Robert Rauhauser auctions

[Lewill2]

Robert Rauhauser was a life long collector of all kinds of interesting items. Anything from York County Pa was fair game as well as many other items, hay forks, hay trolleys, hay knives, nut crackers, ice tools, corn shellers, wrenches on and on. He was known all around the country but very few ever saw much of his collection except for a quick look from the doorway of his buildings. He passed away over 2 years ago and for over a year they have been selling his estate at auctions. The auctioneer takes a enclosed car trailer over to the farm and the family members load the trailer up as they empty the buildings. They never know for sure what will come in the next trailer. Hay trolley collectors have been watching the auctions closely because he had a lot of hay related stuff including salesman samples. Tomorrow February 26th is the next auction. Several salesman sample hay tools are in the auction, one item being a rare hay trolley with the miniature barn, hay trolley beam, hay trolley, rope and drop pulley that is expected to sell for the $20k range. Previous salesman samples from this collection have reached that range. The unexpected item that seems to be stealing the attention is a Westinghouse desk/table fan. Supposedly the only known example. I don't collect old fans but this has gotten my attention, as I write this the current online bid stands at $40k. They estimate it will take several years to sell the complete collection with one dedicated auction approximately every month or 2. Mid week auctions at the auctioneer's facility usually have lesser valuable items selling. It is amazing how much stuff we can accumulate during our lives.

https://rentzelsauctionservice.hibid.com/catalog/342978/220226-rauhauser-family-trust-auction/?cpage=2&ipp=100     

[amecks]

Amazing,  several years to sell it all.  The Westinghouse fan, at $45,500, is untested.  And it doesn't even have a complete cord.  Imagine what the bid would be if the auctioneer could say it works!

[Lewill2]

Apparently Westinghouse started making home use electric fans around 1910. I'm not sure of the date of this one but it must be fairly early.

[mvwcnews]

I had lost track of the Rauhauser auctions.  I see the "final" on the sale has a surprising number of "no sale" lots -- part of that seems to be poor descriptions as I saw one  lot with a Langs Tire Bolt Wrench that never got a bid -- it was not accurately described.  And one lot with two separator disc washers had them listed as rope winders.

[Lewill2]

All lots sold, they might not have had online bids but they all sold. Salesman samples did extremely well.