A LADY AUCTIONEER.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3262, 20 October 1897, Page 1 (Supplement)

A LADY AUCTIONEER.

Miss Ada Hammond, who recently held a sale at Myddleton Hall, Islington, is the first lady who has dared to ascend

the rostrum and wield the hammer of an auctioneer. She has carried on her occupation for nine years, and is, according to a CVwom’cic correspondent who interviewed her; “ bright, lively and good looking, always ready with pleasant retorts and good-humoured chaff.”

■ Miss Hammond commenced her professional career at the very early age of sixteen, with no other training than what -she had picked up by visits to salerooms. To bo an auctioneer had always been her great; fancy, and, as she laughingly remarked, “ There is scarcely any profession where so much talking is required, so it ought to be peculiarly suited to a woman.” When she applied to the Inland Revenue Office for a license, the officials were completely taken aback, but after consulting endless books and rules and precedents, they found out . that there was no legal hindrance, and, the application was granted. This was Miss Hammond’s first visit to; London, but she has held sales in a great number of the large provincial towns, usually staying a month in each. She sells but little on commision; she prefers to lay in a stock of goods of her ovto, and she has a good eye for the value of the different articles in which she deals. As she pointed out, in answer to a question, at every sale there is a considerable risk, for the expenses alone run up to £l5O or £2OO in each town. Miss Hammond has a strong belief in tbe virtues of advertising. Her slles are always fully announced a week beforehand; after the sale has commenced the advertising can be safely left to Ihe'buyers. “ I have no reason to complain of illluck,” she' remarked, “ I have only had one failure. My halls are always crowded, often before the sale commences. I do not find business in London so good, but this is not tbe best season of the year. In the hot weather people don't want to spend their time in stuffy salerooms. The busiest time is from October to the end ot May; during the summer I generally take a rest and amuse myself. It is rather hard work, as I often finish one sale on Saturday night in one town, and open a second on Monday evening in another town. Still, I am always glad when the busy time comes round again. I have always had nice audiences, and never a row of any kind. Of course,” she added, laughing, “ men —it is usually men —sometimes come and try to take ‘ a rise ’ out ofme, but I rather enjoy .turning the laugh against them, and the audiences are always friendly and on’my side.” Mias Hammond added that at first she felt very much the continual strain on her voice, but now she has got quite used to the exertion.