An online-only auction conducted by a live auctioneer has been scheduled by Leake Auctions, “bringing the excitement of the live auction right into your house or office.”
The virtual auction, scheduled for July 13 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. PST, will be a boutique sale with just 60 consignment spots open to sellers, according to a Leake news release. The event will be modeled after the online heavy-equipment auctions conducted by Ritchie Bros. due to pandemic restriction; Ritchie Bros. has owned the Leake collector car auction company since 2018.
Major collector car auction companies have been conducting online auctions as live auctions have been canceled or postponed because of the COVID-19 threat, but they have been held over a set number of bidding days rather than with the immediacy of live auctioning.
“Our parent company Ritchie Bros. has been conducting auctioneer-led, online-only auctions since mid-March and seen bidder registrations increase exponentially – we plan on bringing that same excitement and demand to the collector car industry,” said Gary Bennett, general manager of the Ritchie Bros. Collector Car Sector, which includes Leake.
“The safety and wellness of our customers and employees has driven our strategy and decision-making every step of the way,” Bennett added. “Thankfully, we have the technology in place to be nimble and innovative in these unprecedented times.”
Leake previously canceled its annual Tulsa auction that was set for July 26-27.
Leake notes that online auction format is a money saver for consigners: “There will be zero entry fees, and no transportation or travel costs.”
For more information, visit the Leake auction website.
