Troy Black Auctioneer
Black and Associates Auctioneers
Hayden, ID, (208) 699-1360
www.auctionsbyblack.net
What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, sale, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why?
I am super excited for all the events/auctions we are involved with coming up in 2022. From our Western collectible auctions to our Western and sporting life auctions. I think I speak for many people when I say it is great to just be able to meet back together in person and have these events. All of the events that we are involved with are huge opportunities for us to see artists and patrons and visit with them on the latest happenings as they add to their collections. These events are also great places for us to get a barometer on the market. The art community is like a family. All of these auctions are like mini family reunions. When one is finished I can’t wait for the next.
How do you prepare for an auction?
I have had the great blessing of being an art auctioneer for more than 25 years. Over these many years I have built relationships with many of the contemporary artists in our country. Because of these friendships I am able to know what these artists are doing and the accolades they are receiving. This allows me to know how to intelligently talk about each artist and the pieces they create. With the deceased artists I am continually studying these masters and their careers. Before each auction I receive a catalog several weeks before the auction. I study each piece and artist. Many times, I will reach out to the living artists and speak with them about their piece in the auction and gain as much information as I can. With those deceased artists, in the auction, I will go to my library and find information on the time periods of these masterpieces and look for any specific or unique information I can find. My goal is to know the catalog inside and out so I can efficiently move through the auction in a timely manner, all the while being able to speak about each piece and artist. It is tremendous work to prepare for an art auction.
What’s the secret to keeping bidders engaged in a sale?
This is always a major issue for me. I try and keep the bidders engaged by keeping the auction light and fun. We laugh and have a good time with the audience and our auctions. People have a good time at our auctions. I also know that time is my worst enemy. I have to move the auction in a quick and timely manner. The audience will only stay with me for a certain amount of time before I lose their attention. So moving through the auction efficiently is a must. Keeping things moving helps develop momentum and many times helps drive prices.
From your perspective, what is the state of the market? Is the Western art market strong?
I believe the art market is very strong. 2020 and 2021 brought a strong and robust market. We realized many world record prices for many contemporary and deceased artists. We also have had some of our highest percentages from this past year. I believe artists, auction houses and museums have done a great job continuing to keep the Western art market at the forefront of the world art market. Even though the market is strong there are always opportunities for new collectors to join our Western art family.
What is your dream artwork or collection to auction?
It is no secret that my all-time favorite artist/illustrator is Philip R. Goodwin. I just love his work. The story and emotion he portrays in his pieces just makes me smile. My wife Kristina and myself have enjoyed very much building our personal art collection. Art has a way of drawing you in and in turn invites many different emotions from the person observing the piece. This is one of the fun parts about building your very own collection. As you build your collection buy what you like and how the piece makes you feel. Buy what you enjoy, and enjoy what you buy. Collecting is fun!
Jason Brooks Auctioneer
Pine Mountain, GA
jasonwbrooks@hotmail.com
What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, sale, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why?
I’m always looking forward to the chance to gather at the auction to see old friends and make new acquaintances. I guess I’m always looking forward to my next auction in the same way a team looks forward to the next game. Each auction is special and unique in its own way with one thing for certain, all involved are there with at least one thing in common, a love of Western art. The opportunity to be the auctioneer involved with an individual’s first auction experience and make that experience phenomenal is a thing I’ll never tire of. The auction method of marketing is the purest, simplest and most powerful way to sell, and I genuinely look forward to doing my best job for all involved each and every time. The treasure hunt, the thrill of a new acquisition, and all the other various reasons to attend an auction are an experience I suggest you all seek out.
How do you prepare for an auction?
I just cross my fingers and hope for the best! Please, laugh, that was just a joke.
Preparing myself for an auction I think is probably nothing special or extraordinary. I refer to my past auction catalogs which have sale prices and notes of interest I made in real time during an auction. The internet in our information age provides loads of info of dates sold, sales prices, price per square inch, etc. My personal favorite source of information are the auction company principles who represent a combined centuries of knowledge, which they are willing to share with me. Other than that, a good night’s rest, a single Advil pre-auction to dissuade vocal cord inflammation and a trip to the men’s room because I’m usually up there for quite awhile.
What’s the secret to keeping bidders engaged in a sale?
I’m not exactly sure what the secret is. It’s like my Pawpaw’s BBQ sauce: no recipe but a lot of ingredients and people tend to come back for seconds. Remember that the art is the star of the show. Being thankful, humble and welcoming. A little spontaneous humor when it presents itself. Putting on a show without being showy; remember the art is the star. Applying the golden rule. Being encouraging without being pushy. Recognizing that auctions should and do, in fact, have in them a built-in sense of urgency and guiding bidders through it. I love what I do for a living and so do my ringmen. We just genuinely like people and love auctions. Honestly, we also want to be known as the best in our field and do our very best to act, learn and train accordingly. Combine all of those ingredients and it seems to work.
I have been very blessed during my career and I am very thankful people tend to come back for seconds.
From your perspective, what is the state of the market? Is the Western art market strong?
Across all segments of the auction industry I believe one could say things are up, positive and looking good. From my perspective that certainly holds true for the Western art market. Sell-through rates are at a minimum 90 percent, while often reaching the 95 to nearing 100 percent. All of that with postings of trending higher prices. Metrics and data are great but to me that’s not the entire story. I think a good auctioneer can help measure the intangibles and the organic, the gleam in a bidder’s eye, the set to the shoulders, the general feel of the room and the individuals in that room. From the auction podium I am seeing and feeling a great enthusiasm from bidders. High interest levels and very spirited bidding the past 18 months seem to be the norm, creating a very positive, energetic, even electric feel. It’s across the board with deceased artists hitting good marks, as well as contemporary active artists. There is some exceptional talent in the Western art scene and collectors are rewarding the artist for it. People are having fun and spending money and it’s a boatload of fun.
What is your dream artwork or collection to auction?
My dream artwork isn’t a specific collection or a specific artist. My dream is to help sellers recognize that the ultra-premium works should be sold at auction. I am also a firm believer that Western works should be sold in their natural environment of the great American West. There have always been and will always be reasons why pieces are sold privately, however, if a seller wishes to maximize exposure and give an artwork its very best chance to shine, the auction is the method, hands down, no doubts.
I believe logic and reason dictates these works would excel and do very well in a nurturing yet competitive auction environment. That’s my dream, to auction these great pieces that quite often get sold private treaty, to maximize through auction the recorded sales price above and beyond, to help add an even stronger legacy to the greater Western art scene and all of the amazing artists involved past and present.
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