November 08, 2024
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UM professor auctions off Bangor mansion

BANGOR – Antiques collectors don’t necessarily have to enjoy auctions.

Colin Martindale will be the first to admit that he doesn’t. He thinks auctions are boring, even if it was his own goods that were up for grabs.

On Sunday the 62-year-old psychology professor – about to retire from the University of Maine – and his wife, Milly, said goodbye to their beautiful Third Street Victorian mansion and nearly all of the antiques that filled the 11-room residence.

“I’ve got it all complete,” Martindale said as he sat in a downstairs room, surrounded by antiques and the stream of smoke coming from his cigarette. “I’ve filled it with antiques, and there’s nothing left to do.”

Workers from the Thomaston Place Auction Gallery emptied the contents room by room as auctioneer Kaja Veilleux sold the items to the crowd sitting under a large tent.

Braving the midday heat, bidders hoped to gain a piece of furniture or art from the Italianate Revival mansion built in 1855 by Amassa Barrett.

“It should be an interesting sale,” Veilleux said before the noontime auction. “There are all kinds of things from different eras.”

Martindale is looking to change his collecting style from Empire and Victorian to Renaissance as he and his wife head west to Arizona.

“I thought it’d be a long commute from here to Arizona,” he said as people wandered around the room scoping out his collection.

The Martindales moved into the mansion, which was once occupied by Maine sculptor Charles Tefft, in 1970.

It was around that time that Martindale acquired many of his antiques in Bar Harbor. He also traveled to Boston when he wanted to add to his collection.

While the Martindales decided to keep a few items to accompany them on their trek across the country, 450 lots were for sale at the auction, which was expected to last until 5 or 6 p.m. By late Sunday afternoon, the lots had sold for about $200,000.

One hundred other items, not lotted, were also available.

“I haven’t seen this much good Victorian in one house in a long time,” Veilleux told the audience in between items.

The largest item was the 3,212-square-foot house, which sits on a double lot totaling 0.73 acres.

Martindale looked on from the side as the lucky bidder picked up the brown-and-brick mansion for $250,000 just after 1 p.m. The winning bidder wasn’t immediately identified.

Although Martindale doesn’t know exactly how long the closing will take, he hopes it won’t be too long, since all of his furniture was up for auction.

Martindale said he also has to wait for his retirement party, for which friends and family will be flying in.

He will officially retire from the University of Maine on Thursday.

Martindale says he can’t wait to leave Maine and step into the desert.

“I want to write books on the patio in January,” he said.


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