RICHMOND, Ind. — Auctioneer David A. “Dave” Kessler, age 85, died March 5 at Forest Park Health Campus in Richmond. He was born on January 30, 1938 in Richmond, Indiana, son of the late Frank Elwood & Betty Ellen (Baumgardner) Kessler.

Kessler was a long-time auctioneer and owned Kessler Auctioneers in New Paris, Ohio. In 2008 he was inducted into the Indiana Auctioneers Hall of Fame. 

In a 2008 article in AntiqueWeek, Kessler said he had been an auctioneer since 1957, but he had a wide array of talents and interests. He was an author, painter, publisher, poet, musician, widely-noted teller of jokes and grand stories, and a great cook. 

In that article Kessler said, “I bought my first item when I was 12 for 25 cents and sold it for $18. Then I was hooked.”

Kessler said in 2008 he became serious about writing in the 1960s.  “My first weekly column It’s Old Stuff ran into the late 1970s.” From the late ’70s to about 1985 Kessler published The Auction Bottom Line tabloid paper. It had subscribers from all over the United States and Canada. He has written books titled Antiques Across the Auction Block, The Best of Dave Kessler and Selling Real Estate at Auction.

He wrote a column for Farm World beginning in 1981 and running through 2015 called Skinny Cooks Can’t be Trusted. His love for cooking led to his cookbook Skinny Cooks Can’t be Trusted.

Kessler traveled for years when he was on staff of the Missouri Auction school giving seminars and teaching other auctioneers. 

He was preceded in death by his son, Bruce Kessler in 2019.

He is survived by his daughter, Elly Kessler.

Condolences may be posted at www.barnesfuneralhome.com