HAWKS GARAGE… WISDOM SHARED
We have reached the third and final chapter in what has been an epic saga. The estate of Jim and Barbara Hawks has yielded many treasures thus far, and their shared passions, taste, and discernment have been plain to see. This auction is different in that it is distinctly Jim. It is tempting to call this the Hudson auction but, while there is an abundance of Hudson, Essex and other automotive treasures, to name it such would sell Jim short. To put it mildly, he wasn’t a man you meet everyday. He was larger than life to the people who knew him, driven by genius and a desire to not only understand many things but to master them. This auction encompasses that breathtaking scope, and alongside the new and salvaged car parts are the artisans tools he used to build his house, a remarkable lathe and all of the accessories one would expect of a master machinist, and the accumulated wealth in tools and supplies of one who had mastered hydraulics. He was a reluctant carpenter, yet came to possess some of the finer vintage tools of that trade, and his collection of mechanics hand tools is second to none. His main line of work toward the end of his life was small engine repair, and that is reflected here as well, as is his interest in electronics large and small. His friends have described him as one who wasn’t afraid to try anything and knew everything, including Blacksmithing and Surveying. The source of that knowledge is also here in the voluminous collection of books and journals and technical manuals from which he gained his expertise. He did it all, kept the good bits and saved the receipts. Just don’t call him a Jack of all trades. His name was Jim.
