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Author
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Topic: Superior vs. Aurora
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dsenechal
Member Posts: 539
From:
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 02-10-2004 07:24 PM
   
Is Superior going to make a come-back and resume it's former role as the premier space auction? Or has their absence over the past couple of years relegated them to "also-ran" status, with Aurora staying in the lead? Any thoughts? |
GerryM
Member Posts: 244
From: Glenside PA
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 02-10-2004 08:49 PM
quote:
Originally posted by dsenechal:
Is Superior going to make a come-back and resume it's former role as the premier space auction? Or has their absence over the past couple of years relegated them to "also-ran" status, with Aurora staying in the lead? Any thoughts?
Superior is trying to get back into the space business and will be back if they can if they can get good consigments. I think this is true of any auction house. Your only as good as your lots. I wish them well as I always enjoyed doing business with them. Alan Lipkin worked years ago with Superior (in the space dept), so he is old hat to this business and I am sure will do a fine job.
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spaceflori
Member Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000
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posted 02-11-2004 03:56 AM
Will be interesting to see how those two auction houses develop !I hope that the competition for both will be helpful to the collectors at the end...at least competition never hurts.  Florian |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 02-11-2004 09:28 AM
I agree with Florian. Competition will only be beneficial. |
VCampbell
Member Posts: 83
From: Bell Canyon CA USA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 02-11-2004 01:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by spaceflori:
Will be interesting to see how those two auction houses develop !I hope that the competition for both will be helpful to the collectors at the end...at least competition never hurts. Florian
Florian and fellow list members:
We at Aurora concur that the most important aspect is to bring to the collectors quality items for their collections, including items that they might not otherwise have access to. Alan Lipkin is a class act and we wish him the best.Victoria Campbell
CEO, Aurora Galleries |
spaceflori
Member Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000
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posted 02-11-2004 03:46 PM
Well, I wish you both - Superior and Aurora the best !
However I fear that the hobby just becomes more expensive now with more auctions... Florian |
dsenechal
Member Posts: 539
From:
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 02-11-2004 04:08 PM
Florian,I'm not so sure about two major auctions driving prices up. I remember back before the Superior auctions started. Collectors were at the absolute mercy of individuals who sold space-related items. Prices were frequently "stratospheric", because there was a very limited supply of items and zero competition. When Superior started their auctions, a large number of items suddenly surfaced, and some prices dipped dramatically. I hope that two major auction houses will increase the quantity (and quality) of items available, and keep prices somewhat in line. I hope. Dave |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 02-11-2004 04:52 PM
My main reason for looking forward to increased competition is to see the inflated commission fees drop. There is no reason IMO, in these days of eBay and other online auctions, to be charging 17.5% buyers and sellers commissions. I saw no need for them to not go down from the traditional (and already out-dated) 15%, much less go up. If anything they should have *dropped* due to the emergence of the Internet auction market. If there is more large space auction house competition, the market forces should dictate a sharp drop in commission percentages. |
rjurek349
Member Posts: 1190
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 02-12-2004 08:50 PM
This year will be interesting, indeed, to watch how the space marketplace develops. In the whole equation, we can't discount Swann, either. So 2004 will see notjust 4 but 5 major space memorabilia auctions -- 2x each by Regency/Superior and Aurora, and 1x by Swann. It will be interesting to see if the space hobby can absorb five such major auctions on a regular cycle. Will their be enough demand on the buy-side to sustain such a schedule in the future? My hope is that the recent events in the space field (Spirit, Rover, Beagle2, the new NASA mission, ongoing attention to the ISS, etc, etc.,) will continue to expand interest, and hopefully the marketing push by the auction houses will expand the base of collectors. It will also be interesting to see if the increased competition will force the houses to somehow develop their own identitites/specialties, within the field to draw a particular client base. Or if each will try to simply cater to the entire field, thus feeding off the same base of collectors. We shall see. But whatever the outcome, for collectors, it will certainly be a year of variety! I for one am looking forward to it. |
chet
Member Posts: 1506
From: Beverly Hills, Calif.
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 02-12-2004 10:59 PM
Scott, there you go again.
Aurora and Superior are in the auction business....keyword:business!The commissions charged will be what the market bears. If higher commissions drive business elsewhere, then commissions will come down. Pardon the pun, but this isn't rocket science. -chet |
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