THE FURNITURE TRADE IN AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17258, 6 September 1919, Page 7

THE FURNITURE TRADE IN AUCKLAND.

A CHAT WITH MR. LEONARD COAKLEY.

Interviewed at his fine new mart in Lower Queen Street (adjoining the establishment of Hugh Wright), Mr. Coakley, the well-known auctioneer, had much that was interesting to say regarding furniture and other matters. 'He began by referring to his change of address.

„ " Fact is," he said, "we ran away 1 with the idea that the old premises in High Street would answer our purpose quite well, for a considerable time, anyhow. But we did not allow for the expansion of trade. This business, although so newly established, has gone ahead by leaps and bounds, and it became absolutely necessary to remove the scene of operations to larger and more centrally situated quarters. High Street is all very well, but for every person who passes along that thoroughfare a hundred promenade Qneen Street. We are now in the hub of the city —and, of course, busier thin eyer. Since starting on my owe my sales have averaged two a weeknot a bad record? Well, yon see, it isn't as if I was a stranger in Auckland. I am known to practically everybody, and, of course, that is half the battle in a business of this sort.

"What is the cope of our activities? Well, we specialise in out-door . sales. People having furniture or other personal belongings to dispose of are constantly being solicited, by one dealer and another, to sell everything they've got to sell 'in one lot,' privately. They are told that goods sold in that way will yield a better price than if submitted to the hammer. But that is, after all, very much open to question. Furniture, if put up to auction tffider the right conditions, will often command excellent prices. That, at all events, is my own experience, and I ought to know. If there is much furniture— is, if the contents of a big house are to be sold, and the stuff is of a good class, I always advise a sale on the premises. In the case of a lesser quantity of goods, of a cheaper description, they can jbe sold here at the mart, and yen may depend that they will fetch their price. "Do we boy furniture outright? Most decidedly we do! We're open to buy good to medium lines in any quantity, pay cash, and pay liberally. We'll buy, sell at the mart, or sell at the house—it's all at the option of the vendor. But, as I said just now, when the furniture is really good, and there is a lot of it, we recommend a sale at the house. Such sales, if properly advertised, always attract a crowd, and bidding, under such circumstances, is invariably brisk, excellent prices being the rule. That, at least, as I have already remarked, is my experience. You see, if the house is a fairly large one, most people know it, and know the occupier, and that he, or she, is likely to have some good things to dispose of, and it is that knowledge that draws the bids. " I might mention, by the way, that we are making a special feature of pianos. There is a big demand, in Auckland, for second-hand instruments of fair quality. People find it comes a lot cheaper to get their pianos second-hand, and we often have really good ones at price® to tempt payers. We are always open to purchase pianos for cash, or, if preferred, as in the case of furniture, we will auction them for owners. We have a separate department for pianos. It is under the charge of our Mr. Sullivan, who will always be happy to do business, either a« a seller or as a buyer. If we buy, we are prepared to pay well. " So long !" —Advt.