Mikkelson Collection Auction – Friday Report “With A Little Help From Our Friends”
After a big drive, we are now in Willmar, Minnesota and looking forward to Day 1 (Saturday) of the giant Mikkelson Collection Auction. We arrived just early enough this evening to stop in at the Willmar Civic Center and take a few shots of the main auction area that the crew from Rich Penn Auctions has carefully organized. I must say – It’s an impressive sight to see… The largest collection of vintage Larson Falls Flyers watercraft on the planet.
It was great to visit with our friend Paul Mikkelson and resident expert Steve Stevenson who has been on hand all week helping Paul and the crew from Rich Penn Auctions prepare for the big event. Paul Mikkelson commented “The Rich Penn Auction folks have far exceeded my expectations in every way.”
Fellow Woody Boaters Paul Mikkelson and Steve Stevenson
Friday’s schedule featured an all-day auction of Paul Mikkelson’s storage facility, which included many unrestored boats, over 200 outboard motors, etc. Special thanks to fellow Woody Boaters Jim Staib (from Fine Wood Boats) and Dane Anderson who attended the Friday auction and provided us with some highlights and photos from the storage auction.
Dane Anderson reported…
Texx – The storage facility was quite full and the Rich Penn crew kept things moving fast, and on schedule.
I think that Paul and the Auctioneers will be pretty pleased with the results today. I was not keeping a tally, but bidding was fast and furious. I felt that the poster art and other memorabilia items were going kind of high. The non-restored outboards also seemed to attract healthy bids right to the end of the day. The only real bargains of the day were the fiberglass runabouts. The Royal Scott boat with a nice trailer and most of a Scott outboard went for under $100.00. The rough, gray 21 foot Falls Flyer project hull brought $8000.00.
The preview for tomorrow’s event at the Willmar Civic Center was jaw dropping impressive!
Here’s a few images from the Friday storage facility auction. – Dane
And a few more images from the main auction area at the Willmar Civic Center. A perfect vintage Chris-Craft Challenger outboard.
Stay tuned to Woody Boater later today for highlights from Day 1 at the main Mikkelson Collection Auction.
Thanks again to reporters Jim Staib and Dane Anderson for helping us today.
Texx
What an amazing event Texx, Jim was sending in images all last night while I was driving . It was killing me! We have mountains of photos and reports coming into Woody Boater head quarters. Stay tuned!
Texx–Please make sure and identify yourselves so I know who this crazy crew from Woodyboater is! You’ll find me scurrying around the event doing tech stuff (my other universe) and will be sitting on the stage trying hard not to draw any attention to myself. This has been nothing short of an amazing experience and Paul may be the nicest, most gentle guy I’ve ever met. Have a great time (and buy something!!!!!)
Jaw Dropping!
WOW! In the 1st photo what is the aluminum(?) craft in the back? Looks like a catamaran? What’s with the huge airfoil on the tail?
Rick – That is an experiential aluminum outboard that Paul discovered while hunting (if I recall), which he then purchased.
It’s a remarkable piece which was never completely developed.
By the way, if any of our viewers have any questions or want more info / photos of specific items at the auction today – just shoot me an e-mail at Texx@woodyboater.com and I will try to respond.
This is possibly the last time this impressive collection will be seen together, all in one place. Easy to get get to now – tough later.
… and in the 2nd pic from the top WHAT is that Falls Flyer automobile???? A sporty little convertible!
Hi Randy – It’s a custom car that Paul had made using a 1964 VW chassis that he used for towing his Falls Flyers in parades, etc.
It’s also listed in the auction.
At a little league game and there are no wood boats here. They don’t even have a lake! Who came up this silly sport?
So glad I’m not there, so wish I was there.
Or, to put it another way:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”