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March 13, 2004 Ed Auction (by 'M') It was 10am on Saturday, March 13th, 2004. Stuckeybowl was a buzz with activity, but not the kind that it is used to. This time it revolved around an estate auction of many of the items from the set that were used in the show we all know and love called "Ed". In what used to be the interior of Stuckeyville High School, rows of tables filled with various items, clusters of furniture sets and other items too many to count were 'organized' for the sale. Walking through this graveyard of buried hopes and dreams, was similar to going to an estate sale of a dearly departed friend. Those of us who were there would see various items that reminded us of particular episodes from the past seasons, or items that were used in general on the show. The mere sight of them would bring us into conversations about our favorite show, reminding us also about what hard work went on behind the scenes to make it such a great success. Upon arrival, a man named "R" walked up to us and talked to me and "G" because he remembered us from one of our visits to the set. He seemed glad to know that many fans were coming to the auction to bid on some of their favorite items. We also helped him identify certain things to put on the floor that were not tagged for the sale because we knew that fans would appreciate these items such as The Smiling Goat goathead, the gnome that Ed has to kiss in his ten dollar bet with Mike, as well as other things that might have been forgotten. I think they didn't know for sure what a lot of the fans would appreciate, but knew some of the bigger items that were from important episodes that fans would relate too. A lot of the stuff like furniture sets, desks, chairs, couches, etc. ranged from antiques to custom made pieces. The prices varied a great deal. For example Ed's desk went for under a hundred dollars, the couch in Ed's office went for $50 and a sign from the first episode saying "The Lawyer Is In" went for over $300. It really depended on significance and since the auction house didn't take credit cards, many of the items went for much less than what they probably could have gone for. Some fans that were there wore their "Ed" gear so that others could identify them. Some didn't, but in conversation we would find that someone would be from the stuckeyville.com website or would be a fan at some level. The production people that were there seemed to enjoy talking to the fans about the show. A few of them have worked on the show since day one so it seemed to be a time for mixed emotions. I think in the long run they were glad that fans were bidding on some of the items because they were "staying in the family" so to speak and people that would appreciate their hard work on certain items were taking them home rather than collectors or people that would just sell them on Ebay. They also seemed impressed to find out how far some fans travelled to attend the auction. For example one couple drove all the way from Colorado, another fan drove from Kansas City, and another from Los Angeles flew in. The couple from Colorado wanted the score board, which ironically was promised to Tom Cavanagh himself, along with some other items reserved for the actor. While the auctioneer was aware of the show, I don't think he was necessarily a fan so he didn't seem to realize the sentimental value of some of the items. At certain points he knew that our group in the front were long time fans so he would ask us for help identifying certain items and what scenes they were from. My favorite item that I won was Ed's desk phone that he uses in the show. It of course was high priced, but it is a piece of Stuckeyville history that I will appreciate for many years and everytime I look at it I will remember how Ed answers his phone. Members of my group as well as other fans were also interviewed and quoted in the Bergen county newspaper, The Star Ledger, about our take on the auction and what the show meant to us in general. Even though a lot of people that were there were collectors or just people looking for deals in general, if you were an "Ed" fan you really got the sense of how much the show means to the fans that have supported it. Even though I have seen the set in such a disaster-like state, I personally felt glad that I was a part of the auction and able to connect with even more Ed fans from various places. I was able to pay my respects to a great show that has brought me so many wonderful things in my life, including friends that I would not have known had I not tuned in that Sunday night in October, 2000. If Ed has taught me one thing, it is that there is a whole world of possibility out there to be discovered, but to do it you need to live deliberately. Good luck to all the cast and crew and thank you so much for bringing us such a great show that we will continue to cherish for years to come. (Webmaster's note: Thanks to "M" for this article and to "R" for the pictures.) |
