History
The history of auctions is unclear. They date back for centuries and nobody really nows when or where the first auction took place. Some of the first records of auctions date back to 500 BC in Ancient Greece, where men would auction of their daughters as wives. The type of bidding used then seems to be the opposite of what we know now. The highest price for the item would be named, and then the price would continually decrease until people started bidding. The item would then go to the first bidder.
Auctions continued throughout Europe during the time of the Roman Empire. The most common items that were auctioned were family estates and items obtained in war. Some of the traditions from the Roman auctions can still be seen in our auctions today. For example, the auction gavel we use to signify the start of the auction is a replacement for a roman spear that used to be driven into the ground.
Auctions were brought to America from Europe in the 1600s with the arrival of the pilgrims on the Mayflower. It continued to be practiced by colonists in order to sell and obtain farming equipment. The trade of furs was extremely popular. Colonists would obtain animal pelts from Native Americans and ship them to Europe, where they were sold. The need for animal furs in Europe was so great that it was one of the major forces that drove North American settlement.
In America, auctions continued into the Civil War period, where they became increasingly popular. Colonels who obtained land in war raids would hold their own auctions to receive money for these estates and other forms of plunder. This is why the auction leader today is often referred to as the “colonel”.
Today, the history of auctions can still be seen at our Rose Hill Auction.
If your company is having an auction consider corporate gifts or even gourmet gift baskets.