I went to my first antique auction with my Grandfather in Rindge, NH when I was eight-years-old during a vacation at their lake cottage. I went to my favorite antique auction thirty years later, on a recent visit to William A. Smith auctions in Plainfield, NH. Where to begin ...
I had heard high praise for the auction house over the years. Living primarily in Boston and Washington, D.C., I never had the opportunity to make the trek up. Online or absentee bidding is always an option at most auction houses, but there is much to be said for attending in person. It’s kind of like baseball – I can watch the Red Sox on NESN, and avidly do - but you just can’t replicate the sights and the sounds of being at Fenway.
Anyway, I was interested in an early 1800s tall case Grandfather Clock. I submitted an inquiry via the website. To my surprise, within the hour, I received a personal phone call. The clock was a stunner, but not without flaw. (What is after over 200 years of use?) And, again, to my pleasant surprise, Ken (an affable and longtime employee at the auction house) spoke firsthand and forthright about every one of them – some I hadn’t even noticed.
Integrity, personified.
Not only did I buy the clock, I bought ten other items. From a beautiful cherry highboy to a classic Connecticut River Valley chest of drawers – all with wonderful provenance. I had planned to stay at the auction for an hour; ended up staying for six. I bought myriad beautiful pieces – and did so with absolute peace of mind.
Side note: a congenial woman seated next to me shared a story. She has been attending auctions there for years. She once bought a lot of jewelry for upwards of $500. A bit wary of her purchase after the fact, Bill (the proprietor) said: "I tell you what, if you should find that you did NOT get good value on that purchase, bring it back and I will refund your money - no questions asked." She later brought the lot to a jeweler ... where it appraised for roughly $5,000. Not too shabby.
Bill Smith is a seasoned and esteemed auctioneer. He introduces each piece with intricate information, and does so with a rare and appealing brand of candor and humor. If a piece has flaws, he highlights them. If a piece carries not only perfection but provenance, he humbly touts it. And if a piece is, well, that occasional dud, he will present it as such. No surprises. No false advertising.
I have long worked in politics and marketing – with the scars and wrinkles to show for it. Without exception or excuse, Bill meets my definition of credibility: saying what you mean, and meaning what you say. From top to bottom, his hardworking team is forthright, fair, honest, and infinitely kind.
Heck, even if you’re not in the market for antiques, an auction there makes for a relaxing road trip and day right out of Yankee Magazine or a Garrison Keillor monologue. No matter where you’re coming from, odds are you will cross the Connecticut River on a picturesque covered bridge, traverse some tranquil country roads, and come upon their quaint auction house. Right out of a Winslow Homer painting.
As serene as it gets.
Family run businesses are, sadly, a vanishing entity – but they remain firmly a part of the fabric of America. The best part, really. I assure you: there is a reason this one is still going strong after over half a century. The quality. The people. The place. It is quintessentially American; uniquely New England.
I have long attended antique auctions in cities up and down the East Coast. There is none finer than W.A. Smith in Plainfield, NH.
Best burgers for miles, to boot.
Ben Clarke -...
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