Hartzells Auction Gallery Inc., based in Bangor, Pa., is proud to be celebrating its 80th anniversary in the auction business. The operation has been family-owned and operated since 1943, and the fourth generation is currently running the company, which serves Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York with dedication, integrity, and a vast knowledge of the auction market. Great-grandfather Melvin Hartzell began the business onsite at the Jacktown Grove, currently where the Blue Mountain Antique Gas and Steam Engine holds its shows and flea market. He eventually moved to the current location at 521 Richmond Road in Bangor. The structure, which originally served as a chicken coop, was renovated, and the building received an addition as business increased. The current auction house is large enough to accommodate multiple auctions at the same time as well as store a vast amount of inventory for future sale. Today, Hartzells Auction is managed and run by four members of the family with additional support staff. The auction gallery has conducted thousands of onsite, in-house, and now online auctions. From Americana to Orientalia to farm machinery, the staff is equipped to catalog, photograph, display, sell and ship. With the addition of online bidding platforms, the auction house is able to achieve and exceed current market prices by exposing items on a global scale. Items are routinely purchased by bidders from coast to coast as well as Australia, England, Mexico, Germany and Japan, to name a recent few. John Hartzell expressed some surprise at the variety of bidders that register online. You just never know where an item removed from an attic in rural Pennsylvania may end up, he said, noting that an unusual electric brass blade fan was sold to a buyer in Thailand. The internet and its auction platforms have opened the world up to buying, and it certainly is a game changer. The staff enjoys holding in-person auctions in the gallery. Its great to see familiar faces and chat with customers you havent seen in a while, said Karen Hartzell. They get to see and hold items in-person, which can be an advantage to only seeing photos on a computer. In celebration of this anniversary, Hartzells Auction is planning three quality auctions during the month of November. On Friday, Nov. 3, there will be an Antique Gun Auction, followed by a Country and Americana Auction on Saturday, Nov. 4. The third sale will be Friday, Nov. 17, featuring a collection of Self-Taught and Outsider Art with Tramp Art and Folk Art. These auctions will all be held live in the gallery as well as on the internet, with bidding facilitated by liveauctioneers.com. For further information on these upcoming sales, visit www.hartzellsauction.com.