Going, going, gone

A champion auctioneer persuaded business people and government officials to part with $38,000 last week — for, among other items, a glow-in-the-dark toilet seat and a six-foot-long submarine sandwich.

The money, raised during a charity auction in Iqaluit that wrapped up the Nunavut Trade Show, will help provide reading materials for the Baffin region’s daycares.

Businesses and organizations donated more than 50 items for sale in the auction held on Saturday night in the Arctic Winter Games arena.

Other goods up for auction included soapstone carvings and prints, a sleeping bag, airline tickets, gourmet meals, autographed hockey jerseys, wall hangings and ivory jewelry.

Iqaluit businessman Adamie Itorcheak and auctioneer Michel “Hoss” Bertrand, who was flown up from Ottawa for the occasion, hosted the event — Iqaluit’s first professional auction.

Bertrand, who volunteered his time for the auction, regularly sells big-ticket items such as houses and antique furniture, but he said he tries to entertain — as well as sell — during charity auctions.

“This is a complete set of condoms,” said Hoss as he opened bidding for two Pauktuutit AIDS-prevention kits, with puzzles, T-shirts and condoms. “Caribou, walrus … muskox? One size fits all.”

In an auction, bidders vie against one another for items until no one is willing to bid any higher. The highest bid wins. A canny auctioneer like Hoss knows how to sweet-talk potential buyers so they keep bidding far beyond the actual value of the merchandise.

“There’s a lot of horny people out here,” Hoss said as the bidding for two AIDS-prevention kits topped $300. “You’re going to have a lot of fun.”

Nunavut’s health minister, Ed Picco, ended up winning the kits for $325. Picco then donated them to Kevin O’Brien, the Speaker of the House in Nunavut’s legislature.

O’Brien also donated an hour and five minutes of his time for the event. It sold for $900.

Among other items that brought in high bids at the auction was a flag of Nunavut, signed by Premier Paul Okalik and members of the cabinet.

Labrador businessman Dave Hunt bought the autographed flag for $5,600 and then donated it back to Iqaluit and the Government of Nunavut.

Igloolik elder Pauloosie Qulitalik donated an appliquéed silapaaq parka depicting the legend of Atanarjuat made by his wife. Qulitalik was an actor in Atanarjuat, and he wore the parka to accept a business award on behalf of Isuma on Friday night. The parka fetched $2,100.