The Bizarre History of Auctions

Auctioneering has existed for much longer than any single location to sell popular goods. We call it “auction,” which comes from the Latin “auctus,” meaning “increasing,” but the process likely has had many names before that. 

The methods we use to sell, the bidding process, and even the ways we teach others to auction have changed over the years. Auction history delves into the good, bad, ugly, and beautiful aspects of how we sell objects as reasonably as possible. 

The First Known Recorded Auctions 

Auctions have generally existed for as long as people have wanted what others made or previously owned. Information about the earliest auctions has likely disappeared with time, but we still know about the ancient Greeks in 500 B.C. 

As per the records maintained by the ancient Greek scribes, the auctions held during this time were not intended for the sale of treasured artwork or rare gems. Rather these auctions were for something much more valuable. 

In 500 B.C., Greek families would sell a female family member as a wife for coffers or other goods. On occasion, the sellers would add a dowry or money to their offer to prompt better deals. 

Auction Legality and New Methods 

“Backdoor” arranged marriages were considered illegal and punishable by law. All wife auctions had to go through legal channels with official proceedings. While that fact doesn’t make selling a person any better, it’s a part of auction history we shouldn’t ignore. 

The legal auction proceedings introduced a descending method to speed up the results. This method starts with a high price and steadily decreases until a person bids. If that person’s bid was above the minimum price set by the family, that bidder became a husband without further competition. 

The Romans Set Ground Rules 

Years later, ancient Romans began selling off war plunder and family estates. In using gavels throughout an auction, we mimic ancient Rome. Instead of a gavel, though, they would drive a spear into the ground at the start.

A few other system adjustments they made changed the future of auction proceedings, including: 

• Requiring licensing to become an auctioneer 
• Establishing what a seller could and couldn’t sell to pay off debts 
• Giving the auctioneer new titles, including “Magister Auctionarium” 

Auctions Keeping America Alive 

While auctions sold off many objects—and people, unfortunately—they contributed significantly to the development of the fur industry: 

• Hunters would obtain fur, or merchants would buy them from Native Americans
• These people would auction them to European merchants to take back to their countries
• The European merchants would auction the fur to manufacturers for further processing 

The soft pelts of North American animals excited Europeans, so fur sales were a lengthy but lucrative process. The large amounts of money they obtained helped fund many public and private developments, leading to more colonist activity. These changes set the stage for the future when America would eventually demand independence. 

Establishing a Common Practice 

During the Civil War, only colonel ranks and above had the jurisdiction to auction off war surplus. This bit of auction history has bled into modern practice, where some auction houses call their chief auctioneers, “colonels.” 

Another modern adaptation started in the early 1900s when the first auctioneering schools began: 

• Carey M. Jones established the first known American auctioneering school, Jones’ National School of Auctioneering and Oratory. 
• Auctioneering schools helped prospective auctioneers learn the tools of the trade, such as product research and natural vocal amplification. 
• Citizens initially thought skilled auctioneering was an innate trait. 

More students learned how to adapt and develop those traits, improving school reputations.

Experienced Auctioneers Know What We’re Doing 

As time and trends change, our experience as auctioneers only improves. We’ve taken the best aspects of auction history and added modern hospitality and practices. High Plains Auctioneers ensures the proper ownership and quality of unique art, specialized farm equipment, and estates in Texas. If you’re interested in buying or selling at an auction in and around Dalhart, TX, call High Plains Auctioneers at (806) 244-6776 today.