Braun & Helmer Auction Service

Champion Saline auctioneer going to international competition


Thursday, July 13, 2006
BY LISA ALLMENDINGER

News Special Writer
Auctioneer David Helmer of Saline doesn’t wear much jewelry, but the gold ring
with a dark green stone on his right hand signifies his title as the 2006 Michigan
State Champion Auctioneer.

Helmer won the title in January, but it wasn’t until the ring arrived in the
mail about two months later that the prestigious auction industry honor truly
hit home.

Sure, there was a trophy that went with the title after he bested about 24
other participants in his ninth year of competing in the event, but the 31-year-old
said the ring was what made the title feel real for him.

“He’s got a genius memory and a gift of retaining information,'’ said
Dennis Beals, of Haslett, who sits on the state auctioneer’s board.

“For his age, he’s like a veteran,'’ Beals said. “It’s amazing what
he knows about sports and sports memorabilia.'’

Helmer utilized his love for sports items in the state competition earlier
this year. He auctioned off an autographed picture of former President Gerald
R. Ford in his University of Michigan football uniform to showcase his bid-calling
talents.

With the state title in hand, Helmer will be one of 91 contestants from across
the country Friday competing in the 19th Annual International Auctioneer Championship.

The event will take place in Orlando, Fla., at the Caribe Royale Resort, but
the Saline resident will not bring an item to auction. He said the committee
hosting the event will provide the contestants with identical items for the
competition.

Jim Klein of Adrian recalled Helmer’s early days in the business. “I bid
on the first item he ever held. If I hadn’t, we’d still be there,'’ Klein said
with a laugh. “He was so slow.'’

Helmer said it was an old walnut bed and although Klein paid for the item,
he left it there.

Sunday, about 10 years after that debut, Helmer stood side-by-side on a trailer
bed next to his father, Jerry Helmer, calling a small auction in Manchester.
About 300 people encircled them and Klein was in the group. Also there was David
Finn of Deerfield, another auction regular.

“They are one of the few auctioneers who sell side-by-side,'’ Finn said.
“They don’t take themselves too seriously. They tell jokes and it’s fun,'’
Finn said.

Jan Lemmon of Romulus, who has known David Helmer for 20 years, said his charisma
and attitude make Helmer an outstanding auctioneer.

Sunday, about 10 years after that debut, Helmer stood side-by-side on a trailer
bed next to his father, Jerry Helmer, calling a small auction in Manchester.
About 300 people encircled them and Klein was in the group. Also there was David
Finn of Deerfield, another auction regular.

“They are one of the few auctioneers who sell side-by-side,'’ Finn said.
“They don’t take themselves too seriously. They tell jokes and it’s fun,'’
Finn said.

Jan Lemmon of Romulus, who has known David Helmer for 20 years, said his charisma
and attitude make Helmer an outstanding auctioneer.

Fellow auctioneer Bob Goetz of Pinckney said it was Helmer’s encouragement that
got him into the business. “He directed me to auction school,'’ Goetz said.
“He’s a guy who builds people up.'’

Helmer said he will be judged Friday on his “bid-calling'’ technique as
he auctions off three items that will be provided by the National Auctioneers
Association, which sponsors the competition.

“My speed, clarity and rhythm will be key. A big part of it is how you
look; your body language,'’ he said, adding that “poise, posture and command
are also important.'’

He said the judges, comprised of a past champion, someone in the auction industry
and someone outside the business, won’t know the 66 men and 25 women expected
to compete.

Helmer graduated from the Missouri Auction School in 1996 and received a bachelor’s
degree in communications and marketing from Eastern Michigan University in 1998.

He’s president of the Michigan State Auctioneers Association and a member of
the National Auctioneers Association.

“David’s been in the auction business since he was 12,'’ his father said,
and he has been involved in more than 800 auctions.

People can listen to the action at the bid-calling competition this weekend
and even bid via the Internet.

To sign up or to view a list of the competitors, go to www.auctioneers.org.

The winner will receive $10,000 in cash, a championship trophy and a 2006 championship
ring.

“I’m competing against myself,'’ Helmer said. “If this were the Kentucky
Derby, I’d be the dark horse.

News Article

Pokadot calls on Michigan champ Braun and Helmer Auction
Service

By Karin Milliman

What did Pokadot the Clown and Friends do when they decided to retire from
the business and move to Florida? They called the 2006 Michigan State Auctioneers
Association bid calling champion, David G. Helmer.

Helmer responded promptly to their request, undertaking the auction at Whitmore
Lake in June. The personal possessions of Charles and Sally Hasselbach included
all of Sally’s collection from her lifetime career of being a happy clown.

There were costumes, magic tricks, gifts for the kids, and even a large foam
camera among these great collectibles. And the crowd was in a great mood enjoying
the beautiful weather, so they joked among themselves and constantly picked
on the auctioneers who had to be on their toes.

