Auction Home Page

Saturday April 24, 2010 – 10:30 AM

Treasure Hunt sale - Friday evening April 23 – 6:30 PM

Live Railroadiana Auction

Brookline Auction Gallery LLC
Route 130, Brookline, New Hampshire

in conjunction with Scott Czaja

free online Saturday Auction Catalog

We are thrilled to announce that we will be selling two major collections:

Gordon Alling (Connecticut)

Jim McFarlane (Maine)

Both of these collectors have some outstanding collection items:

Gordon Alling – some of the best lanterns in New England

Jim McFarlane – Historian and writer, excellent passes, Trolley & Railroad Public & Employee timetables

Both collections have other outstanding railroad items

The sale on April 24 will feature items from these collections

We will continue with phase 2 of both of these collections on October 16, 2010

o No hidden Reserves - All items will be sold

o New Auction format - Scott Czaja will catalog this auction and be available for consultation

o Left/Absentee bids will be accepted and fairly executed

o New Hampshire has NO state sales tax

Friday 4/23 Auction Listing

Saturday 4/24 Auction Listing

Brookline Auction Gallery LLC web site

Progress to date:

o March 3, 2010 – The Printed Catalog is available for purchase.
o March 2, 2010 – Catalog information (with samples) is available: Catalog Information
o March 1, 2010 – Absentee bidding information page is done: Absentee Bidding Information
o Feb 27, 2010 – The Printed Catalog is at the Printer.
o Feb 21, 2010 – The Consignment process for both April auctions is closed.
o Feb 20, 2010 – The full page ad in the Spring RCAI “Express” magazine looks great
o Feb 20, 2010 – New Gallery page with items by category: Lanterns, china, etc: Photo Gallery pages
o Feb 18, 2010 – Work on a printed catalog for Saturday continues
o Feb 15, 2010 – 420 Saturday lots are available for viewing: Saturday listing
o Jan 23, 2010 – 205 Friday lots are available for viewing: Friday listing
o Dec 30, 2009 – Friday now has “List” view and “Gallery” view
o Dec 22, 2009 – 302 Saturday lots are now photographed and typed, 102 Friday lots ready for viewing
o Dec 13, 2009 – 255 Saturday lots are now photographed and typed, 85 Friday lots ready for viewing
o Dec 2, 2009 – link to Friday listing
o Dec 1, 2009 - 205 Saturday lots complete and “catalog ready”
o Nov 29, 2009 - Announce Friday 4/23/2010 evening auction
o FAQ (frequently asked questions) have been added below
o November 2009: watch for more pics in the "photo gallery" above o November 2009: "Display table" at the Gaithersburg Railroad show was a success

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a "Reserve"? Why do I care?

Some antique auctions have used a semi-secret technique called a "reserve." It is a secret value below which an item will not be sold, and the item is returned to the consignor if no bidder reaches the secret minimum. This way of doing business is hard on bidders as well as the auction house. We are trying to make this auction a buyers' experience. Without reserves all items will be sold with no secret minimum values.

Q2	I have attended some of the Brookline Railroad Auctions. Will this one have a catalog? When can I get one?
A2	Yes. There will be a printed catalog. There will be an online catalog too. The printed catalog will be available mid March of 2010. The online catalog will be available sooner.

Q3	I have attended some of the Brookline Railroad Auctions. Will this one have a catalog? When can I get one?
A3	Yes. There will be a printed catalog. There will be an online catalog too. The printed catalog will be available mid March of 2010. The online catalog will be available sooner.

Why are there two web sites (www.TagTown.net and www.brooklineauctiongallery.com)?

Scott Czaja is the Sales Manager and is responsible for: getting consignments, catalog, answer collector questions.
Brookline Auction Gallery LLC will supply the auction facility including auction staff. Ron Pellitier, a licensed New Hampshire auctioneer will sell the actual items. Both Scott Czaja and Brooklilne Auction Gallery have other business activities that do not include each other. We are partnering on specific, live railroad auctions.

