Personally, I don't bid on an auction with a reserve until it reaches the reserve. Then I decide whether or not I can afford to bid.

My other thought is that, unless it is a "private" auction, that is, one in which the bidder ID is confidential, there is a basic difference between schill bidding, and a dealer bidding on his own auction. A shill is meant to deceive, bidding on one's own auction is in the open.

I can sympathise with a dealer who sees his item going too low, just don't try to deceive me.

Kerry