Married for 42 years, the Hasselbach’s have raised four children and have nine
grandchildren. They have lived in Ann Arbor for more than 27 years, and raised
horses, sheep, goats, ducks, geese, guineas, chickens, rabbits, dogs and cats.

“I have always loved children. They are the dear little blossoms and I
have worked with them for most of my adult life,” Sally said the day of
the auction. “As I was coming down the birth canal I bumped my nose really
hard. It was all red and swollen and at the moment of birth, the doctor told
my mother, you’ve got a real clown ther and I’ve been clowning ever since! The
truth is even my school teachers recognized this.”

Sally learned her early clowning from books and natural talent, and later met
a couple of good circus clowns who helped her perfect her skills. She is a member
of Clowns of American International, World Clown Association, Ann Arbor Magic
Club, International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring 54, Fellowship of Christian
Magicians, International Mother Goose Guild, Detroit Puppeteers Guild, and the
Detroit Area Professional Entertainers.

About nine years ago, Charlie decided to join Sally and become a clown. He
started helping out and together they have been in parades, at schools and day
cares, preschools, country clubs, banquets, fairs, grand opening, children’s
church events, block parties, at malls, corporate events, an uncountable amount
of birthday parties, and on local television shows.

It is no surprise that the Hasselbachs chose the expertise of Braun and Helmer
Auction Service, Inc., who have been a full service auction company since 1971
and have auctioned off all sorts of items over the years.

Auctioneers Brian Braun and David and Jerry Helmer were eager to get down to
business for the Hasselbachs. So, with an auctioneer on each end of an old farm
trailer, the auction got off to a fast and furious start. You really had to
pay attention, because the items moved fast with two auctioneers selling off
the same trailer. But the bidders were ready and the prices just kept moving
up.

Taken from the trailer, a John Turck Watchmaker’s cabinet was a popular item.
The bidding on this great cabinet reached $110.

Moving into the line of entertainment, Braun and Helmer offered up a 2002 57
inch Hitachi Ultra vision digital television. This big television was plugged
in and was playing so that prospective bidder could see how great it worked.
This huge set sold for $800.

“Charlie has retired and we are scaling down to something just big enough
for the two of us,” said Sally Hasselbach. Sally sat in her chair and watched
as the auctioneers had fun selling off her magic and clown collection. She couldn’t
seem to part with her goose puppet, who watched the scene from Sally’s
lap during the entire auction, with her head turning from side to side as the
bidders carried off the magic items and piled them up to load later. A rolling
trunk had been converted to help Sally carry her tricks from party to party.
This great storage piece was sold for $45.

The head twister was placed on the clerk’s head and she squealed from
inside as the auctioneer spun her head around. This trick sold for $40. A large
foam camera, which wouldn’t fit comfortably under the winning bidder’s
arm, was sold for $40 also and a mutilated umbrella trick sold for $20. The
mutilated umbrella opens as a colorful umbrella, but as the trick goes on, it
becomes tattered and hangs in shreds from the frame. And before the trick is
over, the umbrella is once again beautiful and whole and it’s all magic.

A vanishing peanut butter and jelly trick sold for $17.50. Some jumping silks
that jumped from one clear glass to another sold for $30.

Nesting wands, which extend out to become longer and longer during the routine,
sold for $5.

Bright red was the color of choice for three change bags. As the crowd was
witness, these turn great tricks. The biggest one of these was huge and could
have held a small child inside. Clowns use these to put things in, only to mesmerize
the crowd because when they look inside, the items are missing. The item then
reappears right in front of their eyes. These three bags sold for $75.

As Sally demonstrated the “live” skunk, a little girl laughed out
loud. There were two skunks and a raccoon that were sold for $45. These cute
little critters ran up and down the front of Sally and even moved their heads
to watch the crowd examining the magic items.

Having sold their home, the Hasselbachs had no use for their Toro Pro-Line
724-Z zero turn hydro mower with its vacuum attachment. This mower worked great
and had less than 340 hours of running time on it. The bidding opened at $1,000,
but it took $2,750 for the winning bidder to ride away on this deal.

A 1952 8N Ford tractor which started right up for the crowd had an opening
bid of $500 and sold for $1,800.

A special item was offered for sale that drummed up some great competition
between a phone bidder and an auction attendee. A Rick Reeves custom oak spinning
wheel with all accessories kept going up in price.

Rick and Marge Reeves have made these handcrafted spinning wheels for the past
30 years in their small shop in Iowa. Each wheel is tested for balance and its
ability to spin before it is shipped. This beautiful oak piece sold to the present
bidder for $700.

“I got what I came for,” said the bidder and she began gathering
up the accessories.

Braun and Helmer Auction Service, Inc. is glad to hold any type of auction
and this one was certainly fun and different. Brian L. Braun, GPPA can be reached
at (734) 996-9135 and Jerry Helmer, CAI can be reached at (734) 994-6309.

7/10/2006