Many businesses fail within the first year of operation, some are lucky to hit the 10-year mark, and a precious few make it to 50. But Woody Auction is proud to say it is celebrating 80 years of serving collectors, consignors and communities not just in Kansas, where it has always been based, but across the nation and the world.
The three-generation, family-owned auction powerhouse has been captivating audiences live—and, since the new millennium, online—for decades, holding sales that often feature cut glass, art glass, porcelain, pottery, silver and other fine antiques from the 1800s through the 1920s. The firm has auctioned treasured heirlooms and important collections from around the world.
Woody Auction had a humble and improbable beginning. The firm was started in 1945 by Milton James Woody (1911-1991) when he attended a church fundraiser where the auctioneer didn’t show up. Milton was cajoled into serving as the auctioneer, and thus began his tenure in farm sales.
Milton passed the company baton (or gavel) to his son, John Milton Woody, who was born in 1942 and died in 2020. John conducted one of the country’s first carnival glass-only auctions in the early 1960s at the community building in Douglass. The sale made national news because of some of the high prices realized.
During John’s tenure, the company conducted antique auctions, but also handled real estate sales under the business name Woody Auction and Real Estate. John’s son, Jason Lee Woody, who was born in 1972, came aboard full time in 1994 and took over the business in 2001, officially renaming it Woody Auction LLC in 2007.
Jason has owned and operated the business ever since while also serving as its principal auctioneer.
He said of the company’s longevity and recent anniversary:
“For 80 years, Woody Auction has proudly operated from Douglass, Kansas, the only home our company has ever known. Our rural roots have been one of our greatest blessings, fostering a strong work ethic, genuine relationships, and a commitment to integrity that continues to define our business today. We are grateful to be part of a community that values these principles as much as we do.”
Jason said attending an auction can often be a memorable experience.
“Years before the internet, when the great collections came available, people had to attend in person to make sure they were able to participate without limitations,” he said. “Two instances come to mind that were passed down from my father, John.”
The first involved an auction held in Iowa that coincided with a huge snowstorm.
“The extremely nervous owner was panicking as it was less than 40 minutes before the auction began and no customers had shown up,” he said. “The storm ended up being one of the worst in recent memory to blow through the area, but by auction time, there was standing room only and more people coming through the door.”
The second story dates to when Woody Auction conducted auctions at the Harley Hotel in Earth City, Missouri. (Editor’s query: Verify whether “St. Charles” should also be included.)
“It was a spring morning, but the clouds were looking ominous,” Jason said. “My father was always looking at the weather and had decided during the auction to take a break so he could check the weather. If anyone remembers the Harley Hotel, it had large windows that looked across an open field at the time.”
He continued, “The seating for the crowd was in the ballroom facing away from the windows. Sure enough, my father discovered a very active tornado moving across the field—luckily not toward the building—but in his typical calm manner, he closed the heavy linen curtains that covered the massive windows and went back to auctioning as if nothing in the world was wrong.”
Jason said that during his tenure as company owner, he has worked with many larger-than-life clients, but few were as memorable as Ernest Rieger and his wife, Karin.
“Many who attended some of our best auctions through the years would recognize Dr. Rieger, as he always sat in the front row in his wheelchair, which was hitched to the back of the Lincoln Town Car he drove to every auction.”
He said Rieger knew what he wanted every time he rolled through the door and rarely, if ever, was outbid.
“The collection he and Karin amassed was amazing in every detail, and the four auctions that were conducted for the Riegers in 2014 still hold the top four positions of the highest-grossing auctions Woody Auction has ever conducted.”
Over the years, Jason has auctioned many high-dollar items. Examples include an English cameo vase ($260,000); a Birger Sandzén (Swedish/American, 1871-1954) painting ($160,000); an American Cut Glass center bowl in the “Wedding Ring” pattern with sterling ($110,000); and an American Cut Glass 16-inch panel-pattern tray ($105,000).
Today, Woody Auction operates multiple climate-controlled facilities in Douglass and continues to embrace innovation while preserving the traditions that have made it successful for 80 years. With the recent launch of its proprietary online bidding platform, bid.woodyauction.com, the firm is positioning itself for continued growth while maintaining the personalized service customers have come to expect.
For more information, visit www.woodyauction.com or bid.woodyauction.com, or call 316-747-2694.
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