Young auctioneer to take over his father's business

Photo: Kayla Collins

YOUNG AUCTIONEER — 13-year-old Alex Kent holds up an old lamp at the Paris American Legion Hall. Alex's father, Mike Kent, who started The Broken Gavel Auction nearly a year ago, says that the lamp, which has a red reflector on the back, was used in the late 1800s on railroads as a stoplight. Alex, who is currently an auction runner, says he hopes to take over his dad's business someday.

PARIS — "It's a really fun thing to do and I like to meet a bunch of new people," says 13-year-old Alex Kent, who hopes to take over his father's business as an auctioneer someday.

The Broken Gavel Auction has been running at the Paris American Legion Hall since last July, says Alex's mom, Sue McAllister, who does the secretarial work for the auction.

Her ex-husband, Mike Kent, started the business with a little help from Hebron auctioneer Paul Arsenault, who has been doing auctions locally since 1982.

Broken Gavel auctions are held every other Friday at 5 p.m. Beginning May 31, auctions will also take place every other Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Oxford Ultimate Flea Market, located on Route 26 next to Oxford Plains Speedway.

During the auctions, Alex and Mike sell off items they discover while cleaning out old estates. Items include easels from well-known Maine artists, lanterns, hunting knives, dishware and a whole variety of old furniture, including hutches, benches, bookcases, baby cribs and more.

They've even discovered an old leather rocking horse, from an 1840s farmhouse in Livermore — one of Alex's favorite items.

Alex works as a runner at the auctions, and says he enjoys running things back and forth to customers. His favorite thing about the auctions, he says, is seeing all the different antiques and "learning how stuff's made."

He also helps his father with estate clean-outs and storing the items in barns.

The most recent clean-out was at an estate in North Norway. There, they found items such as oil lamps, an old tambourine, old candle-lit auto lamps and other unique treasures and trinkets.

Already, McAllister said that the auction has attracted between 400 and 500 loyal customers.

Fifty percent of the money raised from the 50/50 raffles during the auctions are donated to Responsible Pet Care, says Mike. And some customers, he says, donate a portion, or even all of their winnings to RPC.

"My customers are awesome," he says.

"People are really great about it; he's got some great customers," agrees McAllister.

McAllister says her favorite part about the business is seeing Mike and Alex work side-by-side. She's also very proud of her son, who has has really taken a liking to auctions, so much that he plans to make a career of it someday.

"He likes to explore houses and find old items," she said. "He likes the history of it. He's developing a good work ethic already, at the age of 13."

She also likes that it teaches him responsibility. "He is very professional with the customers, and I am so proud to see how well he's done."

According to McAllister, Mike has a great team of workers at his auctions. She says that the customers often comment on how much fun they have, and how great his team works together.

She and Mike also laud the kitchen staff at the Legion Hall, as they continue to serve wonderful home-cooked meals and desserts for auction-goers.

Photo: Kayla Collins

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON — Mike Kent and his son Alex hold up two newspapers  – The New York Herald Tribune and the Knickerbocker News, both dated April 21, 1945 – that they discovered during a recent estate clean-out in Norway.