The room was packed. I could see a couple of familiar faces but nobody I particularly knew as a Dyf  buyer. The sale was good, the bidding was brisque but nothing spectacular yet.

 

The Dyf  was up for sale. The porter held it high up in the middle of the saleroom. It looked so small, it looked disappointing from far away.

 

I have a lot of interest in this lot, went the auctioneer.

 

Great, I thought!

 

Three thousand pounds I am bid, he went on. Two hundred at a time and he made it four thousand pounds with two bidders in the room.  I was relieved. I was under no more pressure. That was my reserve. I was right up to that point.

 

Bidding War Is On

 

Nothing warned me of the events that were to unfold next. I have always wanted to witness one of my paintings getting hot and being the object of a bidding war between two potential buyers.

 

Was this the case with the Dyf?

 

A well dressed lady at the back of the room put her hand up and left it up. A telephone bidder was bidding too and the war of two hundred pounds at a time was on.

 

Five thousand pounds, smiled the auctioneer.

 

Five two, five four, six thousand pounds.

 

The hand was still up. The phone bidder was insistent.  I was so engrossed, I was so involved, that I forgot I was the beneficiary of this bidding war.

 

Six thousand and two hundred, six four, six eight, seven thousand

 

Seven, I have and still the hand of the well dressed lady up and the phone still bidding.

 

Go on guys, go on. I was breathing fast but it was breathing of thrill and joy.

 

Seven thousand, seven two, seven eight, eight thousand.

 

Push it on guys. Make my day and my year. Go on man!

 

Eight thousand to you on the phone, eight two to you madam.

 

One more on the phone and yes, one more. Youppy!

 

Eight thousand eight hundred to you madam; The hand went up and there was no more from the phone.

 

The Dyf sold for 8,800 pounds!

 

What a result, what a sale and what a bidding duel that brought smiles and joy to my heart and my pocket!

 

That was not expected but how could I know that two months later Dyf paintings similar to mine would be selling for fifteen thousand pounds at Sothebys and Christies?

 

Stacy Marcks bought the painting as I learned later.

 

The new season of 1988-89 started in the most auspicious way.

 

Would it end like that?

 

Dyf was the hottest property of that season. A 400% profit over two months made this painting one of the best purchase I have ever made. Making about 5,500 pounds within three months from just one investment was great. It was miraculous but …….

 

I kept reading of much better miracles of other dealers and I was hoping for one myself, even though I knew I was not such a good, knowledgeable dealer.