ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ Feb ruary 1999 / 87 C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s news Going, goi ng … sold fo r $ 2 0 ,0 0 0 S p o n s o rin g a n a r t a u c tio n o n a c o lle g e c a m p u s by Gary B. Thompson I f a n a d m in istra to r c a s u a lly a s k s y o u as li­ b ra ry d ir e c to r if y o u a re w illin g to c o o r d i­ n a te a n art a u c tio n fo r y o u r c o lle g e o r u n iv e sity, b e p re p a r e d fo r lo ts o f w o rk . S ix m o n th s a fte r I a s su m e d th e d u ties o f li­ b ra ry d ir e c to r a t S ie n a C o lle g e , I w a s a s k e d to c o o r d in a te a n a u c tio n o f s o m e o f th e art w o rk th at h a d b e e n a c q u ire d b y th e c o lle g e o v e r th e y e a r s. O f c o u r s e I said y e s, b u t I m u st a d m i t I d id n o t k n o w w h a t I w a s g e ttin g into. H e r e ’s w h y I w a s a s k e d . S ie n a C o lle g e h a d started th e p ro c e ss o f s c h e ­ m a tic d e s ig n o f a n e w lib r a r y . T h e b u ild in g c o m m itte e v is i t e d S k i d m o r e Some of the many items on display fo r the auction at Siena College. C o l l e g e ’s n e w li­ b ra ry a n d w a s e n ­ a m o r e d b y th e c o n te m p o r a r y art w o rk s that a d o rn ed th e building. Su b seq u en tly I su gg ested th at S ie n a ’s n e w lib ra ry s h o u ld h a v e c o n te m ­ p o ra r y art w o r k s to e n h a n c e th e in te rio r a e s ­ th etics. H o w w o u ld w e ra ise th e fu n d s fo r this pu r­ p o se? T h e a n s w e r w as that if w e s o ld o f f s o m e o f th e art w o r k s th e c o lle g e o w n e d b u t c o u ld n o t d is p la y p r o p e r ly , th e n th o s e fu n d s c o u ld r­ b e u s e d to u n d erw rite th e c o s ts o f th e c o n te m ­ p o ra ry art fo r th e n e w b u ild in g . T o s e ll o r n o t t o s e ll O n to th e trial a n d trib u la tio n s o f a lib ra ry d irecto r’s c o o rd in a tio n o f a n art au ction . It to o k o n e fu ll y e a r to e x e c u t e th is p la n . First, th e re w a s th e issu e o f w h a t w o u ld b e s o ld a n d w h at w o u ld b e k e p t. W e h a d s o m e v a lu a b le pieces. B ein g n e w to t h e c o m m u n ity , I d id n o t k n o w w h o m to c a ll u p o n fo r h e lp . I k n e w e n o u g h from previous e x p e ­ rie n c e s w ith p oliti­ cally sen sitive issues to fo rm a com m ittee (th e w hen -in -d ou bt- f o r m - a - c o m m it t e e p rin cip le o f library m anagem ent). Fortunately, p e o p le arou nd m e told m e w h o to p u t o n th e c o m m itte e , in c lu d in g a re tire d lo ca l art in stitu te cu rato r, re p res e n ta tiv e s fro m th e n e w library bu ildin g co m m itte e , art d ep art­ m e n t fa c u lty , a n d th e c o lle g e c u ra to r o f fin e arts. I a s k e d th e c o lle c tio n d e v e lo p m e n t librar­ ian w ith 2 4 years o f e x p e r ie n c e at th e c o lle g e to serv e as chair. A b o ut th e au th o r Ga r y B. Thom pson is th e lib ra ry d ire cto r a t Siena C o lleg e in Lo u d o n v ille, N ew York, e-m ail: thom pson@ siena .ed u mailto:thompson@siena.edu 88 / C&RL News ■ February 1999 One of the paintings at the Sienna College aucti was assessed fo r $10,000 but sold fo r $60,000. A fter s o m e stu m b lin g o v e r th e ju risd ictio n o f this c o m m itte e o v e r p ain tin gs h u n g a ro u n d th e cam p u s an d o v e r w h ic h p aintings w e r e im­ p o rtan t fo r th e c o lle g e to retain, th e c o m m itte e pu t to g eth er a reco m m en d atio n o f th e paintings to b e sold an d th e trustees a c ce p te d it. K e y le s s o n h e r e : T h e c o m m itte e