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Monday Nights at the Broadcove Auction

By Maeve Rich

On any given Monday night you will find Barbara Partridge at the Broadcove Auction. “I sit in the front row, in the first seat,” she says. She comes for the Oriental rugs. Others come for antique beds, tables, and lamps. Barbara Saad buys something almost every week. “There’s certain things I like. Dishware you can’t find anywhere else. You can also find larger pieces.”

Auctioneer Scott McCulloch’s voice echoes rapidly throughout the building. Rows of chairs sit in the center of a large room, antiques lining the perimeter. A lobby greets guests before they enter the main room. In this lobby is a snack counter, and dark, comfortable chairs to relax in. Partridge is taking a break in one of these chairs, watching the Red Sox game. Other people step out occasionally to buy a soda or popcorn, check the score of the game, or talk to someone without disturbing those participating in the auction.

Donald Lincoln took several pieces out to his car midway through the auction before returning. He says for a lot of people, the auction can be a social event. For others, it’s purely business. Owners of retail auction shops come far and wide to the Broadcove Auctions for their unique goods and family service. About half of the people in attendance are regulars.

The McCulloch’s run this show. Norm McCulloch started it years ago, and has over forty years in the auction business. His wife Judy runs the “behind the scenes” and their son Scott is the voice heard quickly describing the antiques and taking bids. Norm and Judy also have two granddaughters working with them.

One of the benefits of coming is the ability to preview the antiques before the auction. They open the doors at 9am Monday morning and people filter in and out throughout the day, eyeing what they may purchase, taking pictures and writing notes. Some take the information they collect home and look up the antiques before coming back that evening to bid. Before the auction begins at 6:30pm, those interested in bidding register for a number, which they will raise to accept the purchase of a particular item. Whomever bids the highest takes the item home.

The McCulloch’s accept individual antiques or entire estates to sell at the auctions. Lincoln has brought goods to them before; Partridge brought some just last week.

Unique items are a big draw for many people that come to these auctions. So is the chance to obtain rare items. “Once every four weeks, they have what we call the Big Auction,” says Partridge. “It’s all good antiques, high class, high priced. They advertise…and they also have a website, and we get people from Connecticut, Maine and Florida. They see for instance there’s going to be Stickley furniture, and it’s hard to come by good Stickley, and so they come for something like that.”

The auction runs until everything sells, usually about 9:30pm. Most people will stay until what they want has been auctioned. Some will stay until their friends are done, and the group will go elsewhere for a late dinner.

Whether you’re furnishing a new house or just interested in checking an auction out, the Broadcove Auctions are a great way to spend a Monday night. They’re located at 20 Broad Cove Road, Route 3A, in Hingham. They also have a website, www.BroadcoveAuctions.com.

 

 

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