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June 26, 2007

Some Real Deals

Several items, including a car that went for $250, were included in the annual auction that raised about $18,000

Story by: A.J. Eaton

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Robert Rodriguez

Bel Wiseman of Shattuck and Associates Auctions holds up two items for bidding Saturday in the Wetsel Building. The auction is held annually and offers items such as electronics, jewelry and cars.

As Arlington resident Evelyn Gordon raised her yellow tag to bid on a box of electronics, another bidder cast her an unmistakably dirty look.

After three auctions, she’s gotten used to the glares.

The university’s Annual Surplus Property Auction on Saturday allowed potential buyers to bid on lots ranging from jewelry to automobiles. While some bidders found what they wanted and got it, others were left with bitter tastes in their mouths after being outbid.

Auction organizers Shattuck and Associates, who were contracted by the university, organized and cataloged the items. Company office manager Barbara Williams said the profits were about $18,215.

“We did more than last year, but we usually do between $15,000 and $20,000,” she said. “I was a little surprised the cars went so cheap, but we had enough bidders. It’s just what the market will bear.”

Speakers, projectors, computer monitors, cameras, desks, university furniture, a printing press, cleaning machinery, two Ford Crown Victorias and a Ford Taurus were available. The highest bid on a car was $250.

Gordon said she was looking for smaller miscellaneous items but that the larger lots like the cars and furniture also looked good.

“I just wanted to get some small stuff like office electronics, which I did,” she said. “It would be nice to get one of the cars, but they’ll go at a higher price.”

Auctioneer Frank Sughrue talked fast and conducted the auction with a sly sense of humor between his many words.

Business management senior Nick Chappell said he wasn’t looking for anything in particular but was just enjoying Sughrue’s auction calling.

“Honestly, I’m trying to consider everything from my room to my dad’s business,” he said. “I’m just having fun, and the auctioneer is great.”

Among the regular auction-goers who make a business out of buying things at auction and reselling them, university students perused items like cameras or desks for their dorm rooms.

Kevin Smalls, computer science engineering sophomore, said he needed some stuff and didn’t want to pay a lot for it.

“I’m looking for minor items for convenience like a camera, which I got,” he said. “It’s pretty cool that UTA doesn’t need the stuff and rather than throw it away, they’ll sell it for a pretty reasonable price. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”