Russo and Steele keeps bringing excitement, variety
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. _ For Drew Alcazar and his partner and wife, Josephine, the road to auction success has not always been easy or smooth. As rough as the path has sometimes been for Drew — a driven entrepreneur, a bit of a show-man and, underneath it all, a hard-core motor head — he keeps a smile on his face and treats his customers to an auction experience like nothing else in the industry. Over the weekend of Jan. 16-19, Russo and Steele returned to its location in North Scottsdale, the location they conducted their first sale back in 2001.
For 2020, according the auction company and independent sources, at total of 513 lots crossed the block with 281 of those vehicles reported sold for a rounded off total of $10.7 million, which is off about 10% from 2019 totals and 35% from the company’s 2018 sale. This may have been in part due to a drop in the number of consignments — 621 last year and 646 two years ago. This drop is no doubt due to the heavy competition for consignments from the other seven auction houses conducting sales in the Valley of the Sun.
However, the atmosphere at Russo and Steele remained electric with the auctioneer and announcer high above the block. Alcazar acted as ring master on the ground, often working directly with the consignor. And when the reserve was met or lifted, the announcement of the “The reserve has been lifted!” rang out. That declaration was heard more than 250 times this year, with another 30-plus cars being sold in post-block activity. It all gives Russo and Steele the old-time auction excitement that adrenaline junkies crave.
One of the highlights of Russo and Steele sales is the wide variety of vehicles that are consigned to each of its sales, and this year was no exception.
