Auction in the Snow
Todd Hughes
>Just got back from a pretty good tool auction. It was held about 45 mi. from me I stopped by yesterday and saw some things i wanted so figured even with the bad weather called for i would try to go. Some of the tools belonged to an old friend of mine who died last year, he was a tool collector of the first order and what there was for sure not his good stuff.By chance auction is right up the street from a girlfriend of mine who picked this weekend to go visit her mother and I forgot to get a key so had to drive home. One of the things I wanted was a neat Millers Falls bench drill that clamps on your bench.Get there about 15 min. after it started,[stopped at an estate sale...no tools but some real nice copper pots and a dough scraper] and the drill was sold. Saw it in a big pile of stuff on the wagon. Damn! Did get a very small post drill and another unusual [maybe goodell Pratt] bench drill which i really wanted for $2 ea. seemed like everything was going for $2.My buddy Joe got a big pile of saws for $2, in it was a beautiful old open handle dovetail saw.Think i will trade it off him someday.Another friend pointed out who bought the MF bench drill and told me he paid $2 for the lot, so I go over and asked about it.Was going to offer him $20 but asked him what he wanted and he told me $5. Took my drills out and put in the truck.Lots of junk sold for cheap.Joe decided he wanted to start collecting large heavy dirty jacks and bought about 300 lb. of them for $2...When they got to the "good" stuff prices went up some. I was at this auction back in the summer and did pretty good but noticed the high prices for hammers, same today.Had a good assortment of planes, I wanted a pretty nice 378 but went for $85 I bid $75 and thought that was enough.Picked up some other planes, No. 50 missing parts, a Union 42 no ctters, nice low angle Sargent and a beautiful no. 3 with a decal on the handle[paid $20] also a nice wooden Gage plane for $25. Some hand crank drills for $2 ea. and missed out on a hand crank brace combo,[I went to $30] One thing I wanted was a very cool small double bit Collins hatchet. I had sold this hatchet to my friend about 10 years ago for $30. Always thought I sold it cheap and guess I did because I had to pay $65 for it today. Had a very nice older Atkins small back saw which was sold with a cheap folding wood miterbox. Got the set for $7 and gave the box to a fellow who I talked to and was a friend of my friend whose stuff it was.He couldn't believe i just gave it to him. Didn't tell him but I was just going to leave it behind as i didn't want it.Still bought me a hotdog. About this time they decided since there was 3 in. of snow on the ground and still coming down to postpone the rest of the auction. Really wasn't to much that I wanted, few nice anvils but i saw some anvil guys and don't think I would have gotten them even if i did want them. Even with 4wheel drive the drive home took about 2 hrs and was just awfull and boy was I glad to pull in my lane. Got some good stuff seen some friends and had a good time. Of course when I get home I always think about the stuff I Should have bought, nice 5 1/4 I dropped out at $18 on that kind of stuff. Was funny thought the prices was up some from what they were in the summer and don't think the snow kept the prices down. Like I told my friend if a guy came out in this weather he came to bid .......Todd