Auction sends a lifetime collection into the world

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

NARROWSBURG, NY — “The sale’s today boys. Pay attention,” said John Regan to a group of men crowded around boxes of brake fluid, motor oil, cigar boxes, rivets and deer antlers.

“Dollar bill,” the auctioneer would say with a microphone touching his lips. “One da-da bid da-da da-da bid two da-da bid da-da da-da bid three.

“Sold!”

And so it went early Saturday morning as the crowd in front of the late Jay Strunk’s garage quickly acclimated to the auctioneer’s chatter.

On the other side of the house, auctioneer Gordon Kinzinger led his crowd with a completely different style. Though he spoke at a normal pace, he would increase the bid amounts quickly since he was auctioning tables, cabinets, prints and tin model airplanes.

Kinzinger led the sale of fishing equipment, instruments, ceramic wares and oil paintings on canvas and boards created by Jay Strunk’s father, H.J. Strunk. Most of the paintings sold for over $70.

A Quaker State Motor Oil sign sold for $160.

People came from as far as Clarks Summit, PA to bid on the collection.

Jay Strunk was a long-time member of the Lava Fire Department, but for the most part, he enjoyed living a private life until he died in 1999, said Wade “Sonny” Conklin, who opened Sonny’s Service Center in 1976, about one quarter-mile from Jay’s Garage.

In addition to the truckloads of machine parts and tools, Strunk had collected sections of scrap cars that were lined up behind his house. One couple was excited about an old army photo lab they found.

“Take it like you took your first wife fellas—for better for worse,” Regan said, humoring the crowd.