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THURSDAY-FRIDAY, AUGUST 7-8, 2014
AUCTION ACTION
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is All In The Family
HAPPENIN’ OTSEGO
4 Generations Of Austins Say Goin’, Goin’...
BEST BETS
By LIBBY CUDMORE COLLIERSVILLE
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ome families have skeletons in their closets. One family, the Austins of Austin Auctioneers here, sells those skeletons for profit. “We picked up a prop coffin with a skeleton inside from a funeral home in Schenevus,” said Margaret Austin, the founder’s daughter. “We put it out in front of the auction house, and cars were sliding all over the place trying Founder Ray to look at it.” Austin Sr. The coffin shows his – and the skel- stuff. eton; a prop, not a real one – fetched a good price from some college students when they went up on the Route 7 auction block the next week. It’s just one of the many strange and interesting objects four generations of Austins have put on the block. “That’s the best part,” said Ray Jr., Margaret’s brother. “You see the best and the worst houses in the county, and you meet some really interesting people.” Ray Sr. started the business in his teens. “I came home and I told my father, Charles, ‘Let’s go into the antiques business’,” he Ian Austin/ OTSEGO.seniority said. “We started with antiques, then used furniture, then aucFour generations of auctioneering Austins surround auctioneer Ray Sr., in front, with tions.” arm around granddaughter Angela Burr. In back, from left, are Ray Sr.’s grandsons After working for Oneonta’s Joe Van Warner and Dominic Chicorelli, son Ray Jr., grandson Mike Van Warner and daughter Margaret Van Warner. Front, from left, are Ray Sr.’s great-grandsons Sean Lettis Auction Room and Homer and Mikey Van Warner and Jeremiah Austin. Please See AUSTINS, B4
This unusual folk art stand, purchased by The Fenimore Art Museum for $10,000 in the spring, will be on display at “Art By The Lake” Saturday the 9th.
‘Art By Lake’ Features Fenimore’s Latest Find
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highly decorated stand, created by a bootblack, Giovanni Indelicato, The Fenimore Art Museum’s latest folk art acquisition, will be on display the “Art By The Lake” Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, on the museum’s back lawn at 5798 NY 80, Cooperstown. Info, (607) 547-1461. The Beekman Boys are guest judges at the exhibit. YE OLDE FAIRE: Take a trip back to medieval times with dancing, games, music, costumes and more. $5. 10 a.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 9-10, Windfall Dutch Barn, Cty. Rte. 31, Salt Springville. Info, www.windfalldutchbarn.com KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: Learn to identify and deal with invasive plants on a walk with the Master Gardeners. Pre-registration required. 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Aug. 9, Mount Otsego Ski Tow, 379 Wedderspoon Hollow Road, Cooperstown. Info, registration, (607) 547-2536.
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Tex Seamon’s Detective Work Finds Forgotten Veteran’s Kin By JIM KEVLIN RICHFIELD SPRINGS
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very time Tex Seamon passed that depression in the earth at the far end of the Lakeview Cemetery, it bothered him. There was a small metal
marker, standard VA issue, with the words, “George H. Clapsaddle, 1917-1994,” in tiny letters. Nothing more. Seamon, retired director of the county’s Veterans Service Agency, obtained a flag holder and placed it there; stop by, and you’ll see a small flag fluttering in the wind. It still bothered Tex, though, Please See VETERAN, A3
MOTO THRILLS: Red Bull Unadilla National motocross championships. Races start at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, Unadilla Motocross, 5986 NY 8, New Berlin. Info, www.UnadillaMX.com. GOOD TIMES: Come hear happy memories of growing up in the 6th Ward and share your own River Street adventures. 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, Swart Wilcox House, Wilcox Ave., Oneonta. Info, www.swartwilcoxhouse.wordpress. com.
Tex Seamon, right, questions John and Hilda Parker about the family’s connection to the Clapsaddles.
BEAUTIFUL STRINGS: American String Quartet performs Mozart, Mendelssohn and Schubert. $25 adults, $15 students. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, The Otesaga, 60 Lake St., Cooperstown. Info, tickets, www.cooperstownmusicfest.org.
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