Hunt Auction

[Rob D.]

I had this very converation with a friend last week. Based on the material they get for their auctions, Hunt should be considered in the upper-echelon of the auction biz. And in addition to the quality auctions, their customer service is top notch. Yet because of that horrendous Web site, I think many collectors ignore them or think they're second-rate.

This is an auction house that holds an annual auction in conjunction with Major League Baseball, yet its Web site is a decade behind the times. I speculated that if Hunt would invest $5,000-$10,000 in technology on a new site, the money would be recouped within two of their major auctions. The fact that they hold smaller Internet-only auctions on a regular basis probably means the investment would pay for itself even quicker.

It really is a curious business decision, because I've got to believe Hunt has received feedback on this topic.

[slidekellyslide]

I used to think that their monthly internet/phone auctions were the best kept secret..you could always get great deals, but in all that time I'm not so sure it was a secret, but that people just found their website to be cumbersome. People have adapted to it I guess enough to make the bargains a bit harder to find. It took me a while to figure out how to bid online in their catalog auctions though.

And I know the people at Hunt Auctions read this site because I once made the complaint here that I never receive their large catalogs even though I've won plenty in their Internet/phone auctions. Someone there read it, emailed me and told me that I would start getting the catalogs...which I did. Their website may suck, but their customer service is the best.

[E93]

I completely agree; their website sucks. I also don't understand why one would have a 900+ lot live auction filled with $300 items that are more suited to an internet auction. I don't want to bother with arranging a phone call for an item like that and am certainly not going to fly across the country to be present for a live auction for those sorts of things.
JimB

[Orioles1954]

I guess their "internet auctions" are no secret anymore, as well. Over the years I have scoured them and scored numerous items which I have flipped for quadruple the price or better.

[collectbaseball]

I haven't ever dealt with Hunt, but ..... if what everyone says is true, why would anybody consign to them?

[Steve D]

I was very happy with their service. I requested to bid by phone on one item (a Neil Armstrong signed photo). They called me about five lots ahead of it, and then when the photo came up, bidding went very smoothly.

Unfortunately, the photo went for a higher price than most have been lately, and I lost it.

Overall though, I was happy with the experience. It was the first time I'd ever bid in one of their auctions.

On the other hand however, I do agree that their website could use some improvement such as: adding a watchlist feature and also allowing live bidding through it.


Steve

[cbcbcb]

I think they are second to none when it comes to memorabilia, games, advertisements, rare game used items. I live very close by so I usually go to their live auction every year, and if nothing else, it is at least a great opportunity to see some great items up close. This was the first live auction I have been to in a while where I didn't come away with anything. I am always after their coin operated games but they are always out of my price range. As for their website, yes it is very 1990's-ish.