Originally published at: Giant book on a toy biz giant | Boing Boing
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My Marvin Glass Story:
When famed MARVIN GLASS & ASSOC (toy designers) closed their doors in Chicago, they auctioned off the contents which include lots of fabrication equipment. But one Lot was a small closet filled with “parts”. Just boxes of random plastic gears, bits of this and that saved for some reason.
The place was packed and the Auctioneer was on a platform with a lectern (or maybe a podium) with a PA. This was on wheels and he floated around above the heads of us mere mortals as he racked up the bids of people paying full “as new” price for Bridgeport Milling machines (possibly bought by the same employees who had spent their days there and knew how they were maintained).
We got to the “Closet” Lot and I was standing directly in front of the Auctioneer’s gliding platform at the time because I had already staked out the closet as the only thing I could actually afford. So Everyone Came to ME.
The Auctioneer announced the Closet Lot and based on his previous successes of the day, opening the bidding at $500. For the first time that day the room was silent. No one was bidding.
I looked up at the Auctioneer and said “$25”.
He paused, looking down at me with big frowny face sneer. Everyone in the room had heard my offer.
He took a deep breath and then announced the bidding would start at $25. After that it went up in $5 increments, then $10 increment, then $25 at a time and EVERYONE got in on it. Hammer Price was $750.
Right after he announced the Hammer Price, the Auctioneer looked down at me again. I looked up and said “You’re Welcome!”
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I suspect that those parts could later be sold individually for quite a profit!
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i’d be tempted to get that book just on the basis of that mitch o’connell cover art
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