With thanks to Gillian Evison for supplying the pictures.
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Sunday May 3rd 2009 and all roads for plant enthusiasts lead to Freeland Village Hall near Oxford where the Oxford branch were hosting their bi-annual auction. Following Cathy Darbon’s recent illness yours truly was on a three line whip as standby auctioneer in case Bill had to rush off but thankfully my services were not needed. People started arriving around 10.30 carrying in specimen plants for the auction and trays of plants for the general sales area all thankfully met by a team of helpers and directed to the kitchen area where Gillian Evison and other ladies of the branch were busy serving up cakes, tea, coffee and hot sausage rolls. Very welcome after the drive. I took down five trays of our branch stock for the general sales area and inspected the other offerings, but too late, the two plants I would have bought were already spoken for – drat. |
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Above: Bill Darbon is auctioneer at the Oxford Auction |
Above: An Astrophytum asterias hybrid ‘Super Kabuto’ |
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Gradually, as more arrived, the auction table filled up with plants ranging from the small but special to the large and unwanted. There were three rescued Ferocactus that were the size of footballs but only in tiny pots, trays of Mammillaria magallani, Turbinicarpus valdezianus and Epithelantha micromeris. Pots of choice seedling Haworthias and a plant of Agave micracantha, catalogued as Huge! in a 31cm (12”) bowl. In all a total of 91 lots. Bill Darbon started the auction with a number of helpers walking the plants around the audience and for many items the bidding was brisk although a few plants surprised us and did not even get a bid (although I understand these were sold privately afterwards). By half time the two stars were a beautiful multiheaded Copiapoa krainziana in a 23cm (9”0) pan and one of the largest Aztekium hintonii in a 10cm (4”) pot that most of us had seen going for £55 and £46 respectively. After a break where we got stuck in to large pieces of chocolate cake, I surprised the recent Oxford branch chairman Steve Williams with an Award of Merit which had been recommended by the branch. |
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Above Lot 22: Aztekium hintonii... on its own roots? |
Above: An old clustering plant of Euphorbia obesa |
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The selling recommenced but the football sized Feros were very reluctant to sell with two going for £4 & £5 and one not selling but every time a Copiapoa was brought on the bidding rapidly climbed. The trays of mature ‘seedlings’ all reached around £20-£25 and I suspect that many will have found their way onto eBay. The undoubted star of the day was reached just before the end when an Islaya paucispinosa standing over 12” tall and in full flower went for £60 and found its way back to N&MK, (not with me I would add). From Oxford Branch’s point of view I know the day was a great success and they added substantially to their accounts from the sales commissions and refreshments. We managed to sell a number of our branch plants and made over £16 after commission and I believe that of the six members of N&MK that attended all came away with a few additions to their collections. From comments I heard everyone enjoyed themselves and many are looking forward to next year when it will be our turn to host the auction all being well. David Thanks David and a timely reminder that we will be ‘hosting’ the auction on 24th April 2010 at Nether Heyford Village Hall just off the M1 at Junction 16. Details are available by clicking here |
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A beautiful Islaya paucispinosa on sale at the Oxford Auction |
