Homer Edmiston Auction

[Guest connersrustyrow]

Homer Edmiston of rural Nebraska passed on in April of this year leaving behind an enormous trove of brass era automobiles & parts as well as parts for many cars up into the 20's, 30's & 40's. His collection of cars and parts feature Brush, Buick, Cadillac, Ford A & T, Ford NRS, Maxwell, Overland, REO and others. From the brass era there are

restored cars

project cars

piles of parts

accessories and literature

For those who are interested this collection will be auctioned at Homer's acreage outside of Greenwood, Nebraska on October 1st and 2nd, 2011. See some details at home page, Edmiston Estate Auction. This will give you a glimpse at some of the inventory to be offered. Thank you for your time and attention.

Sid Conner, Executor Homer Edmiston Estate

[Luv2Wrench]

Sid: Thanks for posting the news about this awesome auction here in the forum. I've been interested in this auction for quite some time and have some of questions.

Will you be selling individual parts or will parts be grouped. For example, the preview shows a group of magnetos. Can I bid on one specific magneto? Same for lights, steering wheels etc.

How early can we arrive to inspect the cars and parts? I am thinking I would need at least two days. I also need some odd parts that I don't see listed but I would be willing to bet Homer had them. Are we allowed to dig through the piles to find what we need?

Can purchased vehicles remain on site while awaiting shipping? If so, for how long? If not, will the be shipping options available?

The 1913 Metz (Lot 2H) you have pictured is not from 1913. I can see from one of the pictures it has a single chain drive instead of dual chain drive. This change was made in 1915 as the Model 22 was superseded by the Model 25. In addition, I don't think the turtle back on the car is not correct.

I am very excited about this auction and anxiously await more information.

[Guest connersrustyrow]

oldcarfan; Homer Edmiston's auction will be somewhat different from the sale you attended for Don Cleveland. Homer has 5 restored cars but enough parts to help restore hundreds of cars from Ford to Stutz. Homer was a salvage dealer and as such took great pride in locating the parts rather than completing the restorations. There should be something for everyone at Homer's sale. Thanks, Sid

[Guest BJM]

Do you think that there will be any PEERLESS stuff?

[Guest connersrustyrow]

Luv2wrench; Parts that have not been grouped as a project car will probably be sold in a group with the high bid taking choice of the items offered and the option of buying several for that top price. Then the bidding will open again for choice or finally for the balance of that group. Same for other like items. The auctioneer will determine the size of the groupings.

Formal inspection will be on Friday but we will be working there all day Thursday as well getting things out until sunset.

Purchased items can be left for a short time and some shippers may be at the sale. Several have indicated that shipping will probably happen on the return from the Hershey Swap meet and that will be acceptable as long arrangements are made with me ahead of time. The prime security of the items is the responsibility of the buyer so shipping asap is best.

With regards to the Metz: I greatly appreciate your information on the Metz. I am a novice with regard to this type of car and I used Homer's notes to date the car. I will research and make the necessary changes. I welcome this type of help. As you can see, this is an overwhelming task.

Yours, Sid Connner

[Guest connersrustyrow]

BJM, I have found a few suspected Peerless items but not much and no large items. There are quite a few unidentified pieces and several complete or partial bodies that I am not familiar with. Very little for Packard or Locomobile either. Nice set of Velie front spindels and hub caps showed up from the bottom of a pile just the other day, though. So much of the stuff will probably be seen for the first time just shortly before the auction. I will try to keep you informed. Sid

[Luv2Wrench]

Sid; Thanks for the information, I think I understand how the parts bidding will work and it sounds fair. My daughter and I are excited about flying to Nebraska for the auction.

There are several Metz owners in this forum that can provide a lot of detail should you need it. A good example of the car you have can be found here: 1915 Metz Model 25 Roadster #3349_ Metz/Waltham Automobiles – Motorcycles – Bicycles – Air-Car

[Guest BJM]

Thanks Sid. I will be there. If the bidding gets crazy then I can't do much but I will bid. Peerless is what I am looking for so if you see something, please advise.

