Bachman Reflects On Auctioneering
Through The Decades
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.) While growing up,
whenever Harry Bachman wasn’t accompanying
his dad to livestock and farm auctions, he and his
four brothers conducted “pretend” auctions. Harry
always served as the auctioneer.
It is not surprising that Bachman decided upon
an auctioneering career early in life.
After he was graduated from Cornwall High
School in 1964, Bachman headed off to auction
school in Mason City, lowa. For two weeks
morning, noon, and night he and 80 classmates
“learned to count properly, chanted tongue twisters
and riddles, and heard how to take care for our
voices.”
Schooling was the fun part. More difficult was
finding an auctioneer who would allow him to serve
Most people would not be content to spend
weekends working furiously to make sure
things run smoothly during auction day, but it's
part of the package for Harry and Sandra
Bachman, who work together as a team for
about 40 years. Harry is a well-known and
respected auctioneer and Sandra clerks and
oversees the office bookwork.
y * - pi
Pennsylvania Auctioneers Association, switch
es easily between selling livestock and house
hold goods.
a two-year apprenticeship as required by Pennsyl
vania law.
Established auctioneers were reluctant to take on
an apprentice. In essence, that was training the
competition. Auctioneers knew after that appren
ticeship, the novice would become a licensed auc
tioneer, in competition for their business.
But Ammon “Windy” Boyd took the chance, and
allowed Bachman to assist him.
In 1968, Boyd died unexpectantly.
“I was at the right place at the right time,” Bach
man said of the opportunity to conduct the auctions
that were already in Boyd’s calendar.
Bachman breezed through the required final test
to become a licensed auctioneer.
“I was glad to get out and get going,” Bachman
said.
But auctioneering remained a part-time job for
him until 1978. Like most auctioneers, Bachman
needed a full-time job to provide money for his
family. He worked for a tractor company.
Eventually trying to manage two jobs grew too
hectic, and Bachman quite his full-time job to con
centrate on auctioneering.
“It was a scary choice. You got to get auctions in
order to get a pay check,” Bachman said.
“The first couple years were slow, but I got
enough auctions to keep food on the table,” Bach
man said.
“If you do a good job for someone, someone else
hears about and asks you (to auctioneer for them).
It sort of mushrooms. It’s like being an undertaker.
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