Mitchells of Cockermouth auction - 13 April 2023

[andyman7]

I'm posting this in the Collectable/Vintage thread as I think it will have most relevance here as well as resonate with people. 

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/mitchells/catalogue-id-srmit10172?page=4#lot-af515b72-3ed4-423e-a529-afce010a3581

This auction is a from one-owner deceased estate, and represents an almost mind-boggling acquisition of models with a lot of focus on Diesels modelled on the late 60s/early 70s. I would guess we have someone with several decades of buying, renumbering, weathering and repainting locos as the base models stretch from recent Bachmann, Heljan etc to Trix/Liliput, Mainline etc. There appears to be a Scottish and Western bias, and the auctioneers are a bit out of their depth on the lotting as they aren't able to distinguish between ex-factory, weathered, renumbered and conversions - the are 'Bachmann' Class 22s and 'Hornby' Class 22s that are clearly conversions (possible Silver Fox?). Later on there are some huge lots of bodyshells, detailing parts etc which were presumably the 'projects/spares' pile.

 

Having done an approximate tally of the main diesel classes (so ignoring steam, DMUs, rolling stock, approximate numbers spread across the lots are:

37 x Class 15/16/17/20; 22 x Class 21/29; 6 x Baby Deltics; 26 x Class 24/25 52 x Class 26/27; 10 x Class 28; 35 x Class 31; 20 x Class 33; 20 x Hymeks; 19 x Class 37; 34 x Class 40; 7 x Class 41; 117 (!) x Class 42/43; 59 x Class 44/45/46; 65 x Class 47s; a mere 4 x Class 50; 87 x Class 52; 12 x Class 55 and a single lot containing a further 30 modified or spares Trix Warships and Westerns. Some of the more recent models are multiples of identical models suggesting an intention to modify or renumber at some point. 

 

I might have a dabble at one or two items although the auction is far too far for me to attend and as I am otherwise committed on the day I won't be able to compete with anyone on the day, but to be honest seeing this sale was actually quite sobering, making me reflect on the need not to get carried away and a reminder that new acquisitions at my age need to be balanced by disposals...

[Canal Digger]

Wow!

[Re6/6]

An amazing sale. I'm tempted with one item but am mindful of the commission rates .... Commissions*:35.94% Inc.VAT/sales tax which is the norm on auction purchase prices.

 

Last week I bought two lots from a bankrupt stock auction sale and on a purchase cost of £220 I was charged £96.80 in charges, commissions and VATs.

 

We moan, me included(!), about Ebay charges............!

[andyman7]

16 minutes ago, Re6/6 said:

An amazing sale. I'm tempted with one item but am mindful of the commission rates .... Commissions*:35.94% Inc.VAT/sales tax which is the norm on auction purchase prices.

 

Last week I bought two lots from a bankrupt stock auction sale and on a purchase cost of £220 I was charged £96.80 in charges, commissions and VATs.

 

We moan, me included(!), about Ebay charges............!

Indeed, but that's always the calculation at auctions, This is a deceased sale, I can see how an overwhelmed family has no way of being able to cope with disposing of a collection this size individually and given the reach of the internet search engines these days they will probably still end up with a better price than a dealer offering cash up front for a third to half retail value, especially as it is all 'sold as seen'.
 

If you leave bids with the auctioneer the commission is 'only' 29%.

[Re6/6]

Indeed Andy. I recently, with others, had to dispose of a late friend's modelling 'estate' and it was a long drawn out and intensive affair but we ultimately got a satisfactory sum for his family.

 

Some years ago, I disposed of a vast collection for a relative of a family friend via Ebay (a lot of work!) and realized over £4000 (including mint boxed highly collectable Wrenn) when a couple of dealers quoted around £800 for the lot.  That's the way of it. 

[dunwurken]

See what you mean about being out of their depth with lotting.  Lot 191 a BR(GW) 2-6-2T and an BR(NBR/LNER) J36.  I want one but definitely not the other so will I'll pass.

Malcolm

[Re6/6]

I failed! probably good as the lot that I was after went for twice my commission bid. Description of the lot was a little 'uninformed' anyway, so I wouldn't have been sure just what was in the lot!

[Tofufi]

I ended up winning a few lots from this auction (which is still ongoing, with one further lot I'd like an item from).

 

Most auction houses aren't experts, but the prices today have been fairly reasonable even including buyers commission - when compared with similar items on eBay.

 

It must have been an incredible collection. And to collect 117 warships when only 71 of the real thing were built is pretty impressive.

 

It's a good reminder to me to try to restrict my collecting to modest quantities (normally 1 or 2) of each loco type!

[andyman7]

I've returned home to see that I have two 2 lots - both DMU quantities that include a mix of bread-and-butter items such as Lima Class 117s plus some interesting looking conversions e.g. Class 120, Class 119 DMUs. That will provide a good mix of items including material for further conversions and no doubt some items that can be sold on to help defray costs. 

[Captain Slough]

@Andyman7 you should really post a picture of your current DMU & DMU-projects collection as I reckon from various comments you've made that it's getting pretty impressive....

Edited April 14, 2023 by Captain Slough
can't type

[andyman7]

15 hours ago, Captain Slough said:

@Andyman7 you should really post a picture of your current DMU & DMU-projects collection as I reckon from various comments you've made that it's getting pretty impressive....

I'll try and do that at some point. I am definitely meandering towards trying to have examples of each of the classic Modernisation Plan DMUs, easier now for many as RTR variety is streets ahead of that a couple of decades back but there are still some gaps particularly in the cross-country fleets. The latest acquisitions will definitely let me hack together a Class 115, my plan is a mixed livery one (Blue - Blue/Grey - White/Blue vehicles all in one 4 car set), exactly as I remember in the early 80s.