[Guest cben09]

Bundeling the parts,,,then selling some,,and then the rest,,,no not all just more,,,,,NOW what is left in last LOT,???,,,Easy on auctioneer,,KRAZY for buyer,,,,think about it,,Ben

[Guest connersrustyrow]

cBen09, I understand your concern, but until you have seen how much there is to get through it is hard to believe. An auction of individual pieces could easily take up three full days. This will have to be a fast moving sale but we have only pictured a small amount of the items that are there. Jars of acetylene jets, brass bushings, boxes of headlamp lenses and mirrors, hundreds of brass carburetors, and on and on. We have been sorting and unearthing for three months already. The pre-sale viewing will be important as the lots should be set by then. Hope to see you there. Sid

[Luv2Wrench]

I am also concerned that this will make it difficult to by individual parts. I can see both sides of this issue. I think I will still attend the auction but will probably treat it more as a trip to see a historic collection of Brass era parts. I am quite afraid that the quantity of parts in a lot will price things out of my league.

[Guest cben09]

If you can't figgure what your'e bidd'n on,,,you probably wont bid too hi,,if at all,,been there done that,,,,Ben

[Guest BJM]

If nothing else, it's going to be a fun and pleasant experience. For the estate, i suppose it matters how much things sell for but bid what you can and stop, and if you get outbid so what?

If the sheer numbers of parts are that much, then I DO NOT want to be there for 3 days as each nut and screw is auctioned off. As you say "Been there done that" and the crowd gets distracted, bored, etc.

Doing it the way described will probably work.

[mercer09]

Can't open the photos- any chance you can mail a photo and description of the Maxwell and Buick to rdz69@aol.com?

thank you.

[jeff_a]

Nice. I can see a lot of potential for Hershey vendors, despite being so far from Pennsylvania. I bet you could start a swap meet business just from the 100 wire wheels, assuming you don't have to buy 30 lots of mixed parts to get them.

A few things in the pics that stuck out:

Model N Ford is definitely a keeper, as is the 1910 Mod. 16 Buick....a major find, IMHO. *** The auction site does show an original Peerless script motometer. ***

Saw some of those copper-clad Cadillac 4-cylinder jugs that look so nice when when restored and polished.

Saw a "fat man" steering wheel with intact wood rim and aluminum spider (patented about 1914).

Edited September 12, 2011 by jeff_a
Spotted a Peerless item! (see edit history)

[Luv2Wrench]

Can't open the photos- any chance you can mail a photo and description of the Maxwell and Buick to rdz69@aol.com?

thank you.

Sid: I forgot to mention that most of the pictures that were added last week do not load. For example...

VanDerBrink Auctions - Yvette VanDerBrink Auctioneer

[Guest prs519]

I want the engine in a tree! Can anyone identify it?

[Joe Block]

to much to comprehend. I life time of collecting.

[Guest connersrustyrow]

prs519, I think that the engine welded into the tree is an early Chevrolet engine with overhead valves according to one of the authorities helping me. We also have 3 of those engines just like that one that do not include a tree. One of those engines is marked MASON. They were an early motor manufacturer for Chevrolet engines. No relation to the Mason car or the Dusenberg brothers. Thanks, Sid

P.S. we also have several frames and one Overland project that include trees.

[Luv2Wrench]

Sid: When will the pictures on the auction page be fixed? A significant number of them still do not load. I am very interested in this auction but I really need more information before I can commit to spend the money on this trip.

[Guest BJM]

Sid

I will be there (from central Iowa) but it is absolutely imperative that I come over on Friday to check things out.

I think you mentioned this was OK but confirmation would be good since we are 2 1/2 weeks away.

Also, can you provide directions from I80 such as the exit # to use.I will be staying at the Peter Kiewit Lodge at a state park on the Platte River.

For others: This is close to Lincoln Nebraska and we are in the middle of football season. You may want to make sure the Cornhuskers are not playing at home that weekend or else hotel rooms may be hard to come by near the auciton site.

