Buckhead Coalition President Sam Massell is encouraging officials from 20 Buckhead banks to consider spending a few bucks on deer-decorated antique bank teller grates being offered at a local auction.
In a memo to the bank executives, Massell said Red Baron’s Auction, in its catalog, describes the decorative medallions on the teller grates as depicting elk heads. “But the Buckhead Coalition president sees buck heads,” Massell wrote.
Each iron grate is described as being 45 inches by 30 inches with “Foliate Detail” in the auction catalogue. The grates originally were used at the teller stands in banks.
“Now I realize bank teller grates are a thing of the past, but I am suggesting that one of the 20 of you think outside the teller’s station and earn the media magnet this could be,” Massell wrote to the banks. “If the budget won’t allow all five, buy one and hope the others go to purchasers in cities noted for deer hunting.”
The grates are to be sold during the auction scheduled for Nov. 6 and 7. Massell suggested the bank representatives go by Red Baron’s shop at 6450 Roswell Road,Sandy Springs, before the sale with their decorator “to think out their uniqueness and plan your bidding strategy.”
“Our office has no arrangement for a commission,” Massell told the bankers. “But knowing of [Red Baron’s owner] Bob Brown’s big heart, I bet he will make some kind of contribution to the Buckhead Heritage Society if we generate a sale herewith.”
Brown said, “One of Sam’s buddies actually did come out and look at them. I told him they could all be bought by one bidder or sold individually.”
– John Schaffner