A voice for every Portlander Paid for by Carmona for Mayor, Vana Carmona, Treasurer, PO Box 15111, Portland, ME 04112
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011 VOL. 3 NO. 196
PORTLAND, ME
PORTLAND’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
FREE
699-5801
New sales, same pitch After nearly 50 years of selling, auctioneer reflects on Maine’s changing tastes, buying trends BY DAVID CARKHUFF THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
A chair that would have sold for $65 a decade ago languishes, unable to draw a bid. Books stay in
their boxes. Ornate furniture ends up back in a dusty corner. In the world of auctioneer Harold Sutherland, a down economy and changing tastes in the world of collecting mean bigger challenges. Every Thursday in North Yarmouth, Sutherland points to bidders in a crowd in the Northern Lights Auction Hall and tries to drive up bids on "lots" — clusters of merchandise offered from tables loaded with miscellaneous belongings. For almost 50 years, Sutherland has sold watches, cameras, chairs, tables, china cabinets, carpentry tools, tires, paintings, sports cards, stamp collections, books, magazines, computers, candles, musical instruments, Christmas ornaments and every other variety of castoff imaginable. Sutherland said he has no illusions about drumming up hundred-dollar bids — times are tough, and television shows like "Auction Kings" on Discovery see AUCTIONEER page 10 LEFT: Harold Sutherland picks out bidders in the crowd at Northern Lights Auction Hall in North Yarmouth Thursday night. He was working hard, trying to unload thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in a tough economy. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO)
Mayoral candidates make final pitch
It’s time!
See the Q&A with city’s mayoral hopefuls on pages 4-5
Our endorsement for mayor of Portland See the Opinion section on page 6
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