the auction goes.
If you’ve never been to an auction, why not give it a try? Professional Appraisers and Liquidators offers free copies of an paper they wrote just for first-time auction go-ers. It is very informative and will prove most helpful in making your first auction experience a pleasant one. If you’d like a copy, send an email to webuyit@tampabay.rr.com.
For additional information, contact Professional Appraisers and Liquidators, LLC at (352-795-2061) or visit their website at www.charliefudge.com. Their newly added Estate Auctions will take place each Monday beginning at 6:30 pm and preview will begin at noon on auction day.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Charles Fudge, Auctioneer 811 SE US Highway 19, Crystal River, FL 34429 Tel: 352-795-2061 //Cell Phone: 727-385-6109 // http://www.charliefudge.com // Email: webuyit@tampabay.rr.com
October 7, 2009 at 5:52 am | Posted in Antiques, auctions, Economy, Senior Transition Moving | 1 Comment
Tags: Auction Business, auction house, auctioneer, auctions, Certified Senior Transition Specialist, citrus county, Citrus County Auction, crystal river, downsizing for assisted living, elderly, emptying out grandmother's house, estate liquidation, Estate Sale Company, estate sales, Florida, Florida Auctioneers, liquidating estates, liquidations, moving specialists, moving to assisted living, National Association of Senior Move Managers, senior movers, senior moving specialists, senior transition consultants, seniors
Senior moving companies are on the rise. During the past few years, they have popped up all over the map. One can pay just under $1500 for a 3-day course to be certified as a Senior Transition Specialist. Is this really new, or have they rebranded an age old concept of helping our elders? These companies are charging for services that Auction Businesses and Estate Sale Companies alike have been providing to their older clients for years, but they were doing it out of the goodness of their heart. They didn’t know that helping seniors make the transition to assisted living or a relative’s home could mean dollar signs. Instead they helped because it was the neighborly thing to do.
Do a google search and the names are endless. Senior Transitions, Caring Transitions, Gentle Transitions, and Mature Movers are just a few. They even have an association: The National Association of Senior Move Managers, a 501-C-3 Not-for-Profit organization.
Why have these companies become necessary? Isn’t there anyone who cares about the elderly enough to help them with their move to assisted living or back home to be near their children without being paid for it? Are family members too busy to help them? Don’t neighbors help each other anymore? What happened to “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Well, there actually are two types of businesses that have been around for ever and a day that have been helping seniors prepare for moving day and most likely they didn’t charge them extra. Those businesses are Estate Sale and Auction Companies. Although they may not have specifically advertised this service, for years Auction Houses and Estate Sale Companies alike have been the liaison between clients and their out of town family members to help this transition go smoothly. These businesses have helped sort items, made necessary arrangements, and taken it upon themselves to see that their clients were ready for moving day. Most have left the home void of debris, “broom clean” and ready for a realtor. Many carried unsold items to a local charity.
The liquidators didn’t charge for the little extras. The auctioneer or estate sale companies made their profit on the liquidation of the items in the home that were not going to be moved, and not for helping the senior with all the other details. These “details” can become overwhelming to a client, but are matter-of-fact for liquidators, who move seniors day in and day out. A huge smile or a warm hug from the senior were compensation enough for their assistance. Years later the companies were still reaping additional rewards in the form of word-of-mouth referrals from family, friends, and neighbors who were impressed at the kindness displayed by the liquidators.
The good news is that estate sale companies and auction houses still offer these services, but evidently they haven’t been doing a good job of advertising the extras they offer. If they were properly advertising the many ways in which they help their clients, there would have been no room for an industry based solely on helping seniors move. The senior transiton companies are NOT moving companies. Instead they help the senior with the details involved in moving. If an estate sale or auction house is worth their salt, then they are providing the same services, without the extra cost.
Most auctioneers in states such as Florida, with a large population of older residents, will tell you that at least 50 percent of their business involves assisting an elderly widow or widower with their “back up north” or to Assisted Living. They call the estate sale company or auction business because they need to downsize or liquidate their estate. In more than half of those cases, the person who makes the first contact is a relative living in another state. When the out of state relative calls to make arrangements to liquidate their loved ones home, an auction house will give them options. They can either sell the items outright, put them on consignment for an upcoming Antique or Estate Auction, or conduct an estate sale with said items – either at the client’s home or in the business’ own facility. Whichever method of liquidation is chosen, at this point, the auction business acts as an extension of the out of town family, and does everything they can to put the senior’s mind at ease regarding the move. Typically, they go above and beyond what they are contracted to do. Most auctioneers will tell you that if they are hired to liquidate, the sorting and packing of items that will be moved, debris removal and cleaning the home once its vacant, is done for FREE.
