Amidala Prototype blaster casts from propstore Lot # 1339, help please!

[eethan]

Hi there,
this is probably highly uncommon, but let's try...
I was following the propstore auctions closely for the sole purpose of trying to bid for the "prototype" casts of Padme blasters,

well, when the time finaly came, there was one bid for 800£, I waited a second to avoid driving the price up and see of anyone else would bid before I placed my own bid, and the lot closed without any warning. I even clicked the bid button in case it would re-open the bidding like I have seen on previous lots but it did nothing.

I'm very sad of this issue as I was extremely serious about bidding on that item and it closed very prematurely without fair warning or any discussion from the auctioneer, I didn't see it coming at all and I was very focused on what was happening.

I'm posting this here, not to complain or ask for the bid to re-open, obviously, I know no one here has anything to do with that! I'm just discussing this in case someone here won that item and would be open to selling it back to me or even one of the 3 casts, well, I would certainly appreciate it!

thank you for your time guys.

 

[joberg]

Well, that sucks I guess you have to be a fast drawer when it comes to these type of auctions
Hopefully, someone here has some or all of the loot...keep us posted

 

[eethan]

This was a much less expensive lot and by misfortune, the auctioneer changed just two lots earlier, i think he was super fast because he just took over. All in all, pure Bad Luck, i didn't even see it coming.
My only confort is to tell myself that if i bod, maybe someone would have bod against me, but there didn't seem to be much interest in this lot.. or other encountered the same issue i had...

 

[eethan]

Propstore has answered my message and offered me to pass along an offer to the buyer on my behalf! I have done so and although I don't expect this will work or have no idea how this would be handled, I'm grateful and I'm really hoping the buyer will accept!
please please please, that would be awesome!
fingers crossed

 

[thd9791]

How.. so I’m trying to understand this, the auction closed before the end of the auction because someone just outright bought it? I’m wondering how someone does this, or what the point of a timed auction is if that can happen lol

 

[eethan]

How.. so I’m trying to understand this, the auction closed before the end of the auction because someone just outright bought it? I’m wondering how someone does this, or what the point of a timed auction is if that can happen lol

no not really, it's just that the auctioneer went very very quickly, didn't discuss anything, didn't issue a fair warning, didn't push people to bid higher, nothing. someone bod 800£, that was the reserve, and the auctioneer hammered the price without warning. so I didn't see the end of the auction coming and didn't place my own bid, even though, once again, I was super focussed on what was happening, had the mouse on the button and just waited a couple seconds.

I'm just hoping that this second chance with propstore passing along my offer to the buyer will work, but I have not much hopes.
cheers

 

[JetSetWilly]

I watched a lot of the auctions over the weekend and there were several occasions where I thought, wow, not much chance of getting a bid in there. Particularly Friday night where they ran over past midnight. They seemed to fly through quite a few with the hammer coming down quick.
There was certainly no consistency in the ‘fair warning’ times.

Quite a few times going the opposite way too where the hammer came down quick but they opened back up for online bids.
All seemed a bit rushed and hectic at times.

 

[el toro]

Weird. I thought it’s standard procedure for the auctioneer to state fair warning before closing each auction. So, the auctioneer waited for only one second before closing the auction? Or was it for longer?

 

[eethan]

Yes i also expected there was Always a fair warning, that's mainly why i missed it.

It's hard to explain, i think it lasted around 5 seconds max. The auction oppened, there was one bid right away, aanndd the auction closed.

It took basically the time to read my sentence above, there was no warning and the auctioneer didn't say a word for that lot after it oppened.
Thank you for your support guys, i appreciate it. I was completely bummed after it happened.
Cheers

 

[el toro]

Yes i also expected there was Always a fair warning, that's mainly why i missed it.

It's hard to explain, i think it lasted around 5 seconds max. The auction oppened, there was one bid right away, aanndd the auction closed.

It took basically the time to read my sentence above, there was no warning and the auctioneer didn't say a word for that lot after it oppened.
Thank you for your support guys, i appreciate it. I was completely bummed after it happened.
Cheers

I hope the buyer sells one of them to you. He already has three. That wasn’t a bad price either for all three.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I hope the buyer sells one of them to you. He already has three. That wasn’t a bad price either for all three.

You're talking about collectors though, so in the owner's mind he only has three. I really liked this blaster so I hope you are able to get one.

 

[Art Andrews]

[Takes off RPF hat. Puts on Propstore hat.]

Hi eethan

First, I am sorry you weren't successful in winning the blasters. Those castings are very cool. As you have mentioned, the auction can move very quickly, and because we employ live auctioneers, there is a human element involved in selling each lot. While it probably sounds crappy in retrospect, we encourage bidders to place their bids as soon as possible to avoid missing out, and we also offer absentee (sending in your bid early) and live-phone bidding. I always use phone bidding because that gives me a live representative in the auction room speaking on my behalf in case the auctioneer is moving too quickly or not giving me the time I want/need. I can't tell you how much stress that takes away from me when I want to bid on an item. I am far more apprehensive when bidding via auction houses that are online only for the exact reasons you stated above. I know that doesn't help for this missed opportunity, but I thought it was worth mentioning for future bidding.