c re a te d an ov errid in g p rin cip le th at th e p r o c e e d s m u st g o fo r th e p u rch a se o f n e w art a n d th e n th e y c r e ­ ated, a sta te m e n t o f th e p u rp o se o f art w o rk s in the n e w library, w h ich con v in ced p e o p le that w e w e re thoughtful an d delib erate a b o u t o u r task. S c h e d u l in g t h e a u c t io n In itially th e a u c tio n w a s to b e h e ld in D e c e m ­ b e r 1 9 9 7 , s ix m o n th s a fter w e started p lanning. H o w ev er, w e s o o n ran in to logistical p ro b le m s w h e n w e started co n sid erin g w h e r e to h o ld th e a u c tio n . T h e o n ly s p a c e la rg e e n o u g h w a s th e gym . Sien a h a d a n e w b ask etb all c o a c h an d w e h o p e d th at h e w o u ld im p ro v e th e te a m re co rd ( w h ic h h e d id in c id e n ta lly ). S o w e c o u ld n o t d o a n y th in g to d etra ct fro m te a m p ra c tice s . W e d ecid ed u p o n th e spring, b u t w e ran into c o n flic ts w ith s p rin g w e e k e n d , g ra d u a tio n , alum ni w e e k e n d , an d o th er cam p u s even ts. W e c o u ld n o t “fin d a n y r o o m a t th e in n .” W e d e ­ c id e d to h o ld th e a u c tio n in a te n t o n M ay 3 0 . W e w o rrie d a b o u t p e o p le leav in g to w n during M em o rial D a y w e e k e n d , b u t w e said, “W e g o t to h a v e th e a u c tio n s o m e tim e , s o le t’s ju st g o a h e a d .” T h is d a te w o rk e d o u t v ery w e ll fo r us. L e sso n : N o date is perfect, b u t d o co v e r th e cam ­ p u s b a s e s s o th e r e a re n o m a jo r c o n flic ts w ith o th e r ev en ts. O n e f u n d r a i s e r a t a t i m e A n o th er issu e w a s p re s e n te d to u s b y th e trust­ ees, w h o approved ou r p lan fo r th e au ction with th e u n d e rsta n d in g that it w o u ld b e c o n n e c te d w ith s o m e kin d o f fun draisin g ev en t. O u r d e v e lo p m e n t o ffic e did n o t really w a n t it to b e c o n n e c te d to a n y m a jo r fun draisin g even t b e ca u se it w ou ld b e confusing. T h e y su g g e ste d that w e m igh t a s k th e C reative Arts C o m m itte e to h e lp . T h is is a g ro u p o f S ie n a a lu m n i a n d frie n d s w h o s e e k to r a ise m o n e y to s u p p o r t th e arts o n th e c a m p u s. T h e y a g r e e d to h o ld a p arty b e ­ fo r e th e a u c tio n w ith th e fu n d s to g o to th e C rea tiv e Arts F u n d . T h is w a s a g o o d on s o l u t i o n , b u t it t o o k a t r e m e n d o u s a m o u n t o f tim e to c o o r d in a te a n d it o n ly ra ise d a sm all a m o u n t o f m o n ey . L e ss o n : A void h av in g a n o th e r e v en t w ith th e a u c tio n if y o u can. C o n t r a c t in g w i t h t h e a u c t i o n e e r L esson : K n o w w h at yo u are doing b efo re yo u start con tractin g w ith th e au ction eer. T h is is a le ss o n I w ish I had follow ed b ecau se I w as no t prepared, and, as a result, there w as m iscom m unication and s o m e difficu lties. A g o o d b o o k to re a d is C o m ­ p le t e G u id e to B u y in g a n d S ellin g a t A u ctio n .1 Y o u m u st u n derstan d c o n sig n m en ts, reserv es (m ini­ m u m a c c e p ta b le p ric e ), o p e n in g bid s, left m ail b id s , p h o n e b id s , t h e b u y e r ’s p r e m iu m , a u ctio n eer’s com m issio n , sales tax, etc. T h e b ig­ g est issue to reso lv e early is w h e th e r th e au ction w ill h a v e re se rv es fo r all item s, fo r s o m e item s, o r fo r n o item s. T h e r e a r e p lu s e s a n d m in u s e s to e a c h a p ­ p ro a ch . B e c le a r w ith th e a u c tio n e e r w h a t th ey a r e p a y in g fo r a n d w h a t