Citrus County Auctioneer, Charles Fudge, of Crystal River, Florida says, “Our staff has over 100 years of combined experience in liquidating estates, and seniors have made up a good majority of our clientelle. We treat everyone like family. Anyone who calls upon our business will receive help and support from us, and they shouldn’t need a moving specialist. We can have a senior packed, unpacked, and settled in assisted living in about 24 hours. The sooner we can get them settled in their new home, the better. We want them to feel “at home” in their new residence right away, and this happens when the things they love surround them. They need to have their medicine in a place they can easily reach. They want the photo of their deceased spouse on their nightstand, and their grandchildren’s photo hanging on the wall. We make sure they have the necessities in their refrigerator and their clothes hanging in their closet. If they have a pet, they need to know the new location for keeping the pet food. These little things make a big difference in how quickly they adapt to their new surroundings and we make it happen.” He goes on to say, “We treat each move as if the client was our own grandmother, and we keep open lines of communication with the out of town family members. Once the house is emptied, our cleaning crew goes in and gets the house prepared for the realtor or buyer. We’ve done such a great job over the years that at least 20 percent of our business comes from realtors or word of mouth advertising via friends, relatives, or neighbors of people we’ve moved. ”
Employee Amy Stalker says, “He does this all for FREE because he is a very kind man, with a special place in his heart for the elderly” He has moved more people into assisted living (from start to finish) than she can count, and the only money he makes is the commission on items they sell or profit on items he buys for resale.” (His auction business does not charge extra for those needing extra assistance with their liquidation and move.) “He’s even personally coordinated a client’s move to upstate New York after downsizing the former home, then flew up north to help the gentleman settle into his new residence”, adds Amy.
In summary, the services provided by these senior movers is not new, or unique. They’ve just found a new way to brand an old tradition. It is wonderful that they are providing a service for the elderly, but auctioneers and estate liquidators have been doing the same for decades. Auctioneers and estate sale companies have helped their clients out of kindness, and the specialized senior movers saw a nitch in the market and turned it into a business. Before hiring a specialized company to move your loved one back “home” or to assisted living, find out what “extras” your local auction house or estate sale companies provide when you contract with them to liquidate the contents of the home. You may find that the added expense of a senior moving specialist is not necessary.
For additional information, contact Antique Auctions by Professional Appraisers & Liquidators at 811 US Hwy 19, Crystal River, FL. Their website is http://www.charliefudge.com/ or you can reach them by telephone toll free at 800-542-3877. To find an auctioneer near you visit: http://www.auctioneers.org/
October 5, 2009 at 9:37 pm | Posted in Antiques, auctions, Economy | 1 Comment
Tags: "antique auction", "Antique Auctions", "economy" "buying at auction" "solid wood furniture", auctions, citrus county antique appraisals, citrus county antique auctions, citrus county antique market, citrus county antiques, Citrus County Auction, citrus county economy, citrus county estate auctions
Crystal River Auctioneer, Charles Fudge of Professional Appraisers and Liquidators Antique and Estate Auctions has seen prices fluctuate for 40 years. He reports that prices couldn’t be better for buyers and more and more people are attending auctions to get a bargain. Particularly low are prices for name brand furniture — which often sells for less than the auction house’s representative has paid.
Crystal River, FL October 5, 2009 – Charles Fudge is an auction veteran. He began dabbling in the antique market at the age of 10, following in his mother’s footsteps. Right after he turned 21 he attended auction school, got his auction license, and used his savings and severance pay to go into the auction business. 4 decades later, and you’ll still find him working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week buying, selling and auctioning antiques and estate items. His first hand observations regarding the market as it pertains to auctions show that Internet auctions were the first venue to deflate auction prices realized, and the current economy has caused prices to continue to decline.
According to Fudge, “The first time we saw a big drop in auction prices, was at the turn of the 20th and 21st century when buyers started turning to eBay. Because the entire world was invited to participate in Internet auctions, items that were once “rare” in a buyer’s local market, were now found in abundance at the on-line auction.” Internet auctions drastically affected the law of supply and demand for antiques and collectibles. Any antique dealer will tell you that these values have never recovered from the big drop that took place with the inception of on-line auctions.
More recently, auctioneers have seen another significant drop in prices, which they are attributing to an uncertain economy. Many people, particularly retirees have lost most of their savings due to drops in the stock market. Others have lost their jobs or are worried about what the future holds. All of these factors affect their spending habits. Market trends for retail sales are shaky at best, and auction prices are no exception.
Where there is rain, there is a rainbow. The up-side to this downward trend in prices realized at auction is that as prices drop to all time lows, it becomes a Buyer’s Market. Says Fudge, “Solid wood and name brand furniture is going for less than ten percent of retail. I’ve seen $1000 dining room sets sell at local auctions for as little as $60.” He also notes, “Its very hard to find solid wood furniture anymore. Not many manufacturers are making it anymore. Whether you’re shopping at box retailers such as Rooms to Go or high-end stores such as Ethan Allen, all you will find is furniture made of flakeboard, or as they call it, “composite”. However, can still find good quality, solid wood furniture in abundance at any auction, and the good news is that you’ll pay pennies on the dollar for it”. He’s talked to other auctioneers around the country, and they are all experiencing the same phenomenon. Many people used to be afraid to buy at auction, because the process was unfamiliar to them. But, with the economy the way it is, he expects to see more first-timers buying at auction whether to furnish their new home or redecorate their current residence. He doesn’t think it will be very long before this well kept “secret” gets out. Whether you need a new dining room set or you want to add a piece to your collection of pottery, why not try shopping at your local auction?
