[Ian B]

Surely the purpose of an auction is to get the maximum price for the vendor (and as a result maximum commission for the organisers of the auction). No sane autioneer is going to ban bids from a "dealer" unless the latter infringes the rules. If certain parties think they can make a living by buying PX4s for say £200 each and selling them on, then that has to be the price on the day.

I was at a Radiophile auction a year or so ago, and happened to stand behind a well known dealer in the queue to pay at the end. He spent over £3,000 that day, and I believe has been known to spend similar amounts at BVWS auctions. From the auction organiser's point of view, he is a good customer. He is entitled to spend his money as he sees fit, just as we are. All we can do is to bid against him and his like - and perhaps drop out at the crucial point where he is left with minimal profit. But this requires luck, nerve, and plenty of dosh in case he backs off first!

Ian Blackbourn