Anyone get anything at the MJD auction?

[David Weaver]

I know I swore them off after they bungled my bids a few months ago, but I put a few bids in anyway this last auction - can't resist, I guess.

The prices weren't as strong as they usually are (on the stuff I bid on) and I got a glom of disston saws and some ouchi (japanese chisels), and was kind of surprised to get both.

Anyone else get anything this time around?

[Mark Wyatt]

I found the prices somewhat odd. Prices were very strong on Friday and all over the place on Saturday. I picked up a few plow planes, some rulers, a nice marking gauge and a few other small items. For those interested in such things, lot #500 on Saturday sold for 14,100 before adding the 15% commission.

[David Weaver]

https://www.mjdtools.com/auction/gra.../280529_lg.jpg

Linky to a picture of the big dollar item. The ouchi chisels went for half or so of new, even though they were unused. And that's new at stu prices, which are low.

The disston saws that I got went low for MJD. I'm kind of surprised, this is the first time in a while I won anything and didn't pay through the nose.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Which lot did you get? Just curious.

[David Weaver]

676 of the listed auction.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Wow, someone did all the work on most of those already, handles too. Looks like all you need to do is sharpen them. Golden era too. Those thumbholes are comfy. I've been picking up some interesting oddballs lately, but not at MJD. Ought to take some pictures.

[David Weaver]

Yeah, they look OK. We'll see if they're straight when they get here, I don't need any of them and put a fairly low bid in on them, at least fairly low for something listed on the internet.

The last lot of oddball saws that I got really only had one really good saw in the lot and three that were not that great, and it went for 50 bucks more than this lot.

I think what triggered the reflex on those is the sunken medallions.

[Zach Dillinger]

My budget is still recovering from my latest tool and car related indulgences. I should be back in the game early next year Nice pickup for you, those saws look good.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Didn't bid. Waiting for this weekend's Brown Tool Sale & Auction. Tool sale is on Friday, auction is on Saturday, in Harrisburg. Will buy some stuff at the sale and bid on some lots in the auction.

Harrisburg isn't very far Dave, and the auction starts at noon (if I remember correctly) on Saturday.

[David Weaver]

Yeah, it's about 3 hours. Most of the stuff in the browns auctions is too highbrow for me, though, and I think I'm going to cool it for a while. I wonder if some of the reason that I was able to get a decent deal this past MJD auction is due to people saving their money for bids on some of the tools in the browns auctions.

I have never seen so many nice plow planes in one place as is in the browns listing.

[Chris Griggs]

I'm pretty tempted to steal the wifes car this weekend and head out to Harrisburg, just to see all the stuff, not even to buy. Probably won't though, just moved, need to finish upacking...life keeps spoiling my fun

[Tony Zaffuto]

Been going for years and have always been satisfied with whatever I come away with. Not sure if Clarence Blanchard still runs the auctions, but his descriptions always seem to be very conservative. Used to look forward to "Fine Tool Journal" and the tools they would have for sale, outside of their auction - very fairly graded!

As I said, my youngest daughter and I are headed that way. She's 13 and has been going with me for 4 or 5 years. I showed up without her about a year or so ago and I had constant questions about where she was!

[David Weaver]

So there's a bunch of stuff that's more "user type" like the newsletter tool sales than the auction stuff?

Unfortunately, I'm on duty with the kids saturday morning and they're not old enough to go. If I was single, I'd take the tool sale as a challenge to get up around 4 am and get on the road and take an interesting road trip - it could easily be done in a day. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

I keep telling myself that I'm not going to buy anything that I don't need - it's just that the side of my head that's supposed to hear things isn't listening to the side of my head that plans and says things.

[Tony Zaffuto]

User stuff is at the tool sale. Auction is better stuff and there is stiff competition with on site bidders for collector quality.

Tool sale starts at 1:00 PM on Friday and there is always a line to get in. However, in recent years we arrive later, usually 2 to 3 in the afternoon and walk around, say hello to the Galoots we know, look over the auction goods and then stroll through the tool sale. My purchases for user tools is just about nil, with my cash going for those items I like to accumulate. There are some of those in the tool sale, but I've found collector quality pricing in the tool sale to be above mid to high market. Things I have gotten are generally to round out some of my accumulations, such as a 5/8" Preston shoulder plane, most Preston spokeshaves I see (joy to use and still fairly cheap), plum bobs, especially the unique ones, a few saws, always miniature anvils. A lot of these items I go after in the same way SWMBO buys shoes!

[James Conrad]

I was eyeing a few things, but decided otherwise. I plan to go to the Nashua auction in the spring now that I am back in New England.