Potomac Bonsai Association annual auction at Behnke's Nursery on Saturday May 24

mcpesq817

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Anyone planning to go to the auction tomorrow? I haven't had a chance to run into anyone from BNut at the PBA spring show the last few years, but since I'm actually planning on going to the auction, I figured I would see if anyone was also planning to be there.
 

lordy

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i'll be there. trying to thin the herd. Generally I come out even after all is said and done.
And there is the requisite PBA board meeting afterwards.
Look for a black shirt with a graphic of a pulmonary system intersecting a botanical bent. blood and leaves everywhere.
 

mcpesq817

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Not sure what I'll be wearing yet - probably a UVA t-shirt and/or a UVA hat. Need to find what clean clothes I have :rolleyes:
 

lordy

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UVA? Not VA Tech? OK I wont hold it against you.
 

jkd2572

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I have only been to one bonsai auction. I could not control myself. Came home with the two best trees there. Very dangerous for me and my pocket book. I would never miss one that was close. I find you can get trees for at least 1/2 of what would go for from a retailer. The two I got went for 1/4th of what I believe I could find retail. It was a club auction so I also donated a bunch of stuff and was able to thin the heard. Can't wait until October when we have it again. Hopefully my wife is out shopping when I come home.....
 

lordy

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Damn! I needed to clean house and boy did I. I took 18 items/lots and sold everything. Grossed almost $600.00, and for the first time didnt buy anything. There were a few good yamadori, and a couple A. Palmatums that went for over $200. Only a couple one of a kind pots didnt sell (large and $400 reserve) as well as some A. rubrum that were very young that had unrealistic reserves. I wish something caught my eye when I had the funds to use, but I guess there is a reason for everything. Mine probably is twofold, but mostly my benches are still full, with overflow.
 

mcpesq817

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I sold ten lots myself today and did very well. It's interesting, the small stuff needing years to develop goes for probably more than it should, while the nicer stuff goes for less than it should. Of course, put "Japanese" in the name of the item and you probably will end up getting a premium. I guess I shouldnt complain as I've been the beneficiary on selling my less worthy stock.

Very therapeutic feeling, sorta like sending stuff to Goodwill. I still have some weeding out to do, but with today's auction and putting three smaller pieces of stock in the ground, I have a bit more room than I used to.
 

lordy

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I was looking for a UVA shirt or hat but didnt notice anything. Didnt see BRob either, but Todd Ellis drove all the way from Charlottesville. He actually brought a big privet that didnt sell, not because of a minimum, but for some reason, no one had interest. It was a pretty nice piece of material, too.
 

mcpesq817

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Sorry, the t-shirt said Virginia as opposed to UVA. I was going to say hi before the auction started, but it was a bit of a scramble for me to tag my auction items, and then it looked like you were scrambling as well.

The styrax was probably the best tree in the show in my opinion, or at least the tree I would have been happy to come home with. I also bid on one of the big american elms, but it went for more than I wanted to pay for it. I couldn't believe that people were paying over $200 for those poorly done tanukis.
 

lordy

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I remember there were some, but am drawing a blank. Maybe Jim Hughes' trees?
 

lordy

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Just got word that PBA netted over $1600 on somewhere north of $6600 in gross sales.
 
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JLBonsai

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Really wanted to go to this auction...always next time!
 
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