Auctions - for whose benefit?

[New Forest]

Just reviewed the forthcoming Stacey's Auction at the end of May.

There will always be a place for the stand alone exceptional items. But over the years I have noticed a trend to start lumping a number of connected programmes together. I'll give an example.

#529 Twelve Leyton programmes involving Walthamstow Avenue 1934/44. Estimate £230. I only need two. So I won't even bother to bid. Had I done so and won then I would have to offload ten programmes that I already have. So is that a lost sale and will it affect the final hammer price?

Had Stacey's listed them separately then I would have happily bid. Bunging 12 together makes it easier for the auctioneer but I suspect they will miss out on a lot of bids. Pre war programmes used to be something special and you bid for them separately. Collections of programmes are fine for the novice and a way to build up a collection quickly. For the seasoned (old) collector they are being put off.