I'm an auctioneer, AMA!

[Gavelicious]

I'm an auctioneer, is there anything anyone would like to know about the auctioneering world?

I work for several general auctions in a rural area (not the Sotheby's of this world!!)

Do you mean for a buyer or an auctioneer?

For a buyer, it's bidding and then not paying or making some kind of excuse as to why you didn't mean to bid (online). I've heard them all - 'My husband was driving and went over a speed bump and I pressed the bid button by accident', 'my dog/cat/child/tortoise bid without my knowledge', or just denting bc all knowledge of an online bid made by their account! I think this happens when they either got carried away and regretted how much they paid for something, or when they were hoping to buy more but only win one item and don't think it's worth the postage cost for one cheap thing.

Buyers making deals with other buyers not to bid on certain items is not only poor etiquette but also illegal, but many don't realise this.

We also occasionally have buyers who try to negotiate the price down after they have won an item due to a flaw of some kind, but all auctions are 'sold as seen' and as long as the item is as it was described then it is a legal contract.

Have you ever been (or been asked to appear) on television?

No, that's quite an old fashioned auction style in this country although it's still found in livestock auctions and more common in the US.

No! It's actually great fun and much easier than it looks!

I think so for a the small auctions houses I work for, particularly the one I mainly work for as the owner is unusually generous in sharing profits, but I'm nowhere near the level of the Sotheby's and Christie's of this world!

My husband has bought items but I always make sure I'm not selling them (there are always two auctioneers)

Thank you for the info. about the costume jewellery. That's very interesting and useful - I'll be paying much more attention to those job lots!

Mid century is still doing well but on the wane a little I think. Everything goes in phases, 15 years ago I saw mid century sideboards smashed up after failing to sell for £1 and now they can go further £200-£300, but it won't last and fashions will change again.

Silver and gold prices are high at the moment.

It is often surprising what is valuable. Think about who the buyers / collectors are. Right now they are often people in their 40s/50s with disposable income reliving their youth. Vintage (as in 1980s/90s) computer / video games are very strong at moment as are some toys from that era.

Unusual, quirky and unique items are also good. There are so many outlets for used goods now (eBay, Vinted, gumtree, auctions, Facebook, charity shops, car boot sales, markets, antiques shops) that common items are tough to sell.

I was an antique/collectibles (more collectibles than antiques!) dealer for about 10 years before I got into auctioneering. It's a very hard profession to get into as many of the auction houses are family businesses and the big ones require fine art degrees (which I don't have). I got into it by asking a local auctioneer for a job, half joking, and he invited me in to experience how things worked. I helped out (unpaid) for a couple of auctions and then he offered me a job!

I don't deal much any more (I don't have time!) but I do sometimes buy bargain items at car boot sales and markets and sell them at auction!

How do you break the news to a seller that the extremely valuable item they were hoping to sell for a huge sum is actually a fake or a forgery?

No, property auctions are very specialist, I only sell at what are known as 'chattels' auctions. Property and livestock are very different.

If you have concerns about a property auction, try contacting RICS for advice:

www.rics.org/consumer-guides/property-auctions

No, I don't have the youth, ears or teeth for television!

Are there any signs of "brown furniture" coming up in value again? It's astonishing how much the prices of decent antique furniture have crashed.

That can be tough. It's not just fakes though, it can often be that items are just not worth what they paid for them or what they used to be worth as fashions change. People often research items before they bring them to us and quote 'eBay prices' but they will look at what people are trying to sell items for on eBay but not what they actually sell for. I also have to point out that many eBay sellers are buying from auctions!

We just try and be gentle and back up what we're advising with evidence of previous sakes.

Love this thread, not least because I work for one of the big three!

Do you ever refer objects or have any dealings with ‘us’?

Ooooh, I've got another one (I'm very interested in all things antique and vintage). What sort of paintings and pictures are hot property at the moment, and what trends have you seen in artwork? Has there been a similar drop in the price of traditional paintings, in the way traditional furniture has dropped in value?

I'll stop asking questions now, honest!

Yes, I've heard lots of industry murmurs that brown furniture is showing some signs of recovery but it depends what is it. Chest of drawers are getting better but huge wardrobes probably never will as people have smaller houses these days.

Oh wow, I'm much further down the food chain!!

Yes, although as auctions are online worldwide now we will try and sell most things, there are things that would be in the best interest of the vendor to take to a specialist.

One of the auction houses I work for was recently asked about selling a Lowry and the auction owner referred them to the big boys as he just couldn't store or insure it!

The main auction house I work for was recently offered some valuable shotguns, but it's not something we can or want to deal with so we referred suggested some other auctions who could.

We also refer people if they have items we believe may be very valuable but we haven't been able to identify through our own research.

Do you sell houses and if so what are the pitfalls and costs?

Do you think it's worth buying a car at auction as a lay person who knows zero about cars!

Thank you. Yes we also refer stuff to specialist auction houses, even occasionally to direct competitors if it’s something we don’t or can’t sell.

I’d actually love your job!

I’d be nervous about going to an auction, I’d be worried I’d accidentally place a bid by scratching my nose or something - does this happen?

What is the difference between vintage and antique?

I know that the sellers pay commission on their items but do buyers pay commission too?

I'd love to go to an auction - some of the things from an estate I administered went to specialist auctions which we watched online and it was fascinating.

I remember reading a career guide many years ago which said that auction houses employ people who bid “off the wall” to push prices up. Does this actually happen in your experience?