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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1962-09-13, Page 13Practise .Area auctioneer busy. H'andies 100 sales a year Out in the barn a There's always plenty of action and fun at an auction sale and one of the men who makes it this way is Alvin Walper, Dashwoocl, who has handled over 100 sales a year since taking up the profession 15 years ago. While some people don't always know that they are buying, this picture shows that such was not the case at the recent sale at Man- ore's garage, Grand Bend, One gentleman in particular appears to be having a good look at the particular item up for sale, although it is difficult to determine whether Alvin is using his cane to rap the chap's knuckles for being so inquisitive or whether he is helping hold the seat up on the toilet. —Holiday photo WANTS A GOOD LOOK — POPULAR AUCTIONEER • . Alvin Walper NEW SPECIAL SEPT. OFFER FARM Wagons FIVE TON WIDE TRACK '11 0 Bowman Welding PETERSBURG PHONE 201W5 BADEN Ask us about See our John Deere 45 Combine with Corn Header FULL LINE OF JOHN DEERE TRACTORS Huron Tractor AND EQUIPMENT CO. Phone 235-1115 Exeter North .ert Report on. The: Times,Advocate, September 13, 194.1.'.Peqs.11_ Lake tip the auctioneer's busi- ness instead. He sang in a quartet with his brothers, Norm, Exeter; Milton, Ingersoll and Glenn, London. The boys per- formed at several shows ac- companied by their father, who still plays the violin and who celebrated his 82nd birthday on Thursday. "We had a lot of fun to- There were 48 entries in the two classes, making the deci- sion difficult for Judge Hugh Berry, Woodham. arr. Berry said the corn this year is a good crop but there is considerable corn borer damage in the fields. Secretary Hicks pointed out that grain corn competitors must exhibit 10 ears and ensil- age corn competition six stalks in order to qualify for prizes at the fair. There's nothing quite like the wonderful world of Esso warmth. It's a carefree world of safe, dependable heat, available to you whatever type of heater—space heater, floor furnace or automatic furnace —you use. Ask your Imperial Esso Agent about it today. THERE'S A WONDERFUL WORLD OF WARMTH WAITING FOR you., TOO ee, SSO OILHEAT GEORGE VRIESE PhOne 135410 Exeter ALWAYS tiidk tett Fifteen years ago, Alvin Wal- Per, Dashwood, made his debut as an .auctioneer and the Aral article lie sold was a clothes basket, Since that time he has sold just about, everything imagin- able, and some unimaginable from Prices t h at have ranged. from five cents to $75,000.00. The 51.-year-old area native became interested in the pro- fession from watching other a 14 c t er s when - he was younger, but it wasn't natil lunch later that he finally de- cided to give it a try, Blessed- with a "natural" auctioneer's voice that is tre- mendously. strong and carries well, Alvin started practising the profession in his barn on the Wainer homestead near Dashwood, "t sold my stock a good many times," he remarked, in ex- plaining how he used to prac- tise by staging a mock auction sale with only himself in at- tendance, Alvin then followed several auctioneers around and studied their techniques and he was helped considerably by his un- cle, the late Oscar Klapp, of Zurich, And, when he finally started into the business in the area, he took his uncle's place as the lone auctioneer residing in the Dashwood-Zurich area. Busy life However, his name and fame Quickly spread and he reports he now handles over 100 auc- tion sales a year and his sales are spread throughout Western Ontario. "It's getting to be real big business," he explained, point- ing out that more and more people .are holding auction sales when they retire from their farms, husinesseS or move to other centres. In his 15 years, Alvin has conducted practically every type of sale there is and he has done everything from sel- ling farms complete with their stock to auctioning off single items such as the puppies lie sold at the C of C roller frolic last week, The biggest single item he has ever sold was a complete oil drilling and dredging outfit in the Atwood area and he sold it for $75,000.00. No voice trouble Alvin, who has never had any trouble keeping his voice in shape for an auction, reported that lie conducted a clearing sale at a store one year and he auc- tioned off articles continually from 10:00 a,m, to 6;00 p.m. for three (lays in a row. He took only an hour for lunch during the strenuous pro- ceedings, and although he gets tired physically, he reports he can keep on talking continuous- ly, One afternoon in Exeter, he started a sale at noon and never took one break before it concluded at 9:00 p.m. that