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ROBERSON’S AUCTIONS
19 Recreation Park Rd., Pine Bush, NY
Lou & Del Roberson 845-283-1587 / 845-283-1578
Celebrating 50 Years in Business 1975-2025
Watch for another Quality Schrade Knife Auction & Estate Antique Auctions Starting in June 2026
We hope everyone has a happy, healthy 2026
Our 50th Year in the Auction Business Story with Photos thru the Years Follows
So, where do we start, I guess in 1964, when we were just teenage High School sweethearts. My Dad told us if we cleaned the attic out above the kitchen in what was later the auction hall, we could sell the “stuff” up there and keep the money! So we borrowed Lou’s father’s truck and filled it to the max, tied everything on so it didn’t fall off – if we didn’t look like Sanford & Son, nobody did! Down the road we went to Sylvia Jordan’s Antique Shop, that was in Circleville on Rt. 302, she gave us $50.00 for the whole load and complained we didn’t have the chimneys for the oil lamps! That night we went to the Orange County Fair and blew it all! I guess we both always liked the “old junk” and eventually found our way to going to local auctions after we got married. We decided we would start buying and selling antiques, so we took $ 800.00 to start up this new sideline, we both had other jobs. At the same time my Dad wanted to give up his business and had the perfect building to turn into our auction hall. We started selling on the weekends and of course all the sharks were swirling around these fresh newbie dealers, we made lots of mistakes, but learned pretty quickly the tricks of the trade! Remember the sharks I spoke about, well, we made friends quickly and they thought the property and hall were a great venue for an auction. So we started with Dick Larsen as our auctioneer, one night Dick did not show up, Lou had to auctioneer and so it began, Lou went to auctioneer’s school in Hersey, PA and we were in the Auction Business on our own. Years ago you did not have email, digital photos and smart phones – Yikes, we had to take photos with a regular camera with film, take it to get developed, hope the photos came out ok and run them to the national antique newspaper the “Antiques & Arts Weekly” to advertise in Newtown, CT… In rain, sleet or snow! Anita was our contact and Lou made many hairy rides to Connecticut! Today Cindi is our rep and is a real sweetheart, we email everything, even photos, which has made our lives much easier & safer. We also advertised in the Times Herald Record back then and still do today, Mrs. Sweeney was our rep 50 years ago, she had to be a 100 years old back then, but never made a mistake. We have probably had at least 200 “ON SITE” auctions, as well as 1000 sales at our halls … Right now we have a consignment of a long time customer and on the back she had taped the newspaper ad from the T.H. Record dated 1986 when she purchased the item from us and here we are 39 years later selling it again! Whether this business is a curse or the fun side of life, we have enjoyed almost every minute of it – Whenever going on a trip, we had to stop at antique shops to look and maybe find something to pay for the trip (Ha) – I guess you might say “We are forever treasure hunters”, we live, eat & dream about antiques! It never ceases to amaze us, you think you’ve seen it all, than something comes along that blows you away! There are many interesting stories to tell, but one that sticks out is the estate we came across in our local area almost 40 years ago. I’ll never forget where I was, when Lou came home from the call and said – “I think I died and went to heaven!, and proceeded to tell me what he had just seen – Hundreds of clocks, Tons of carnival glass, Antiques of all Sorts, Antique car, the house had been closed up and overgrown for years… We were about the 10th dealer through the place and we bought it, the other dealers said we were crazy, But … One Clock auction later, One Antique auction later and One Carnival glass auction later we did very well and had so much left over that we sold it for years and still have some today!! We did take this auction back to our hall in Pine Bush, but when we think back of all the sales we have had “On Site”, we can’t even fathom how we got the whole contents of the house outside and set up for the sale at 10AM, we have also had dual auctions going on at the same time at some on site estates – that’s an interesting one to pull off for sure! We also auctioned off a huge artwork estate many years ago, one of the dealers from Manhattan told us he had never heard of Pine Bush, he asked a dealer friend, where the heck is Pine Bush ? he told him just “follow the cars from Madison Ave.” you’ll find it!!