[DocsGal]

Bundeling the parts,,,then selling some,,and then the rest,,,no not all just more,,,,,NOW what is left in last LOT,???,,,Easy on auctioneer,,KRAZY for buyer,,,,think about it,,Ben

CBEN09;

I don't know if you have ever been to a an auction of a large estate like this but you have to realize that usually when someone like Mr. Edmiston passes away there is an INCREDIBLE amount of inventory to go through. It is absolutely mind-boggling to realize how extensive the collections can be and all of that has to be auctioned off in the space of one or two days. Estate auctions of this calibre NEVER sell just one or two pieces, or if they do, it is a RARE and expensive piece. There are TRAILER loads and fields and buildings of parts to be dispensed and those go in lots based on like parts or groupings of make and models. Looking through the collection on the website, it seems to include everything from the large to the smallest of items and I'll bet there are tons of jars and boxes of "Bits & Pieces" that aren't labeled, categorized or anything! This will be an EXHAUSTING day for both auctioneer and buyers as they go through a decades long collection of priceless and worthless items that had to be categorized ahead of time. This will DEFINITELY NOT be an easy day for the AUCTIONEER! He is going to be working his tail off!

When my father passed away he had a fairly organized mid-sized collection but it has still taken years to go through and inventory as an individual. I can't imagine having to go through fields and trailer loads worth of parts and having to categorize everything in the space of just six to seven short months as this executor is having to do. This is a great reminder for the old-timers to make sure they have plans in place for a talented executor to handle this type of responsibility as it seems Mr. Edmiston and his family have in this case. It is a DAUNTING job!

I wouldn't be anticipating any purchases of individual items unless it is a high-priced, rare item that would not be sold in a lot of like items. That is a completely unrealistic expectation of an estate auction of this magnitude.

DocsGal

[Guest cben09]

My objection is that the lots change size [that is for how many lots are put together]]],,or groupd,as it were,,as the bidding is in PROGRESS,,not as the catalogue defines the lot,,,,,,Putting lots together is O-K,,BUT,,giving the bidder a choice of any number ,,one or all on a page,is impossible to follow,,

Yes I have been to auctions that included the cows,cars,silo,contents of house and barn,,tractors,and the banks interest in the land,,

Carl Amsleys auction in StThomas Pa was legendary as well Stanley steam cars and a lifetime of ,,,,everything,,,Mervin Hilpipper Cedar Rapids Iowa I think,,did that auction,,,,one to never be forgotten,,, As many as 12 items a minute,,,once you lost your place in the book you missed 6 items finding your place again,,,Intense was barely the word,,,but at least I knew what I was bidding on,,

Thanks for being mindful of us older collectors,,,clear announciation and clear speech will encourage a bidder,also,,

My best wishes to your crew,,and may the sun shine for the whole week,,Best wishes,,,Ben in Maine

[Lebowski]

Sid

This is close to Lincoln Nebraska and we are in the middle of football season. You may want to make sure the Cornhuskers are not playing at home that weekend or else hotel rooms may be hard to come by near the auciton site.

The Huskers are playing at Wisconsin tomorrow. I'm pretty sure the auction people looked at the Huskers schedule before they scheduled this auction....

[Hemi Joel]

Today, I heard that Homer had a top and windshield assembly for a 1910 Maytag. I would assume that they were included in the auction. I could use those, does anyone know who may have got them? Thanks, Joel

[Chris Paulsen]

I was at the auction. I don't remember anything specifically marked "Maytag", but there was so much stuff, it may have been there. I did buy a lot of the windshields and windshield parts, and none that I got were marked Maytag.

 

[caddyshack]

I agree with Chris. I was there also and never saw any Maytag items. Not to say I could have missed an item or two. That was one of the best auctions that I have ever been to. Way to much stuff for a couple of days bidding. And people stuffing the good stuff under junk. All in all lots of fun and scored pretty well on the Brush and early Cad stuff.

[Joe in Canada]

I think I should have hooked up my truck and trailer and gone for a drive.

I just noted the date on this old posting. But I was retired then and still could have gone.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[Hemi Joel]

Thanks for the replies. 

[Hemi Joel]

I just reviewed some correspondence between buyer and seller from when my Maytag changed hands in 1957. It the buyer had inquired as to whether there was a name on the windshield, and the seller replied that their was no name. So I would have to match it up from pictures and measurements.