evening, He pointed out that many young men had approached him about getting into the business, but after he told them to go home and talk for an hour or More they never came hack. "They all found that they couldn't talk the next day", he stated. Alvin, who works on a com- mission on the total cash taken in at an auction arranges all the details and looks after the advertising. He has to hire a clerk and usually one or two men to arrange and exhibit the merchandise while the sale is No tricks He reported that the main "trick of the trade" is that "you have to be wide awake". Pointing out that he has as many as 1,500 people at a sale and as many as 10 bidding on one particular item, he ex- plained that he had to keep his eyes on the crowd at all times so he wouldn't miss a bid. This is difficult at times, be- Cause rather than calling out their bids, some persons mere- ly nod their head or raise their hand slightly to indicate their intention. He jokingly pointed out that his keen sense of 'Observation has at times saved broken marriage Ag he „has spotted a man and a wife. bidding against each other for_ the sante article, "It's the only time I've ever asked .80MeOne not to bid," he pointed out "hut I told them that if they Wanted to live together they ShoUldn't bid together," Judges prices Th 'popular Dashwood aue, Honor noted that ..'one of the most important jobs of anyone Sn his prefessioh was knowing the value of the Reins they ere. selling. Ile pointed out his farming ex• periettce liar been invaluable at farm sales, but he reported lie had been startled by the prices bid for sonic articles, "Antiques are always a big feature at Any sale," he noted, "and I've sold some things for prite's I never dreamed I'd get." At a sale of the Carling Raw late in Exeter where the Smith Itureit Hospital is now situated, he sold .six small chairs and received $80,00 a piece for them from a man who had .come all the, way from Kansas'. City to attend the sale, ""People talked about the pried of those chairs fOr weeks," Al- vin stated "but they were an aritigne cherry wood and were Valuable in a telleatir." 110' said lie Was anticipating a sale at Jib. farm of Truman Fletcher in traborne toWnSitin on September 7 when he Will Andlian tiff a l926 Chrysler, .the first one of this MAO tilAtittrAd* tared. the ear is, Still working t 'audition and ho touts It Will community life in the area, For three years he served as president of the Dashwood Men's Club and he is now president of the Zurich Lions Club. Along with his wife, the former Jean Willert, he is a member of the Lutheran Church at Dashwood, An avid singer, Alvin had an opportunity to sign for a show on CKNX-TV, but decided to Winners in the ensilage and grain corn field crop competi- tions, held in conjunction with Exeter Fair, were announced this week by Secretary A, G. Hicks. Tom Triebner, RR 1 Exeter, won the highest paints in ensil- age corn, with E. Hendrick, RR 2 Crediton, the runner-up, Highest in grain corn was Lloyd Lamport, Crediton, and the runner-up was Bruce Slim). ton, RR 1 Exeter. Results are: Ensilage: Toni Triebner, 981; Ed Hendrick, 98; Winston Shan- ton, RR 1 Exeter, 971; Donald Dearing, RR 1 Exeter, 971; Howard Johns, RR 1 Woodham, 97; Harvey Hyde, RR 7 Hen- sail, 961; Harry Jeffery, RR 1 Hensall, 951; Robert Down, RR 1 Hensall, 95; Archie Ethering- ton, ER, 1 Hensall, 941; Pres- ton Dearing, RR 1 Exeter, 94, Grain corn: Lloyd Lamport, 97; Bruce Shapton: 96!1; Lloyd Ferguson, RR 1 Itensall, 961; Harvey Hyde, RR 1 Hensall, 96; Edwin Miller, RR. 3 Exeter, 951; Harry Jeffery, ER 1 Hen- sell, .951; Robert Down, RR L Hensall, 95; Cecil Jones, Exe- ter, 941; Winston Shapton, RR 1 Exeter, 94; .Paul Coates, RR 1. Centralia, 931. Town topics Mrs. Don Hilton, Vancouver, the former Laurette Beavers, Exeter, is visiting with Mr, and Mrs, Allen ,Fraser and other friends and relatives. Mrs. Fraser returned from her sum- mer cottage at Pike flay on Monday. Mrs. Irwin Ford is a patient in Victoria Hospital, London. Mrs. Whitney Coates motored to Mt. Clemens, Mich. on Tues- day to visit her daughter, MrS. Doherty, and grandson in St, Joseph's Hospital and with Mr. ;Doherty, Denise and Debra, Shipica licre"?1 — M..3) (Intended for last week) 'Holiday viOtpol Dr, Co B. Sanders, Mrs. Sanders, Janet and David of Welland, Mr. and Mrs. William MpTeer and. Mrs, Ida Sanders. of London with Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Vinitbeiner. Miss Erma k'inkbeiner o of London,. with. Mr. and Mrs. Har- old Finkbeiner and family, Miss Louise St. Armour and Mr, Bob Schuman. of Xingston,. Miss. Mary Dowidge and Mr. Don Love. of Toronto with Mr. and Mrs, Ross Love. Mr, and Mrs. Irvin