BOUGHT* - $2,614,000

Auctioneer Mark Wridgway was in command here from the outset all the way to the end - and that's saying something as the bidding went on for over 20 minutes! A patient crowd of 80 people, most having walked directly from a quiet auction around the corner, were not disappointed with what was to unfold - a good old fashioned one-upmanship tussle. Two bidders, both on their phones, fought it out from start to finish. Bidder 1 opened confidently with a bid of $2,200,000 and was followed by bidder 2 in $20,000 rises until he declared himself out at $2,450,000. Mark called half time and when the auction resumed, he encouraged bidder 2 to rejoin the action. The bidding increments reduced to $10,000 as the 'on the market' question was repeatedly asked until Mark answered in the affirmative at $2,500,000. From this point onwards, Mark kept the auction alive and extracted every last bid from these two bidders, who went up mostly in $1,000 rises, until bidder 2 put away his mobile phone and declared himself definitely out this time. Bought under the hammer by bidder 1 for $2,614,000. A well conducted auction by Mark to produce a good result for the vendor.

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