For additional information, contact Professional Appraisers and Liquidators Antique Auction Gallery at 352-795-2061 or view their website at http://www.charliefudge.com. Charles Fudge, owner is a 40 year veteran of the auction business and specializes in Antiques, Collectibles and Estate Liquidation due to downsizing, moving or probate. To find the auction nearest you, Auction Zip is an excellent service that lists auction dates and times all over the U.S. Their website is http://www.auctionzip.com.
October 2, 2009 at 7:06 am | Posted in Antiques, auctions, Haunted | 2 Comments
No one can explain why the hauntings begin when this painting is moved.
- 7 Bedroom Victorian Mansion to be auctioned in Ocala, FL on 10/3 at Noon.
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7 Bedroom Victorian Mansion to be auctioned in Ocala, FL on 10/3 at Noon.
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No one can explain why the hauntings begin when this painting is moved.
Here is our story about the upcoming antique auction this weekend at an old Victorian Home in Ocala Florida’s Historic district. Both the Haunted (?) Building and in excess of $200,000 in Antiques from the former Upstairs Downstairs Antique Galleria will be auctioned. Read on, and then take a look at the photos. The photo of the gentleman that seems to create paranormal mischief sure does creep me out.
HAUNTED HISTORICAL OCALA MANSION & ITS ANTIQUE CONTENTS TO BE AUCTIONED SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD AT 10AM
Florida Auctioneers Charles Fudge of Professional Appraisers and Liquidators of Crystal River & Kale Albritton of Lakeland Will Liquidate the Contents of Upstairs Downstairs Antique Gallery on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 10am Along With the Late 1890’s Victorian House, Which is Rumored to be Haunted.
Ocala, FL, October 1 2009 – This Saturday, will be an important day for Antique Collectors, Dealers, curiosity seekers, and ghost hunters alike when a Crystal River auction firm liquidates the contents of Upstairs, Downstairs Antique Galleria at 725 E. Silver Springs Blvd in Ocala Florida beginning at 10am. Besides over $200,000 worth of antiques that will cross the auction block, the 1885 Victorian Mansion zoned for commercial use, which is rumored to be haunted, will also be auctioned. This is the second “haunted” historical building in the Fort King district to be auctioned in the last year.
The Historic District of Ocala is an important spot on the map for those interested in all things paranormal. Sci-Fi Channel’s Television Show “TAPS Ghost Hunters” featured The Seven Sisters Inn on an episode last year. Ocala Ghost Walks, a local firm offerning walking and carriage tours of the district, features several historical buildings in the Fort King area including Seven Sisters and the Ritz Historic Inn. The ghost tour owner, Catherine Wendell said, “The hauntings throughout the area seem to be in clusters of 2 or 3 houses near each other, with no rhyme or reason”. The former Upstairs Downstairs Antique shop building is an important stop on their tour.
When Professional Appraisers & Liquidators was hired to liquidate both the contents and Victorian building at 725 E Silver Springs Blvd, they were told that the painting of a gentleman, circa 1840s, that was hanging in the shop was NOT for sale. The owner stipulated that it “went with the house” and would be given to the person who purchases the Victorian seven-bedroom mansion. Why? Because it seems that strange occurances seem to happen whenever that painting is moved.
Auctioneer Charles Fudge stated, “The comment about the painting sparked our interest as to the history of the building”. His firm’s research led them to an Ocala firm that had investigated the mysterious occurances in June, 2009 and posted audio and video of their overnight surveillance of the Victorian home on their website. According to a spokesman for American Paranormal Project Inc, the not for profit volunteer based organization, made up of citizens, each with unique backgrounds who have an interest in the paranormal, “It is truly one of the most haunted places I’ve seen”. Besides their findings of EVPs and ENPs, they heard footsteps upstairs while the entire team was “locked down” on the first floor. He also told them that “something” besides their team turned a light on during their overnight investigation.
Whether you’ve always dreamed of owning a Victorian Home, commercially zoned in a high traffic area, or you’d just like to own a building that has been “verified” as haunted, now is your chance. The building will be auctioned at noon to the highest bidder (with owner approval). If a haunted house is out of your price range, then you still might want to take home some of the fine antiques that will be auctioned from 10am until about 5pm. Who knows? Maybe one of the antiques you purchase will bring a spirit with it. And you’ll have it just in time for Halloween.
For further information regarding the auction of Upstairs Downstairs Antique Gallery’s contents and the historical Victorian mansion, contact Professional Appraisers & Liquidators Antique Auctions at 800-542-3877 or visit their website at http://www.charliefudge.com. The website for Ocala Ghost Walks is http://www.ocalaghostwalks.com and video footage of the ghost hunt conducted by American Paranormal Project Inc can be viewed at http://www.americanparanormalprojectinc.com/id6.html
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