IS—Uiicntor Farming, Saturday, May 5,1979
For Paul Martin , auctioneering is a way of life
By KENDACE SORRY
NEW HOLLAND - Paul
Z. Martin, auctioneer, may
have retired from owning bis
own sales stables near In
tercourse, but that doesn’t
mean he won’t still be active
in the auction business.
His business is now owned
by Martin Auctioneers, Inc.,
which means that his sons,
Larry, and Paul Martin, Jr.
are in a corporation at die
Sales Stables with their
office in New Holland. And
bis daughter, Shirley, acts as
secretary for the group.
Also, Paul Martin, Sr., is
quick to point out, his oldest
son, Vernon, is also an
auctioneer, although not
affiliated with this group.
Which all just proves that
with the Martins, auc
tioneering runs in the
family.
For Paul Martin, Sr., it
started some 51 years ago,
when he was associated with
his father who was a horse
dealer. They held horse
This Royai Hanover Coach, once owned by King George V, will be one of the
items auctioned at the Martin’s eighth annual carriage auction to be held in May.
Horse club taking members
The second meeting for the
Lancaster County Horse
Production Club was held
April 17 at the Farrington’s.
The 4-H dub members would
like to send a special thanks
to Terry Helter from the
York County Production
dub for his advise and
helpful suggestions.
sales, and he was involved
with his first sale when he
was 18 years old.
He went to auctioneer
school in 1947 and since 1962,
has worked as an instructor
at a school teaching the
auctioneering skills. He tells
the students about horse
auctions and bid spotting.
Today, Martin, related, he
still works about 100 days
each year doing horse sales,
both auctioneering and bid
spotting. These sales are
located all over the U.S. and
Canada.
He told that he just “likes
being an auctioneer,
especially in the horse end”.
The three most common
breeds that he works with
are the American Sad
dlebreds, the Stan
dardbreds, and the
Thoroughbreds.
“A horse auctioneer has to
know horses,” he com
mented. “both their type and
quality. And also their
pedigree is important.”
It was announced that
June 1 is the deadline for the
members selection of
project horse or horses.
The dub members voted
that there will be dues of $2
to covenpostage expenses.
The next meeting will be
on May 15 at 7:30 p.m. and
He said that horse sales
have changed over the past
s 50 years, with the big sales
much bigger and prices
much higher.
In 1977, he told of a sale he
was involved in, in Ken
tucky, where a Thorough
bred yearling sold for Vh.
million dollars. The horse
will start on the race track
this year. That, he stated,
was the most expensive
horse, he ever helped to sell.
For one sales company in
Lexington, Kentucky, he
noted, be helped sell 121
million dollars wortii of
horseflesh in 1978. The
horses. Thoroughbreds,
were sold in 17 days in in
tervals throughout the year.
Right now, the Martins are
busy getting ready for their
eighth annual carriage sale
on May 17,18, and 19.
Martin told that 300 to 350
carriages and horse related
wagons and other items will
be sold throughout the sale.
And on Friday and Saturday
will be held at the Spahn’s
(Hobo Acres) in Strasburg.
If directions are needed call
Jean Spahn at 717-687-8858. It
is not too late to join. Anyone
interested in joining should
call Rose Fellenbauifi (569-
3068) or Jean Spahn for more
information.
of the sale, they will be
selling in two tents, a first
for the carriage sale.
One of the items that will
be sold is a Royal Hanover
Coach, from the House of
Hanover, the one time
property of King George V.
It was in use approximately
from 1837 to 1866.
Martin stated that these
carriage sales, which take
place twice yearly, are the
only ones of their size and
calibre.
Why do people buy
carriages?
“People collect them,"
Martin commented.
“Carriages are. like the
antique market, they’re
getting scarce, and the
supply of good vehicles just
isn’t around.”
“A lot of the carriages
purchased will be used,” he
continued. “For instance,
there is a marathon (show)
held at the same time of the
Devon Horse Show, and
people parade their
carriages in that.
The auctioneer business is
“booming” according to
Martin, with him telling that
the auction profession is
getting more professional all
the time.
A good auctioneer has the
right attitude, is friendly,
and, above all, desires to be
an auctioneer, he com
mented. “It’s a good
business to get into, there is
money in all fields.”
He added that besides the
usual sales he is involved in,
that both he and his sons also
do charity auctions.
He noted that Martin
Auctioneers is licensed in
every state that has licenses
and belongs to Pa. and the
National Auctioneers
Association.
“The auction business is
growing in leaps and
bounds” he summed it up.
“Just look in Lancaster
Paul Z. Martin, standing at the entrdhfce of
Martin Auctioneers, Inc., on Main Strefct inNew
Holland, demonstrates his classic he
checks for last bids before declaring
Farming, and see all the
sales. There has to be
auctioneers for each one of
them.”