"First, you're equating "shill bidding" with "bidding on ones own goods.""

Personally, I dont think there is much difference.

"anyone caught shill bidding should be castrated"

We all seem to agree on that one

"I believe that everyone knows that the minimum reserve you can set is $1,000. Do you actually know anyone do did not know this... and, a better question, how would this effect anyone's bidding behavior?"

Judging from a few comments at the auction, Im not sure everyone did understand that. But it didnt affect me so no further comment. It wasnt the bidding behaviour I thought would be necessarily affected, it was the consignors behaviour. Not in terms of them bidding or shills but in terms of them not consigning goods at all because they couldnt reserve them, at, say $250 or whatever.

Id like to see the level of $1000 reduced. That said, I also realise and accept that if that were to be the case, the auction organisers would have to assess such reserves as reasonable so as not to waste everyones time.