Q5	Do I have to attend in person or can I call in or mail a bid?
A5	We will definitely accept "left" bids. All bids are held in strict confidence. You can leave bids with Scott Czaja or Brookline Auction Gallery. You will be responsible for shipping, handling & insurance costs. There may be some large or "awkward to ship" items. They will be flagged in the catalog.

Will there be internet bidding?

There will not be ” live” internet bidding. This style of auction is a disservice to people that attend in person having to wait for someone sitting at a computer to actually determine when an item has sold and not the auctioneer. We may have absentee bidding through Auctionzip. Ron needs to determine how that would work. We will accept absentee bids via: phone, email or writing. You’ll need to register and agree to the legal terms of the auction.

Q7	Will there be phone bidding?
A7	Yes, we will accept phone bidding. If you know that you will need to bid by phone, please schedule with us early. We will also need to "register" you so scheduling is even more important. We will also need to know what lot(s) you are interested in. There are a few exceptional lots in this auction and we don't want anyone to miss an opportunity because they try to schedule phone bidding too late.

Q8	I am interested in consigning. What do I do?
A8	Contact Scott Czaja. I will ask for a list of what you have. We need to manage the material already consigned with new consignments so that everyone has a chance to have their items featured. We have many collecting categories that fill up fast.

Q9	What commission do you charge for consignments?
A9	This depends on: (1) how much you have, (2) the quality of what you have, (3) time to catalog which can include cleaning, packaging or other preparation work.

Q10	I see pictures of lots of lanterns, china and keys, what else is coming?
A10	There is a lot more coming. I need to include a “future items” gallery page.

Q11	I can’t wait to the auction to sell my things. Will you buy my collection?
A11	Yes. It helps if you have a list of what items you have. This way I can schedule a detailed evaluation.

Q12

Can I get on a list so I get updates on the auction?

A12

Yes, I will bring a "sign up" sheet to shows. In addition if you send me an eMail with "brookline auction" in the subject line I'll put your email address into a distribution list. When major milestones are met, I'll notify you regarding what we are up to and how to get access to new pictures and other information. We also all have non-internet friends. If you know of someone who is not online, please eMail me their mailing address and I'll send out notices when the catalog is available or other important milestones have been met.

Q13	Will you accept left bids from Canada?
A13	Yes. You would be responsible for paying in $US and you would be responsible for any duty fees. All customs forms will be filled out with an accurate accounting.

Q14

What is the difference between the Friday and Saturday auctions?

A14

The Friday evening auction will have fewer lots and there will not be a detailed catalog. There will
be a printed list but it will be brief. This is a great opportunity to dig through a box lot and find
a nugget of gold or launch a new collecting interest. There may be condition issues on some items.
Every lot will have a number but the lots may not follow a strict sequential order. Every lot in the
Saturday auction will be described in detail and I will guarantee authenticity and condition of every
Saturday auction item. The Saturday auction will also follow a strict sequential order by lot number.
Generally the Saturday items will sell for higher amounts. There will definitely be some Friday night
exceptions. There always have been.

Q15

Who are you?

A15

I, Scott Czaja, bought a switch key at a train show in 1972. I collected off and on for years and then got serious about collecting Railroadiana in the 1980s. I have been the New England Regional Vice President of the "Railroadiana Collectors Association Inc." since the mid 1990s. I have been a member of Key Lock and Lantern since the 1990s. I have been a member of various railroad historical societies for years. I have attended major Railroadiana shows since the 1990s. I have been a fulltime Railroadiana dealer since 2001. I did mail-order sales for years before there was an eBay. I have done detailed collection appraisals valued at $210,000 and $375,000. I use my name as my eBay ID: S*Czaja. I want collectors to find me and I have nothing to hide. It is my goal to make this an auction by a collector and for collectors.

Feel free to contact Scott Czaja at: sczaja@hotmail.com