Learning from History, Part I

Auctions have grown intensely popular since the advent of online giant, EBay began it's business in 1995.  It is harder to find someone who hasn't participated in an auction than to find one who has--either online or live.

Before the 17th Century, finding an auction was extremely rare as people preferred to haggle or purchase items based on a set market price.  But they did exist if one knew where to seek them out. According to Christie's auction house, they began auctioning in December of 1766.

Sadly, some of the earliest auctions both in the United States of America and throughout time over the globe, have been the auction of other human beings to human "owners."  In 500 BC Herodotus records that women were auctioned to be wives. It seems like in an establishment as important as marriage, this would really be taking a chance since you would have no idea whether the winning wife was going to be a "good" match.

The Roman Empire was big on auctions.  Soldiers would get spoils of war through auction. Other humans became slaves through auction after their country was overrun by Romans.  And debtors were expected to pay back their debts through the auctioning off of their property.  When the Roman Empire fell, auctions fell into disfavor until the 17th Century.  Asia has apparently never jumped on the auction band wagon as auctions are extremely rare there.


Auctioning has a long and sometimes colorful history and this is just the littlest snack of a tidbit about its history.   In an institution or activity of this antiquity, it certainly gives one a moment to pause and ask, WHY do we love auctions so much?  Why do you like to go to auctions?  What satisfaction is gained?

We'll explore more next time about the roots of auctioning. Until then, you can always stop by our current auctions to throw your hat in the ring and catch the rising excitement in the spirit of the auction.

(c) SZing, Nifty Groovy Auctions.  Photographs courtesy of Pixabay, public domain images.