Performance of the Sale of Harrisburg Artifacts
Friday July 19, 2013 at 12:26 pm
By Jamie Serra

Click to View

As we're nearly half way through day 5 of the sale of Harrisburg's artifacts, we decided to take a look at how well the city is actually doing.

A few hours ago, Doc Holliday's Dental Chair sold for $40,000 dollars and was valued between 4,000 and 6,000 dollars. Theodore Roosevelt's Cased Gun Set grossed $95,000 dollars on the second day of the the Auction and was estimated between 10 and 15 thousand dollars.

In 2010, Harrisburg Authority member Bill Cluck discussed his efforts to view the Dental Chair in question, in addition to the other artifacts that are now up for sale.

It's premature to say whether sale prices are over or underperforming, but you don't need to look far before you find items that sold for well under their estimated value. The Whaletooth Salt Horn C. 1855 - 1880 was estimated between 1,000 and 1,500 dollars, it sold for $425. The Spanish Colonial Footed Bowl was valued between 600 and 900 dollars, its new owner paid $100.

As of the end of day 4, our unofficial estimate of total sales is $1,691,500. A figured that falls short by $121,544 of Guernsey's high estimate of $1,813,094. Total sales have exceeded Guernsey's low estimate of $1,263,625 by $427,875.

In 2008 Mayor Reed explained why it is difficult to discern whether the sale of these artifacts are generating any money for the City of Harrisburg. "We don't know," he stated, "It was a group price that paid for it." As such, it's fairly difficult to quantify positive or negative gains.

In 2010, Harrisburg Authority member Bill Cluck described his difficultly in obtaining accounting information from an auction of artifacts in Dallas Texas from the Comptrollers Office.

We'll continue to provide updates throughout the rest of the Auction's duration, stay tuned.

 
Tags: Artifacts, Guernsey's Auctioneers, Mayor Steve Reed, The Harrisburg Auction, The Harrisburg Auction, The Harrisburg Auction, Wild West