Buying

Buying at auction is straightforward. It’s easy to join in … and it’s lots of fun! Here’s a quick guide on what to expect and how to bid.

 

There are four ways to bid:

1. In the room - simply come along and bid during the auction after registering at reception. Registration is free and there is no obligation to bid. Just fill out a simple form and you will recieve a paddle to bid with.

2. Telephone Bid - for bids over £200 you can bid live with one of our specialist.

3. Absentee Bid - leave your bid with us beforehand if you cannot attend the auction in person.

4. Online Bid at the-saleroom.com - bid with the click of a mouse from the comfort of your own home.

 

Bidding opens … 
As each ‘lot’, or item for sale comes up, the auctioneer will give a brief description of it and invite bids.  To make a bid, simply raise your hand or paddle high enough to be seen by the auctioneer.


A little auction etiquette …
To avoid confusion and ensure fair play, there can only ever be two bidders at a time for a lot. If you decide you want a piece once bidding has started, raise your hand anyway. You may be ‘ignored’ until one bidder drops out, but please don’t take offence … the auctioneer knows you’re interested and will invite you to bid at an appropriate moment.

  

 

Going once, going twice …
Before a lot is officialy sold, our auctioneer will make sure there is no more interest in it.  Bids can be placed anytime until the hammer hits the rostrum. Once the hammer goes down, the item is legally sold to the successful bidder.

If a lot is unsold, it may be possible to make an offer after the sale. Please ask at Reception for further information. 

 

 

 
 
Successful bids...
If you have bid successfully in the room, you can pay at reception. We update lots in groups of 20, so you may need to give it a few minutes before we can process payment. We can accept cash or debit and credit cards.   There is no charge for using credit or debit cards.  Unfortunately, we cannot accept cheques or American Express. 
 

We charge a straightforward commission of 20% + VAT on top of the ‘hammer price’ (the price you bid for in the auction).

 The commission structure is:

-  20% + VAT up to £15,000

-  15% + VAT from £15,001 to £100,000

-  12.5% + VAT from £100,001 upward           


You can either take your purchase away with you on the night after our porters collect and pack your items, or your will be contacted the following day to organise collection and delivery.   You must organise removal of your items from the showroom by Friday 12pm at the latest.   After this period they will be taken to our storage facility and standard storage rates apply.    

For all other successful bids, you will be contacted the following day regarding payment, collection or delivery.


We hope that helps … if you have any other questions, please get in touch.

Happy Bidding! 

View our current auction catalogue here.