y o u a re p a y in g fo r; th at in c lu d e s re fre s h m e n ts, fa cilitie s, fin a n c e s, b o n d in g , secu rity, te le p h o n e s , h o u sin g , ad v er­ tisin g , p rin tin g , a n d p u b licity . S e ttle th e iss u e o f th e k in d o f fly e rs a n d c a ta lo g s y o u w ill b e usin g early. A sk to s e e sam ples. Settle th e issues a b o u t refreshm en ts. W ill th e re b e a form al party sp o n so red b y th e au ction eer o r th e college? Will th ere b e con cessionaires? W h at kind o f fo o d and b e v e r a g e s w ill b e served? T h e s e a re n o t u n im ­ p o rtan t issues. P la n n in g f o r t h e e v e n t L e s s o n s : H o ld fr e q u e n t m e e tin g s w ith all p a r­ ties in v o lv ed to c o o r d in a te th e ev en t. C o m m u ­ n icate b e tw e e n m eetin gs w ith ch eck lists o f w h o w ill d o w h a t. T h e s e tw o a c tio n s re a lly sa v e d o u r e v e n t fro m h a v in g a n y m a jo r sn a fu s . O f c o u rse th e s e a re th e things that librarians always d o b e tte r th a n a n y o n e e lse . O th e rs w ill a c c u s e y o u o f o v e r p la n n in g a n d w o rry in g t o o m u ch . C&RL News ■ Feb ruary 199 9 / 8 9 Ig n o re th o s e p e o p le b e c a u s e it really p a y s off. It is th e a tte n tio n to th e s m a lle s t d e ta ils th at c a n m a k e th e b ig g e st im pact. A r r a n g in g f o r p u b lic it y T h e a u c tio n e e r w ill h e lp y o u im m e n se ly w ith th eir m ailin g lists, w h ic h g o to th e art d ea le rs an d buyers. Y o u will w an t to m a k e yo u r alum ni aw are o f th e au ction b e ca u se this is a grou p with a sp ecial interest in th e au ction . Y o u w an t to in­ v ite th e tru stees, d o n o rs, an d friends o f th e c o l­ lege. Y o u r p u b lic re la tio n s o ffic e r w ill b e m o st h elp fu l in d o in g th e p re s s re le a s e s , c o o r d in a t­ in g th e visits o f th e n e w s p a p e r s a n d th e ra d io an d te le v isio n statio n s, a n d in re h e a r sin g w ith y o u a n d o th e r c o lle g e o ffic ia ls h o w to a n s w e r re p o rte rs ’ q u e s tio n s (th e a u c tio n e e r w ill c o v e r th e s p e c ia lty p u b lic a tio n s ) s u c h as: “W h y a re y o u s e llin g o f f y o u r art c o lle c tio n ? A re y o u in fin a n c ia l difficu lty ?” P o ssib le an sw er: “W e are retain in g th o s e art w o rk s w e m o st treasure.” “W e a re sellin g p ie ce s w e d o n o t have adequ ate sp a ce to d isp la y .” “T h e p u rp o se o f th e a u ctio n is to raise m o n ie s to b u y n e w art w o rk s to d e v e lo p an d diversify o u r art c o lle c tio n , s o th at w e h a v e stu d y p ie c e s in o u r collectio n representing different gen res, periods, cou n tries, an d artists.” L e ss o n : U se yo u r cam p u s e x p e rts to c o o rd in a te th e pu b licity fo r you . P r o v id in g s e c u r i t y S ecu rity is a n iss u e w h e n y o u g e t c lo s e r to th e a u c tio n d ay. Y o u u s u a lly h a v e th e art w o rk s o n display fo r a p rev iew p erio d (o u rs w as th ree d ay s p rio r to th e a u c tio n ). T h e r e is a p e rio d o f s e t-u p , w h ic h w ill ta k e u p to a w e e k p rio r to th e p re v ie w p erio d . Y o u n e e d s ev eral kin d s o f insuran ce to p ro tect th e art w o rk s an d y o u n e e d a se c u r ity fo r c e fo r th e e n tire p re v ie w p e rio d . W e w e re alerted during th e set-u p that a k n o w n art th ie f w as in th e area, w h ic h h e ig h te n e d o u r c o n c e rn s . L e s s o n : Start ea rly to w o rk w ith y o u r se c u r ity fo r c e o n a se c u r ity p la n . W o r k w ith th e fin a n c