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Sometimes you do things on holiday that you would never dare contemplate doing back home. Ironically, it then turns out to be a highlight and one of the happiest memories of your vacation. You don’t have to think exotic, like going on safari or bunjee-jumping off Victoria Falls. An innocent public activity like an auction sale could very well do the trick!
For the uninitiated, an auction is the process of buying and selling goods by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the winning bidder. Auctioning can be traced as far back as 500 B.C. in Babylon where, according to ancient Greek scribes, the more generally accepted auction occurred first. In 21st Century Malta you can go to a modern-day auction sale where you may find yourself totally immersed in the bilingual (Maltese and English) proceedings.
Furniture auctions, particularly Maltese antiques, are the most popular with locals and foreigners alike, but many other objects regularly go under the hammer, from postage stamps and butterflies to speed boats and cars. There are several Maltese auction houses and they advertise their events well in advance.
Incidentally, you don’t have to call the Maltese auctioneer “colonel” as they still do in some parts of US since the American civil war when goods seized by armies were sold at auction by the colonel of the army division concerned.
They also help organise local events on behalf of some of the world’s major auction houses like Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Lyon & Turnbull and Bonhams. Of course there are always the popular Internet auctions such as eBay and GoIndustry, but, just like in the case of casinos, it’s much more fun doing it in person than on line.
To see what auctions are on while you are in Malta keep an eye on the local newspapers.
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