Also bear in mind that most of the cars at these auctions are either fully and recently restored, or close to it. (I said "most", not "all.") If you are a collector and you've decided that you want a Big Healey, these auctions are not really a bad idea.
First of all, they bring the cars to you. You don't have to study the latest issue of Hemmings and then fly to 12 different locations to inspect 12 different cars. That costs both time and money. Instead, the auction company brings them all to you in a nice vacation location. If the sellers have a clue, they hang around their car when it is on display before being auctioned, and you get a chance to talk with them about it, see the photo albums of the restoration, etc. You may get to talk with knowledgeable people at the auctions, people who would otherwise be unavailable to you.
Most of the people buying these cars at auction do not have the time or desire to join the club, spend years going to meetings and shows to learn about the cars and develop a network of experts, etc., etc., etc. If I won the lottery and decided I wanted a high-end Ferrari, I would not start by re-configuring my entire social life and seek a new group of friends and spend years studying and observing and traveling to learn everything about Ferraris. I'd probably do some study, read a couple of books, scour the Internet, make a few calls, and attend an auction or two.
Those of us who hang out here are mostly long-term, dedicated enthusiasts. Most of the guys who buy cars at these auctions are not, and for them it makes sense to pay a premium for the convenience and efficiency offered there. In most cases they get a very nice car, and they really, really, really do not care if the shade of the engine paint is slightly too light, or if the nap of the carpet is slightly too thick. They're not going to bring these cars to a Healey club meeting and hold them up for inspection or even casual judgement of other attendees. They may enjoy just driving it, and/or they may just enjoy having it sitting out there in their 20,000 square-foot car storage building with all of their other trophies.
The real problem - for us - is that many owners get the idea that their car is worth the price paid at auctions, or, thinking that theirs is "80 percent as good as those cars," that it is worth 80 percent of auction prices. That causes price inflation, something which has both positive and negative aspects. Many owners fail to consider the premium built into those auction prices for the service that the auction company provides: bringing sellers and buyers together in one nice location all at the same time, and that's worth a lot to many people.