While it is frustrating not to win a particular lot, we do offer a "reseller" service in which we will reach out to a past winner/buyer and make an offer on your behalf. I have spoken with our UK team, who, as you previously mentioned, would be happy to reach out to the winning bidder on your behalf and will let you know what they hear back. While this doesn't work all the time, it works more often than you might guess. I'd encourage you to take advantage of it. Best of luck!

[Takes Propstore hat. Puts on RPF hat.]

 

[eethan]

[Takes off RPF hat. Puts on Propstore hat.]

Hi eethan

First, I am sorry you weren't successful in winning the blasters. Those castings are very cool. As you have mentioned, the auction can move very quickly, and because we employ live auctioneers, there is a human element involved in selling each lot. While it probably sounds crappy in retrospect, we encourage bidders to place their bids as soon as possible to avoid missing out, and we also offer absentee (sending in your bid early) and live-phone bidding. I always use phone bidding because that gives me a live representative in the auction room speaking on my behalf in case the auctioneer is moving too quickly or not giving me the time I want/need. I can't tell you how much stress that takes away from me when I want to bid on an item. I am far more apprehensive when bidding via auction houses that are online only for the exact reasons you stated above. I know that doesn't help for this missed opportunity, but I thought it was worth mentioning for future bidding.

While it is frustrating not to win a particular lot, we do offer a "reseller" service in which we will reach out to a past winner/buyer and make an offer on your behalf. I have spoken with our UK team, who, as you previously mentioned, would be happy to reach out to the winning bidder on your behalf and will let you know what they hear back. While this doesn't work all the time, it works more often than you might guess. I'd encourage you to take advantage of it. Best of luck!

[Takes Propstore hat. Puts on RPF hat.]

Hi Art, thank you for taking the time to answer that, I appreciate it.
As mentioned earlier, I'm very sad i missed out on this as it is a very dear prop to me, however, i'm really appreciative of the support i received on this thread! Thank you all

To answer you, the phone bidding seems nice Indeed as the auctioneer pays close attention to his colleagues on the phone. It wouln'd work in my case as i'm French and not confortable speaking English on the phone, especially for a stressful situation like this one. But that's on me and it's certainly a very good advice.

For the second option of reaching out to propstore for help, as you have seen above, i have indeed immediately sent an email to support and they are indeed going to contact the buyer on my behalf with an offer. I'm not too confident it will work but certainly hoping it will!

Thank you again

 

[thd9791]

This was a very good thread to make, should I ever be in a position to be able to bid on one of these auctions, I've learned a lot in these few posts, Thank you from me as well!

 

[eethan]

I have heard back from Viki from propstore now and the buyer is not interested. I have asked if it was possible to present him with a higher offer as a last try...
Damn!

Something i'm still wondering is how it would work in the case the buyer accepted my offer. I understand he has already paid the premium to propstore. I don't know if propstore would handle the sale between us and also if they would ask for a new premium from me. It's complicated!

 

[thd9791]

PM incoming Matthieu, maintenant

 

[el toro]

I have heard back from Viki from propstore now and the buyer is not interested. I have asked if it was possible to present him with a higher offer as a last try...
Damn!

Something i'm still wondering is how it would work in the case the buyer accepted my offer. I understand he has already paid the premium to propstore. I don't know if propstore would handle the sale between us and also if they would ask for a new premium from me. It's complicated!

Maybe ask to pay a lesser amount for a cast of his casts?

 

[eethan]

Maybe ask to pay a lesser amount for a cast of his casts?

well, sadly, I can call this pretty much over, I didn't have a direct communication with the buyer, apparently he is not interested in selling for any amount, so I just have to put this behind me now!
I don't know who the buyer is, but, he is a very lucky person! I hope this will somehow get back to the community a bit like I intended to do if I got those casts. This was a very rare opportunity. this particular blaster is very secret for some reason and this auction was the first opportunity to get closer to it, I think it would have been good that this was used to share a bit with others here.
we will see!

 

[LewisD]

well, sadly, I can call this pretty much over, I didn't have a direct communication with the buyer, apparently he is not interested in selling for any amount, so I just have to put this behind me now!
I don't know who the buyer is, but, he is a very lucky person! I hope this will somehow get back to the community a bit like I intended to do if I got those casts. This was a very rare opportunity. this particular blaster is very secret for some reason and this auction was the first opportunity to get closer to it, I think it would have been good that this was used to share a bit with others here.
we will see!

You never know what will happen in this hobby. The buyer may eventually sell to someone who is more open to sharing it publicly, or PropStore may very well auction additional casts in the future. Who knows how many exist.