"Going, Going, Gone"

[Mullins, Bill]

>   How far back can we
> trace the auctioneer's call "going, going, gone"?


>From American Periodicals:
"The Auctioneer and the Lawyer" Anonymous, _The New Monthly Magazine and
Literary Journal_. American Ed. (1821-1834); 1822; 4, 19; pg. 9; cite
from p. 11

"So when he met our Auctioneer,
  Into his outstretch'd had he thrust his
Writ, and said with friendly leer,
  "My dear, dear Stubbs, pray do me justice; --
In this affair I hope you see
No censure can attach to me --

Don't entertain a wrong impression;
  I'm doing now what must be done
In my profession." --
  "And so am I," Stubbs answered with a frown,
So crying "Going -- going -- going --gone!"
  He knock'd him down! --  "

>From Readex Newsbank Early American Newspapers:

Headline: Going-Going-Gone!!!;
Paper: Columbian Centinel [Massachusetts];  Date: 1814-06-18;   Iss:
3151;   Page: [2]; col 3.
[article about an auction]

Headline: Going, Going-Almost Gone;
Paper: Federal Republican. (Georgetown, MD);  Date: 1814-01-06;   Page:
[1]; col 3.
[Article about a politician who has worn out his welcome, and should
leave office.  No auction context.]

Headline: [No Headline];
Paper: Boston Gazette;  Date: 1810-04-05;   Vol: 32;   Iss: 29;   Page:
[3];  col 4.
"Tomorrow Even, April 6, 1810, will be presented Moreton's admired
Comedy, in 5 acts, called
Secrets Worth Knowing.
Or ....... Going! Going! Gone!"
 [one of the characters is Rostrum, a young auctioneer]

>From Readex Early American Imprints

Title: The school for scandal. A comedy, in five acts. As performed at
the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. By R.B. Sheridan, Esq. Date of
Publication: 1792 page 55.
"Care: Going, going -- a going -- -- gone." [line of dialogue in play,
scene is at an auction]
On the next page,
"Care:  I'll knock 'em down at forty pounds -- Going -- going -- gone."