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James Tucker auctions a tractor that his father, Jimmy Dean Tucker, acquired during 40 years of collecting things. Much of Jimmy Dean Tucker's collection was auctioned off by his family Saturday in an estate auction in Brawley. Jimmy Dean Tucker died in January. (ANTOINE ABOU-DIWAN PHOTO / February 24, 2013) |
BRAWLEY — A collection of vintage and classic Americana amassed over four decades was put on the auction block Saturday morning at Tucker’s Estate Auction.
Items ranged from vehicles such as a 1969 Pontiac Le Mans and an antique tractor to gas pumps and horse-drawn buggies to toy trucks, shop equipment and full-size railroad crossing signs.
Jimmy Dean Tucker built the collection over 40 years while operating Fly by Night Towing, said his wife, Dianne Tucker. She said he acquired many of the items at auctions and swap meets, and kept it in several storage containers on their 10-acre property.
“He hung on to it. He didn’t sell a thing,” she said.
Tucker died Jan. 21, she said.
“He was the buyer,” she said. “I’m the seller.”
Helping Dianne auction off Mr. Tucker’s collection was their son, James Tucker. He kept the auction brisk and lively, calling bids for items and moving along to the next item as soon as he had a winning bid.
Terms and conditions were simple: cash only. All items were sold “as is” and “where is,” and all sales were final.
Some items, like an antique tractor, sold for $1,000. Bidding on some old bicycles started at $25 and went down when nobody made a bid.
Brawley music teacher Amy Dailey likened the auction to a treasure hunt, and said she was delighted to discover a bugle that has one valve. Unlike trumpets, that have three valves, bugles typically do not have any valves.
“There are lots of ‘never seen anything like that’ here,” she said.
Dailey’s husband, on the other hand, bought a 6-foot Santa Claus figure for their chimney, she said.
Mike, who declined to give his last name, said he was thinking of bidding on some miniature cars for his kids. He said estate auctions hearkened back to yesteryear.
“This used to happen a lot in the Valley,” he said. “Old-timers were hoarders. They came through the war. Everything was scarce.”
Things are different these days, he said.
“Today you have a throw-away society,” Mike said.
Did Dianne Tucker have any sentimental attachment to the 40 years encapsulated in her late husband’s collection?
“None at all,” she said. “You have to let go.”
Staff Writer Antoine Abou-Diwan can be reached at 760-337-3454 or aabou-diwan@ivpressonline.com
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