A Dangerous Assumption 

We've heard so many versions of this story that we've stopped believing them. But this one is actually happened.

At the Vermont ADA show last weekend, our friend and fellow dealer John Gould spotted a large drop-leaf table in the booth of another exhibitor. Interested in its pleasant form and color, he asked the price. "Twenty-two," was the dealer's reply.

As John gave the table a thorough inspection, a gaggle of dealers waited in line for their chance to look it over. Feeling under some pressure, John made the dealer an offer of two thousand dollars, despite his feeling that the price was a little high for such a table The dealer declined, though we agreed with John that even two thousand was a bit of a stretch.

Later in the day, John passed by the booth and noticed that the table had not been sold. As he walked along, the dealer stopped him and asked, "Did you mean to offer me two thousand dollars?"

John nodded, to which the dealer replied, "The price is actually twenty-two thousand."

It is common practice for a dealers to take merchandise purchased on the floor in this way to place the piece in her/his booth and pay by check before the show ends. Imagine what would happen if John had bought the table and sold it for three thousand dollars!

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