In answer to your question Mike. Yes,I would have felt better .....but that's why there are proxy bids. My suggestion was that instead of saying that Maloof(or whomever) bid $3500 to basically close the "auction" on the spot kinda killed the allure of the potential to bid.
We hold auctions differently in this country. Say I leave a proxy bid of $1000 on an item. Maybe there is a bid from the floor of $400 and the bidding goes up in $50.00 increments. The auctioneer does not automatically go right to my bid of $1000. He acts as my proxy and will bid $450 for me. Then it goes to the floor then to me etc. I may have left $1000 but may actually only have to pay $850 or so. This way,the crowd gets into it and they feel like they have a chance to bid. Many times the "book" bid does not win because a good auctioneer will generate excitement as well as more bidding. All I was suggesting was that it would be nice if we all "felt" that we had a chance to bid and, if we thought that we had a chance then who knows...the painting might have gone for more. To me it was more of a pre sale and we immediately knew that we did not have a chance. All that I ask is that we at least "think" that we might have a chance.
I have no problem with your answer Mike. You answered it like a gentleman and I appreciate that.