Latta, Gary and Diane, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert 'Weiberg and Sherry Anne of Waterloo and Mr, Fred Weiberg of Dashwood on Sun- day with Mr. and Airs. Lorne Devine items Mr, Devine Sr, B Mr, and Mrs. Hugh Alarm and Billy spent the weekend in Mio, Mich, with Mr, and Mrs. Roy Boerner and family and with Mr, and Mrs. William Reid at Lakeport, Mich,, on Mon- day, Bobby Boerner who has been holidaying here during August returned home with them. Mr. and Mrs, Harold Fink- beiner accompanied by Mr, and Mrs. Kenneth Kraft of. Dashwood were holidaying last week in Ottawa, Montreal and Eastern Canada. Mrs, M. Finkbeiner of London and Mrs. E, Keyes of Exeter were with the Fink- beinerw were away, children whiletheir par- ents Allan Merner spent a few days last week in Toronto with David Sheppard and attended Mrs. Les Adams vis- ited rCs , and u E.. nd,a y with Mr. and Mrs. Jack Corbett and Al at Hen- an. School opened here on. Tues- day with Mrs, Ruth Martin of Nairn as teacher and Bonnie Sweit zr and Ricky Clarke be- ginners. Dr. and Mrs. Russell Catt of Edmonton are spending sortie Get protection Against RUST at Snell Bros. LTD. ONLY 9 time with Mrs. Catt's sister,. Mrs. Milton Itatz, and mother, Mrs. Philip, Ifassold. Mr, and Mrs. Oorden Katz spent a few days. last week (laying in Michigan.. Mrs... Roelof .Zondag .returned home Saturday from a s.x week's visit with relatives ,t4 Holland. Mr. And Mrs. Karl -Guenther, Janet ..and Karen were -weekend visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Nicholson and family at Brigden. Glen Rats pent last weekend. with his coign, . Kenneth Hale- son at Greenway, Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Ruspill and family spent last Week -11P ti, d aying at Bedford Lake in the Bruce Peninsula., Mr, and. Mrs. Bill Scholl:M. Geof and -Susan,,. London, were Monday visitors with Mr. and, Airs. Roy Hatz, Mr. Harold Jackson, of Sea. forth, was a Thursday visitor with his uncle and aunt,: Mr. and , Mrs. _Herbert Harlton, draw several collectors to the sale, Always cheerful Although lie may not always feel the part, Alvin reported that a successful auctioneer had to keep in a good mood at a sale all the tine. "You can never be sour," he reported, ex- plaining that he enjoys kidding the audience to keep them hap- py and bidding on articles. He has found a quick-wit a valuable asset and when things start to lag he livens them up with a short joke or a flowery description of some object he is trying to sell. His memory also assists him as he is able to remember peo- ple he has met at a sale and because some travel to a great many sales a year, he can call them by name when they bid. Alvin stated that many peo- ple come to sales just to listen to the auctioneer and they don't have any intention of buying, but just; enjoy the exciting at- mosphere of a sale. "lowever, many get caught up in the excitement and find out they have just bought some- thing they don't really need, be- cause " they thought it was a real bargain, Active man Besides finding time to man- age "his pride and joy", the Walper homestead, which has been in the family since it was cleared over 100 years ago, Al- vin takes an active part in the nether, " Alvin, the senior bro- ther reported, However, he stuck to his de- cision and the choice apparent- ly has paid off, as he is one of the best known auctioneers in the Western Ontario area, Introduce study at Main Street Dr, R. S. Hiltz introduced the new adult study book "The Word and ,the Way" at the meeting of the IJCW afternoon unit of Main Street church on Thursday. A discussion period followed. Mrs. Mervyn Grainger led in the devotional and was assisted by Mrs, William Wright. Mrs. B, W. Turkey presided for the. business when the ba- zaar date was set for Novem- ber 17, The social committee served a cup of tea. 1 List corn cro • p winners ORDER YOUR WOOD NOW when the weather is good MIXED SLAB WOOD Stake Truck load, delivered $30,00 Half-load, delivered ... .. ......... MIXEb LIMB AND BODY WOOD Stake Thick load, delivered ...... $50.00 lialf-Toad, delivered 27,00 Apply in Writing to Robert Eagleson. AlLtA CRAIG or Phone 131.44$6 Salo before t8t16 or betWeertS Aftd 1,10 p.tm Time for YOU BRITISH MORTGAGE & TRUST COMPANY There Is Still Time Left' UNTIL SEPTEMBER 21ST each Savings DE,POSMII, of R25 or more will receive a beauti- ful clear Lucite silver dollar paperweight. Each INVESTOR in a British Mortgage Guaranteed Investment Certificate will receive a paperweight plus a gift certificate good at any Goderich retail store, of BRITISH MORTGAGE Et TRUST TO RECEIVE VALUABLE SOUVENIRS OF THE OPENING OF THE GODERICH BRANCH OFFICE At the Sto tit Ocle0 6