AUCT IONS
ROWLEY’S Spanning printed ephemera, silver, objects of virtu, taxidermy and more, you’re sure to come upon an eclectic collectable over at Rowley’s monthly auctions. All buyer’s premiums are fixed. Check them out on Saturday 12 March or Saturday 9 April. BONHAMS Fancy putting your own attic clutter up for sale? This global auction house holds valuation events throughout the year at Bury St Edmunds and Reepham. Bring in your items to The Athenaeum, Bury St Edmunds on 24 March, or Reepham on 7 or 21 April. Auctions Ahead
BIGGER PICTURE Buying top-quality pieces from the auction market, like those sold by Cheffins (below) could save you money in the long run, as cheaper, mass-produced goods don’t have the same durability
CHEFFINS The Cambridgeshire auction
As the time ticks down, ensure you register before the auction begins, either online, by telephone or in person – you will need to buy a bidding number before participating. “Auctions move fast, often with around 80 lots sold per hour, so leave plenty of time to get organised before your chosen lot comes up,” Martin suggests. MAKE YOUR BID The first thing to do when arriving is introduce yourself. “My advice would be to make yourself known to the staff and say it’s your first time,” Roddy urges. “Most auction houses are extremely friendly: they’ll bend over backwards to try to help and explain how it all goes.” The buzz of an auction is one of its bonuses, but be careful not to get swept away – a combination of competition and excitement can lead bidders to exceed their budgets. In the UK, auction houses operate an ascending bid, where the price increases by a certain percentage of the bidding level. Increments vary, but are often set at around 10% – if this sounds puzzling, don’t worry, you will quickly catch the flow. “As auctioneers, we are looking for your bidding number, not someone who is scratching their nose! So, don’t panic, you won’t end up bidding on something you don’t want,” Martin says. One thing to watch out for, however, is the buyer’s premium set by each auction house, which will be stacked on top of the final hammer price. Other costs, such as Artist’s Resale Right, VAT or import duty, may come into play – but these will be made clear in catalogue descriptions. Some surprising items may surface. “A small piece of the Berlin Wall was sold at one of our auctions last year,” says
powerhouse, founded in 1825, hosts a range of specialist sales, both on-site and online. Head over to the Cambridge Machinery Sales on 14 March or pick up a painting at The Fine Sale on 24 March. WILLINGHAM AUCTIONS Make a day of it with this auction house, which has its own cafe and is also home to Cambridge Home and Garden. Its antique, collectables and militaria sale is on 26 March.
help to arrange transport, so there is no need to worry about hiring a van on the day,” says Martin. Those further afield can contact the auctioneers for advice on how to pick up their items. Your lot will be insured for as long as the auction house holds on to it for you. Auctions are regularly days of drama and high stakes, with Roddy relating: “We’ve had people trying to outbid each other by getting up to mischief. Quite often it’s people who are related.” He adds that, with the green movement, auctions are bound to become favoured by younger generations: “It’s more environmentally friendly to buy a piece of furniture in good condition and well-made over 200 years old, rather than going to Ikea for something which is not going to hold its value and result in chopping down trees.” Whether you’re on a quest for invaluable fishing gear, pining after designer handbags, or just looking for a fun day out, auctions are a fine choice – whatever the spoils, it’s certainly not a case of winner takes all.
Ronnie, while Martin tells us: “Last year, we sold a very rare and valuable Renaissance sculpture of an ostrich. This ended up going for over £1.4m – massively beyond our expectations. The atmosphere in the room was electric, especially as the buyer was sitting there, competing with a number of other bidders on telephones from all over the world.” At Rowley’s, meanwhile, Roddy unearthed a unique item during a sale of Daphne du Maurier’s letters, cards and books. “I discovered, behind a photograph of her, a poem she had written about the life of a prostitute, which nobody had ever seen before.” GOING, GOING, GONE If you were outbid, don’t be disheartened – one of the upsides of auctions is that, even if the auctioneer has uttered “going, going, gone”, there will always be more sales. After securing a lot, your next steps are to arrange payment, either in person or over the phone, and collect it, usually by a given date. “Most auction houses can
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