Sale of Jack Voase Collection

[Cactus Jack]

Some thoughts are better kept in your head

[Ernie]

I dont think I have said anything that would need a moderators word or two and thats good enough for me. I am what I am

[Ernie]

BTW Very remis of me not to mention the excelent work done by the ladies who looked after the refreshments. The food was excellent and free! They stood all day serving us with a smile and it made the day even better. Must confess to scoffing more than my fair share of the cheese scones!

Very well done ladies what would we men do without you.

[Ross M]

Well I'm a very happy chappy this evening as Ernie managed to get two of the three lots I was after

Now he's just left with figuring out how to get them up to me and the work in packing them up etc. !!! First time I've won anything at an auction and I wasn't even there! However, Ernie had kindly photographed the plants I was interested in so I could see what was what.

Thanks very much for all your help Ernie, it's much appreciated

Ross

[matchat]

One individual seemed intent on buying upmost of collection and is apparently so rich money was no object, it did not take people long to realise that when his hand went up it stayed up until he got the plant no matter the cost and some were very expensive.

I couldn't make the auction but it sounds as though I might not have had much success if I had. Instead I went to the zone 3 open day at Oakdene nursery and had a pleasant morning with pleasant cactophiles .

One fellow did mention that someone from the south (possibly the same 'Mr Rich') had traveled up to see the collection to see what size van he would need to transport it home. Although disheartening for most of us I'm sure we'd all be too happy to be in that lucky situation.

Whatever the result I'm glad to hear that the auction was a success and hope that the final sales figure is a suitable tribute to the skill of Mr Voase and his beautiful plants.

[Phil_SK]

Instead I went to the zone 3 open day at Oakdene nursery and had a pleasant morning with pleasant cactophiles .

That was yesterday? Website says it's today; I was thinking of going. Well, you've saved me the journey .

[Tina]

Hi All
It was nice meeting Ernie & other names off the forum, lets hope we can organise something for a meet up at the National.
Have to agree it was very well organised event, Colin & the crew did really well, it was the computer that had the problems & stropped a couple of times , poor chap writing lot numbers had multiple puncture wounds on his hands .

when his hand went up it stayed up until he got the plant no matter the cost and some were very expensive

Ernie was right it did ruin it for others & in the end plants were going cheaper to Terry as people could not be bothered to waste their breath, there were two beautiful Obregonia's that really didn't reach their potential re bids.
I was a little naughty a couple of times & bid away even though I didn't want the plant just wish I had been braver & done it a couple more times .

I did get two really nice plants, a large E.balsamifera( not sure how it will fit in my overcrowded greenhouse) & a fantastic crested pelecyphora asseliformis on it's own roots which was part of a tray of plants & a low price when you consider there was 7 or 8 in the tray.

I did get a little carried away on the loph front but you felt a bit desperate that you had to try to get a plant when he wasn't bidding.
We had a great time as we went up for the weekend & went to Whitby did the museuum,castle etc, much nicer than just a long trip up the motorway auction & long trip back.

[Lithos]

It is a difficult subject when plants - especially from a 'growers' collection like Jack Voase must have been, get sold to the highest bidder. In an ideal world they would have been distributed amongst those who would love them and care for them as much as he did.

There have always been folks who will pay whatever it takes to have an instant collection. I doubt if it makes them happy for long - I doubt if anything does, if they have to buy their lives like that.
But auctions are what they say they are.

I also collect stamps, and there is a big discussion going on in that world about the breaking up of collections when someone passes away, - the relatives tend not to know what is there, a dealer, or auction house breaks up the collection etc. - what are we supposed to do? leave it to the nation? the librarys, museums, botanical gardens? - they are all overloaded with stuff, we the public never see, and are facing shorter opening hours, etc. - and in most cases don't have the expertise that folks like Jack had, to deal with stuff.

I am no capitalist, but at least this way, perhaps even with 'the rich man' the plants may live on, for us to see them at shows? in the future, however hollow that might be for him.

At least the fastast milkman in the west (Ernie), the fastest Agave albipilosa grower in the south (Tina), and a fair few other good folks were there, and purchased some plants.

Too many collections like this have just withered away in the past, which is worse?

[Hedge]

When ever a mister rich turns up, the secret to helping the family of the collector is to make sure he has to bid over the odds, by developing a strategy of pushing him wherever possible - obviously you have to be careful not to bid so high that he does give in, unless you want the plant and can afford your bids - but this way he will pay decent prices for things that are popular/sort after/valuable........