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| R.B. Burnham & Co. Native Auctions |
 Our auction staff at work at a Friends of Hubbell Trading Post auction. Sheri Burnham is clerking at the left, Bruce Burnham is in the center and Hank Blair is on the right. |
Alright now watryagonnagimeforit? If
you've been to one of our Native Auctions, you know that Bruce
always starts the auction with this interesting question.
Auctions allow weavers and other artists to get a more immediate
and higher return for their work and we are pleased to see this area of
our business growing every year. Auctions are also a great way
for collectors to see a varied selection of work by many weavers and to
maximize the power of their collecting dollars through nearly direct
purchasing. The auction venue is a great way to get an education
in Native American art for anyone who is interested. We are happy
to spend time before and after the auction discussing artists, art, and
other aspects of the area where we live and work. | See pictures from our recent auctions |
| July 2007 Smoki Museum |
| November 2007 University of New Mexico Press |
A typical auction will feature about 300 pieces and may include vintage offerings as well as new work. Generally there is a two to three hour preview period before the auction starts and it is wise to come early to have the most time possible to examine the offerings. You'll be able to ask questions about individual items and note any flaws. We will not knowingly misrepresent any items and will be glad to point out anything that we see as a problem with a piece. We'll also be glad to point out what may be unique or interesting in the pieces up for sale, and we frequently have a textile restoration professional on site to help you assess any needs for cleaning or repairs in your current collection or new acquisitions. There is typically a 10% buyers premium which is added to the winning bid and depending on the venue, sales tax may also be added. The buyer's premium is added to spread the costs of the auction to both the buyer and the weaver. In some auctions, the weaver may be charged up to 20% of the sales price. For many of the artists who place their work with us, the extra 10% of the selling price that they receive makes an important difference in their ability to provide for their families. Our goal is put the most money possible into the artists hands and the consigner of the piece receives 90% of the sales price.
An auction can be an all day adventure if you arrive at the preview start and stay until the last item is sold. The artist sets a minimum price for the work and prices typically range from ten to several thousand dollars. Bring a pencil and note pad (or your PDA) to jot down the item numbers that are especially interesting. A tape measure can come in handy as well. Seasoned bidders will tell you that you should arrive at an upper limit of what you intend to bid for a particular item, but if the piece is something you really want, our auctioneers will cheerfully agree that it's only money. Our auctions generally take payment in the form of check, credit card and even cash.
Our auction schedule takes us all over the country, and we will be glad to work with you to hold an auction in your area. Our auction clients include the Friends of Hubbell Trading Post, the Smoki Museum in Prescott, Arizona and the Autry Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, California. Please contact us if you would like to discuss our auction services.
Check out our new auction report feature. We are going to to doing a report page for each of our auctions.
Updated on 08/13/08
Highway 191, Sanders, AZ
928-688-2777
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