“Give Me a Bid To Go!” : An Auctioneer’s Story

Ed Roth (1921-2008) was an auctioneer from Rosthern, Saskatchewan who presided over thousands of prairie farm, livestock, and charity auctions during his fifty-year career. This volume (compiled by Esther Patkau) contains Roth’s reminiscences and reflections on auctioneering as well as stories and documentation of Roth’s work by others. The reflections and anecdotes showcase both auctioneering culture on the prairies and the changing nature of auctioneering from the late 1940s to the late 1980s. From bidders hiding desirable items in junk to attendees purchasing antiques that had been sold years earlier by their ancestors, Roth’s stories relay the humor, sentiment, and risk of auction sales. An intimate look at auctioneering as a social event in prairie communities and a personal livelihood.