| I have probably seen it all as far as auctions go | | | | pieces of vintage jewellery, sets of toy soldiers. |
| and, though I've been buying at auction for more | | | | I've lost count of the number of times I've |
| than thirty years, I still make mistakes, still find | | | | viewed postcards one day, bid and paid for them |
| things to surprise me. This article is designed to | | | | the next, and later discovered the real gems of |
| help you avoid most of the problems typically | | | | the collection were missing. The cards have been |
| encountered by newcomers and old hands alike.* | | | | moved to another box or album, originally |
| Visit as many auctions as you can to learn how | | | | containing low value cards which have been |
| individual auction companies operate. There are | | | | bought for next to nothing by the ruthless |
| good, bad and downright ugly auction houses. All | | | | perpetrator. Check content before leaving and |
| auction houses are bound by national and | | | | inform auction staff about irregularities. It's too |
| Statutory regulations, and all have their own | | | | late when you get home.* The 'panic button' is a |
| independent rules detailing what they expect of | | | | popular con, whereby, as you are bidding, |
| bidders and buyers and what you can expect of | | | | probably against just one other person, someone |
| them. Legally, national rules must be displayed | | | | will tap you on the shoulder and say something |
| somewhere prominent, in the auction catalogue, | | | | like: "Don't touch those ornaments, they're fakes'. |
| for example, or on a wall or notice board in the | | | | In the time it takes you to realise what's going |
| saleroom. Most companies combine national and | | | | on, some other person will have had the lot |
| company rules in one location. Read and make | | | | marked down to him. He and his friends have got |
| sure you understand what they mean and ask | | | | what they wanted, in more ways than one!* |
| any questions before bidding.* Remember auction | | | | Watch out for bids being 'taken off the wall', |
| companies vary and what is common practice in | | | | involving non-existent bidders. This rarely happens |
| one is entirely unsatisfactory in another. Visit a | | | | in reputable auction houses, incidentally. Taking bids |
| few salerooms purely to view the proceedings | | | | off the wall means what it says, and sometimes |
| and see how other visitors bid, how and where | | | | there is no-one bidding against you but the price |
| they collect their goods, whether you can pay by | | | | keeps going up, and up. A dishonest auctioneer is |
| cheque, and so on. Some companies allow goods | | | | reading your face to see just how far he can |
| to be taken during the sale, others don't. Some | | | | push you to bid. Confuse him, don't rush to bid, |
| require payment on the day, others will wait ten | | | | try to look as if you are losing interest at every |
| days or more.* Following on from the last point, | | | | bidding stage.* Remember that the price your lot |
| be careful about goods left in the saleroom while | | | | is knocked down at can be inflated quite |
| payment clears. Typically, the auction company is | | | | considerably by buyer's commission and statutory |
| not liable for the safety of your goods after the | | | | taxes. Check before bidding and add likely extras |
| sale. If they get damaged, lost or stolen, that's | | | | to your maximum bidding budget.* Remember |
| your problem, not theirs. Try to pay on the day | | | | you will have to get the things you buy to your |
| where possible and certainly in smaller auction | | | | home or business premises. Some auctions |
| houses and others best described as 'iffy'. Iffy, to | | | | provide free transportation, many don't. If you |
| my mind, describes many non-custom built | | | | have to hire a vehicle, take this into account |
| salerooms, such as auctions held in abattoirs and | | | | when deciding how much to bid for certain lots.* |
| farm sales offices, any where porters are | | | | Beware ex-demonstration goods; they could be |
| shabbily dressed, lack knowledge of individual lots, | | | | damaged. Look for fingerprints and stains |
| or just seem disinterested. Generally speaking, the | | | | indicating heavy use. Avoid stock other people |
| best salerooms are those attached to large | | | | have been unable to sell, they're not likely to sell |
| estate agencies and valuation specialists or with | | | | for you either. Look especially for sticky patches |
| custom built auction rooms.* Arrive in plenty of | | | | where price labels have been removed. View |
| time to get a really good look at anything you are | | | | goods from all angles and beat unscrupulous |
| interested in buying. Inspect everything very | | | | auctioneers' attempts to hide damaged goods by |
| carefully. Make sure items with multiple and | | | | standing lots close to the wall, arranging items |
| moving parts are intact and working properly.* Be | | | | tightly together, placing doilies over heavy stains, |
| on your guard against popular cons, such as | | | | painting over patched-up holes in cars and |
| pieces from one lot being exchanged for bits | | | | household goods.* Avoid items you can't try |
| from another, after you have viewed and just | | | | before bidding or risk buying computers that don't |
| before the auction begins. Be especially careful of | | | | work, televisions and radios minus essential |
| large lots of collectibles, such as postcards and | | | | components, books with pages missing. |
| cigarette cards in albums or boxes, stamps, | | | | |