The rest is history, here we are 50 years later and still in the auction business. We were lucky to have been able to semi-retire 22 years ago and spend a few months in Florida during the winter, always to come back to a waiting loyal audience to hold 3 auctions a year. We have made many wonderful friends in this business over the years and sincerely feel like they are our auction family. Of course, when we start reliving what has taken place for 50 years with our friends, they say you need to write a book with the many funny stories we tell. Several relatives & friends that helped us in the beginning have passed. My Dad, Ralphie, was one of our greatest assets, he could fix anything and was always there for us, Aunt Rose was our scribe, our shopkeeper and again also there, Lou’s mom ran the concession and made the best pies, Emil and Lillian Ruppert were our super organizers, Paul Bell was our right hand man, Paul Huba lent us his wealth of knowledge, Roger Lacarrubba, Eddie Vandermolen, Dave Kirby, Bob Kirby, Lydia & Sylvia helped at sales and whenever we needed them & our loving dog “Jack” – we miss them all dearly. Along the way we have had many helpers including our oldest & dearest, Our family – Kim, Louie, Jim, Connor, Taylor, our Princess Canine & auction photo model “Jacklyn Rose”, Candy, Jerry, Lisa, Joan, Carol, Todd, Sue, Jeff, the Vandermolen Boys Kenny & Roger, Marcia May Wright, Pete & Donna Boyle, Jeannie Vreeland Zoll, Stosh, Dick Smith, Michele Tremberger, Ronnie Schneider, Don Broas (our Jr. High School teacher), John Robertson, Jimmy Decker, Brian Durning, Joanne LaCarrubba and our newest – Ingrid, Dana, Pam & Bruce Bell, Jim Bokal, Steve Synder, Rob Stoker – They are the best – We thank them all for helping us over the years! Some of our helpers have been with us for 40 years! We will not forget their dedication to us. We also say “Thank You” to our Loyal Customers who patronage us and our Consignors who trust us with their treasures year after year … We appreciate your business and will never forget you!
As we look back, these nostalgic photos tell somewhat of what we have experienced – Long hours, Hard work, Fun times and Stories Galore …It is true “The Best Antiques are Old Friends” and we made a ton along the way ! …
We wish you all the “Happiest of Holidays and a Great New Year!”
Lou & Del at Vintage Clothing Auction, We even had models! Del & Marcia at “On Site” Auction
Some of the Crew after an “On Site” Auction Looking Pooped My Dad “Ralphie”
Bill Gates & Pete Boyle (Forever Friends – With us for 40 years) Old Time Friend Jimmy Decker at “On Site” Auction
Lou Auctioneering in Hall in His 40’s Mustache Look
“On Site” Auction in Pine Bush, NY about 45 Years Ago
Fine Art Estate Auction in the ’90’s Our Beloved Canine “Jack”
Emil Ruppert & Aunt Rose Jimmy the Greek” ( Super Consignor & My Dad ‘Ralphie)
Lou in his 30’s Jimmy Decker Working on a Cupboard, it was Messy!
Auction in the 1980’s, Todd Holding Crock, Stosh in Background, Crowds were Huge in those days
Isla, Kim & Jim – Jim Later Became an Auctioneer & Helped Us Aunt Rose Scribing at Sale
Ralphie, Paul & Louie Selling at Maybrook Flea Market
Lou’s Mom, Carol, Fran, Max & Bob at our Auction
Forever Friend Dick Smith & Aunt Rose Old Friends – “Dutch” & Ethel Schartzer & Emil & Lillian Ruppert
Forever Friends – Roger LaCarrubba & Frank Ruggiero Auction Late ’80’s in Hall
Todd Warren & Brian Durning at “On Site” Lou & Emil in the ’80’s
Paul & Lou in the 90’s
Old Friends Paul Huba & Dick Larsen 1975 Louie at 5 Years Old Dick Larsen, Our First Auctioneer
Lou in Early Settle Louie at 5 years Old in Top Hat
Lou in his late 30’s & Louie about 13 at “On Site” Auction
Our Princess Canine “Jacklyn Rose” Our Jr. High School Teacher & Forever Friend – Don Broas
The Three Musketeers in Florida
The Turner Estate Sold in 1990
Carnival Glass, Clocks, Antiques Galore! And car that Went to Oklahoma
The Garage The Living Room
One of Our Many Tag Sales Usually Held in the Winter
Selling in Florida
Del & Lou with Carnival Targets sold in 2022
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