Publication Date
5-1977
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Kenneth Clarke, Lynwood Montell, Burt Feintuch
Degree Program
Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology
Degree Type
Master of Arts
Abstract
To date, the auction as a type of folklore performance has not been adequately researched. In order to place auctions in perspective as folklore, chapter one of this thesis reviews the history of auctions in the United States. Chapter one further presents the idea of the auctioneer as a folk occupational specialist. The second chapter is concerned with the skills of an active Kentucky auctioneer, who offers, during a series of interviews, insights concerning his performance skills. The third, and final, chapter attempts to construct a theoretical base for researching auctions as folklore performance. The criteria by which any given performance is called folklore are applied to the study of auctions. This thesis concludes with the writer's firm belief that a variety of techniques and scholarly orientations can be applied to the study of auctions.
Disciplines
Anthropology | Folklore | Linguistic Anthropology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Steed, Daniel Jr., "A Folkloric Perspective on Traditional Auctioneering" (1977). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 2887.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/2887