e d ep a rtm en t a n d y o u r a u c tio n e e r to arran ge fo r th e in su ran ce n e e d ed . Finally o u r prev iew p erio d cam e. It w as very excitin g b e c a u s e th e library itself w as th e s h o w ­ ro o m a n d w e h ad 3 0 0 item s o n display, in clu d ­ in g 8 0 item s fro m S ie n a (m o stly art w o rk ), plus m o re th an 2 0 0 o th e r item s o f c o n sig n m en t from th e au ctio n eers, in clu din g rugs, jew elry, lam ps, c lo c k s , c a n e s, la w n scu lp tu res, a n d all kin d s o f fu rn itu re. W e sta rted g e ttin g c a lls fro m th e N o rth e a st as w e ll as E u ro p e . R e p re s e n ta tiv e s fro m im p o rta n t b u y e rs a n d g a lle r ie s c a m e to visit. D u rin g this p erio d yo u h av e to let th e a u c ­ tio n e e r ta k e ch a rg e. T h e b ig d a y — a b ig s u c c e s s ! T h e w e a th e r d ay o f th e a u c tio n w a s b eau tifu l, th a n k g o o d n e s s, b e c a u s e th e a u c tio n w as h eld in a te n t. T h e a u c tio n e e r a g r e e d th a t m o s t o f th e S ie n a item s w o u ld b e s o ld in th e first tw o h o u rs. T h e a u c tio n w a s e x p e c t e d to la st fo r m o r e th a n th r e e h o u rs. It la ste d fo r a lm o s t s ix h o u rs, d u e to th e p h o n e b id s fro m E u ro p e . T h e first item f o r s a le w a s “P o rtra it o f a M an” b y Peter Lely, w h ic h w as assessed fo r $50 0 a n d s o ld fo r $ 2 ,4 0 0 . W e k n e w it w o u ld b e a g o o d nigh t w h e n w e c a m e to item #30, th e “Tri­ u m p h an t E n tran ce o f Fred erick B a rb a ro ssa into P a le r m o ” b y G iu s e p p e Scu iti. It w a s a s s e s s e d fo r $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 b u t th e c lo s in g p ric e w a s $ 6 0 ,0 0 0 . Sien a h a d e x p e c te d to gross $ 1 5 0 ,0 0 0 . W e actu­ ally raised clo s e to $3 0 0 ,0 0 0 . W ith th e no n -Sien a item s, th e a u ctio n g ro sse d m o re th an $ 6 0 0 ,0 0 0 . It w a s fin an cially su cce ssfu l. B e y o n d th a t, it b r o u g h t m a n y p e r s o n s n o t fa m ilia r w ith S ie n a to t h e c a m p u s . T h r o u g h n e w s p a p e r a c c o u n ts , m a n y o th e r s s a w S ie n a in a w h o le n e w lig h t. T h e p u b lic ity w a s v e ry g o o d f o r t h e c o l l e g e . A t t e n d e e s h a d a v e r y g o o d tim e . It is n o t s o m e t h in g th a t I w o u ld w a n t t o d o a g a in to m o r r o w b e c a u s e it is a t o n o f w o r k , m a y b e fiv e to n s . H o w e v e r , it w a s w o r t h w h ile , b e c a u s e t h e p u b li c i t y is g r e a t f o r t h e c o lle g e . A lso w e w e r e a b le to ra ise m o n e y th at w ill g o into tw o funds, o n e directly fo r th e p u rch ase o f c o n te m p o r a r y art to a d o rn th e n e w library, a n d a n o th e r fu n d fo r th e p e r m a n e n t e n d o w ­ m en t o f a fund fo r th e p u rch ase o f art fo r prom i­ n e n t ca m p u s buildings. As m a n y o f y o u k n o w , lib raries h a v e h a d a lo n g a s s o c ia tio n w ith th e fin e arts, w ith m a n y lib raries h a v in g n o te w o rth y p ain tin gs h a n g in g in th e m . W ith o u r o ld treasu res th at w e k e p t to h a n g in th e n e w library, plus o u r n e w treasures in th e fo rm o f c o n te m p o r a r y art th a t w e w ill b u y , as w ell as gifts w e h a v e alread y re c e iv e d , S ien a C o lleg e c a n b e a d d e d to th e list o f librar­ ie s w ith sig n ifica n t art w o rk s to e n h a n c e its in ­ terio r sp a c e . N o te 1. H ild esley, C. H ugh. C o m p le te G u id e t o B u y ­ in g a n d S e llin g a t A u c tio n . N orton, 19 9 7 . ■ 9 0 / C&RL News ■ February 1999