Northwest Ohio's trusted auctioneer — since 1977.

Our story

Bonnigson & Associates was founded in Clyde, Ohio in 1977 by Kenneth Bonnigson. What started as a one-man operation with a folding clerking table and a microphone has grown into one of Northwest Ohio's most established auction companies — but the philosophy hasn't changed.

We tell sellers what we actually think their property will bring. We tell buyers what they're actually getting. We catalog honestly, settle promptly, and answer the phone when it rings.

Ken Bonnigson — 49 years in the auction business

Ken graduated from Clyde High School in 1976 and went straight to the Reppert School of Auctioneering in Decatur, Indiana — the school that has trained auctioneers since 1921. He was licensed in 1977 and apprenticed under Rollie Crum, a veteran Northwest Ohio auctioneer based in Green Springs.

In 1989, Ken earned his CAI designation — the Certified Auctioneers Institute credential, granted by the National Auctioneers Association after three years of intensive coursework. Fewer than 4% of working auctioneers hold it.

Dual licensure: auctioneer + real estate broker

Ken is a licensed Ohio real estate salesperson and a licensed real estate broker — a rare dual credential that almost no other auctioneers in the region carry. For property sellers, that's not a marketing detail. It means we can tell you honestly whether auction will outperform a traditional listing for your specific property, because we run both sides of the business and we've watched both methods play out for 49 years.

What we do

Farm equipment auctions

Tractors, combines, planters, tillage equipment, grain handling, trucks, trailers, and farm attachments. We run live on-site auctions with simulcast webcast bidding so local buyers and out-of-state buyers compete on the same lot.

Real estate auctions

Farmland, residential, and commercial property. Tillable acres, country homes, building lots, commercial parcels. We handle the marketing, the legal description, the title work coordination, and the closing logistics.

Estate auctions & liquidations

Full-service estate auctions for executors, heirs, and downsizing families. Antiques, household goods, vehicles, tools, collectibles. We handle the cataloging, photography, advertising, sale day, and settlement — start to finish.

Total asset recovery

Business closures, bankruptcies, and corporate liquidations handled discreetly and completely.

What you get on sale day

• On-site mobile office with fully computerized clerking and cashiering. Bidders register and pay efficiently; consignors get itemized settlement statements.
• Live + webcast hybrid bidding. Most auctions run simultaneously on-site and online via webcast platforms — local crowd plus nationwide reach.
• Professional cataloging and photography for every lot. We don't show up sale day with a folding table and a Sharpie.
• Multi-channel marketing across AuctionZip, Tractor Zoom, Equipment Facts, GoToAuction, regional newspapers, and direct outreach to buyers we know are in the market.
• Settlement within a week of sale day for the vast majority of auctions.

Our service area

We work across Northwest Ohio — primarily Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot, Hancock, Huron, and Crawford counties — but we travel farther for larger consignments and we ship goods nationwide through our online bidding platforms.

Major cities and towns served include Fremont, Tiffin, Bellevue, Bucyrus, Findlay, Upper Sandusky, Norwalk, Port Clinton, and the surrounding rural communities.

Ready to talk?

Whether you're thinking about selling a single piece of equipment, a family farm, or an entire estate, the first conversation is free and the advice is honest. Get in touch or call 419-547-7777.