[andyman7]

Well two big boxes arrived today. £56 to ship but still worth it. The first thing to note - completely missed by the auctioneers - is that the majority of models are DCC fitted! There is a miscellany of Lima 117 vehicles, some flushglazed, all power cars fitted with additional pickups, some rewheeled, most fitted with Kadee couplers. I will extract enough vehicles for immediate project needs, the main thing I need are enough donor parts for making a Class 115 four coach unit. The surplus sets will be sorted, tested and graded and will eventually make there way out ebay to help offset costs. There are five Class 121s - two Hornby, one Lima and two Lima conversions. I'm more inclined to keep one or both of the early conversions as I can weather and detail them. The 105 is an unboxed but mint Bachmann example which is quite handy; the 101 set is Lima, missing exhausts but otherwise clean and with the centre car (which in the Lima set was sold separately). There is a large pile of Triang Blue Pullmans, all the motorised ones have finescale wheels fitted which are probably the most useful bits on them, but there are eight centre coaches too. The Class 128 Parcels car is a conversion kit on a Lima DMU chassis. The two most interesting units are an absolutely beautiful DC Kits professionally built Class 119 and a Class 120 made up using a conversion kit with etched sides and cast ends. Both of these arrived with bits detached - unfortunately models such as these are fragile and rarely survive the layout dismantling/auction process without such loss. The 119 is missing a power bogie sideframe, probably on the floor somewhere at Mitchells but I can replace that - fortunately all the other loose bits were present.
This lot emphasises that auctions are not for everybody and certainly not for those that want a guarantee of what they are getting, but as a way of obtaining a very large job lot of source material, this is definitely a lot cheaper than the Rails Vault/Hattons secondhand route.

[andyman7]

Here's a closer look at the 120 now that I have stuck it back together. There a couple of missing footboards and one droplight window still to replace. It's really nicely built, although I might redo the roof as the grey is a bit light for BR Blue.

Edited April 19, 2023 by andyman7

[andyman7]

I am working my way through the pile of DMU vehicles acquired via the Mitchells auction. There were five class 121 'Bubble Cars' across the two lots I bought, all unboxed but DCC fitted and with couplings removed. 2 were Hornby issues (one renumbered); one was a Lima version; and two were Lima conversions from Class 117 vehicles which illustrates the time period over which this collection was built up. I have kept one of the 'conversions' as it makes an excellent match for a Class 149 DTS model already in my collection that was also a conversion made using Lima parts - as this sits in the 'analogue' fleet the decoder has been removed from this one and coupling reinstated at one end.

[andyman7]

I popped over to Orpington Toy Fair today and it didn't take long to spot some stock that had come via the Mitchells auction. The trader concerned had a tray of unboxed weathered/detailed Heljan Westerns and 47s at £45 each which were excellent value and would have proved tempting if I didn't already have a lifetime's worth of projects stashed away. I did take two Blue/Grey Southern Pride Mk1s (there were a lot of SP coaches and coach kits in the auction). One was an un-numbered sleeper which I will use to make an SLC which remains the major RTR gap in this fleet. The catering vehicle is a Diagram 25 Kitchen Buffet - I've already got one in my fleet but I have a soft spot for catering vehicles. This one was already numbered as the late surviving Eastern Region car that was used in the 1979 Travellers-Fare centenary train. It's missing the red stripe, it should be on B5 rather than Commonwealth bogies and the lettering isn't quite right - the roof was also the wrong way round but that was easily fixed but tidied up it will make an interesting stablemate. 

[Mallard60022]

6 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

I popped over to Orpington Toy Fair today and it didn't take long to spot some stock that had come via the Mitchells auction. The trader concerned had a tray of unboxed weathered/detailed Heljan Westerns and 47s at £45 each which were excellent value and would have proved tempting if I didn't already have a lifetime's worth of projects stashed away. I did take two Blue/Grey Southern Pride Mk1s (there were a lot of SP coaches and coach kits in the auction). One was an un-numbered sleeper which I will use to make an SLC which remains the major RTR gap in this fleet. The catering vehicle is a Diagram 25 Kitchen Buffet - I've already got one in my fleet but I have a soft spot for catering vehicles. This one was already numbered as the late surviving Eastern Region car that was used in the 1979 Travellers-Fare centenary train. It's missing the red stripe, it should be on B5 rather than Commonwealth bogies and the lettering isn't quite right - the roof was also the wrong way round but that was easily fixed but tidied up it will make an interesting stablemate. 

They look very well made matey. The chap's collection was probably made up with a lot of stuff he had built OR he was a good modeller?

You have certainly got some great deals there. I have had some from Auction but I find you tend to have to go for a load rather then single Items, to make Bids worthwhile.

56 Transit costs is very good for all that.

Phil

[andyman7]

I made use of one of the regular ebay listing promotions to offload surplus items from my auction acquisitions - although it must be added that I put a lot of effort into testing, repairing and ensuring that what was sold on was sorted (which is absolutely not the way it turns up when you buy 'as seen'). Very pleasantly surprised by the prices achieved, and I have recouped pretty much all my outlay, albeit with quite a bit of effort. I do now have Class 119 and 120 models added to my fleet as well as the 128 Parcels Unit and the 121 seen above as well as enough 117 vehicles for my 115 project with a few extra vehicles, all for next to nothing.
I mention this only to emphasise that despite the moans about commission and costs, it is possible with a bit of homework to use auctions as a very cost effective way of building a 'modellers' collection (which probably explains why my project pile never seems to go down).

Edited May 2, 2023 by andyman7