How to Bid at Auction

Buying at auction can be a daunting task for those who have not done so before, but if you follow our simple guidelines, it could not be easier.

It is essential that all prospective bidders have looked carefully at the item or items that they wish to purchase prior to the sale. All items are sold as seen, and it will not be possible to return them once bought, and responsibility for that purchase passes to the successful bidder once the auctioneer has brought the hammer down.

You must register to bid at each sale, and you will be provided with a bidding number with which to bid.

You will need to complete a bidding registration form, giving your full name, address, email address and telephone number. The first time you register with us, you must also provide sufficient photographic identification for this purpose.Subsequent visits will only require you to request a bidding number for the sale in which you wish to bid, unless you have been provided with a regular number for those who attend regularly.

Once the lot is being offered for sale by the Auctioneer, it is prudent to be alert, as some items can be sold very quickly, and it is the bidder’s responsibility to get the full attention of the Auctioneer if you wish to bid, with whichever method works best for the individual; either by waving your hand or bidding number or by calling out. If the Auctioneer does not see that you wish to bid, he cannot be held responsible if you later claim to have missed something you had wished to buy. It is totally at the Auctioneer’s discretion whether to accept your bid, and once he has put the hammer down, that lot cannot be re-offered. If you should be lucky enough to be the successful bidder, you must raise your bidding card so that the Auctioneer can see your number.

You are now under a legal obligation to pay for this item, but you can wait until the end of the sale or whenever you have purchased the last lot that you would like, and then pay for all the items purchased together. You will need to provide cleared funds before any purchase can be removed from the saleroom, and you have 14 days in which to do this before storage charges become applicable. If any items are heavy and cannot be taken by you personally, once paid for, we can recommend carriers to deliver them to you, at your expense.

Please click here for more details on leaving commission bids

(Please refer to our conditions of sale for further information relating to buying at auction.)