RFLECTIONS OF 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS

JC AUCTION SERVICES, INC.

IS NOW COMMEMORATING “20 YEARS” OF SERVICE

"JANUARY 12, 2008"

* Be sure to open up the photo galleries, after you have read the story * 

* There are a few galleries at the top to open and enjoy the picture history *

Have Gavel Will Travel. Twenty years of reflections, with that traveling gavel. 

As this day unfolds and I look back, my spirit has the conviction an auction is much like an artist’s oil painting, each auction is but a brush stroke to a canvas, some of these brush strokes fast, while others painstakingly slow, as each auction is unique only onto itself, no two artist paint brush strokes are alike, as no two auctions are alike either.  Each artist painting tells a story as does each auction.

Remembering, as if it was yesterday, it’s January 12, 1988, I was getting ready to call my very first auction.  This was in Dearborn Michigan, at the P.L.A.V. Hall, with about thirty people in attendance.  Just two weeks prior, to this life altering event, I had graduated from the Missouri Auction School, then untested and nervous, relying solely on my professional training.  I picked up the microphone and the rest is history, I found my true passion.

Shortly there after, I retired from General Motors with thirty-two years of loyal service behind me, I was quite eager for the next facet of my life which lay ahead, living proof it is never too late to try something new.  After all, that is what has built our strong nation, just plain hard and honest work.

We have completed over some two-thousand estate auctions, over some one-thousand consignor auctions, over four-hundred estate tag sales, plus, five-hundred business liquidation auctions, as well as, three-hundred U-Haul delinquent storage room auctions, and together with some four-hundred charity auctions, yes, it has been a busy twenty years.

We sell everything to the highest bidder, with no reserves, no hidden bidders, and no games, just an earnest and straightforward auction company celebrating twenty years of integrity.

As I look up from my desk, my wife of forty-six years enters the room carrying a box of photographs with twenty years of past auctions, yes, thank goodness for Kodak.

There on the top of the stack, was my most famous, but yet unheard of auction; “Mel Farr, The Super Star”, whom had been Ford Motor Company’s golden boy.  If you are from Michigan then you have heard of Mel.  After retiring from The Detroit Lions football team, he opened two Ford dealerships.  Times turned bleak for these two dealerships, they were in debt up around fifty million to Ford Credit, and thus, Ford Credit did foreclose on these dealerships.  I was called upon to liquidate these assets, with stipulations, they could not be advertised, or the general public was not allowed to attend.  The only way one could attend, was by invitation and if you owned a Ford dealership. Hundreds of Ford people came from across the country to get a little piece of Ford history, yes, we even sold Mel’s famous super star cape. 

Also, within this box of photographs I found the auction I did for Plymouth Michigan’s famous piece of history, “The Mayflower Hotel”, which had once sat on Main Street and Ann Arbor Trail in the heart of downtown. Reminiscences continue on.

Next photograph was an auction, a two day auction of coins.  We sold thousands of silver dollars, silver dimes, and silver half dollars.  This two day coin auction netted over two-hundred thousand dollars.

We pondered over photographs of our past and present employees, what memories!

Along with photos of the historical University of Detroit Mercy College auction.

Dr. Hoben estate auction, he was the Plymouth Canton school superintendent.

Almost forgot about that one, it was for the U.S. Postal Services, a surplus auction, which took fourteen hours straight, of auctioneering, to complete.

The photo’s of the benefit and charity auctions, along with the yearly Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce auction. 

Then another photo taken back in 1997 at one of our auctions, showing a toy 1920 Tin Litho, Buddy L, John Deere pickup truck which sold for $5,500, only twelve known to exist, it was in rough shape, if it had been in mint shape it could have fetched around twenty-thousand.

I cannot fail to remember the honor won in 2002 of being named the “Best Of Detroit” by the Detroit Free Press readers as the best auctioneer.

The soon to be pictures of the most important auction yet, the one you hire me to do for you.  With a well trained staff of twenty, a modern hall, located at 525 Farmer, in The Plymouth Community Cultural Center, doing our auctions here three times a month on Saturday night. JC Auction Services and staff are looking forward to the next twenty years. 

I would like to give a special thanks to my wife Carol, my son Joe, Jr., and daughter-in-law Hope, without your commitment, I would not be celebrating this milestone along life’s path.  Additional Thanks to all my staff for their continued hard dedicated work. Plus, to all the wonderful folks who attend our auctions and the amazing families that have placed their trust in us, to serve them with their needs.

It has been truly a wonderful reflection to remember, I am blessed to be able to do so.