Selling at auction

There are a number of ways to consign items with us for auction. Pieces must be seen by one of our experts, who will decide whether they are suitable for sale. This can be done face to face at our offices, by home visit, or through preliminary email or telephone enquiries.

Our commission rate is 20% inclusive of VAT, without any of the hidden charges that might be incurred at other auction houses, and ours remains one of the lowest in the country. Rates, however, are negotiable for large collections or for pieces of particular importance.

Once estimates have been agreed, the items can be left on the premises, where they will be stored securely without charge until the requisite auction. If the items are valued at your home or in another location, we can make arrangements for them to be collected by a member of our logistics team for a small charge. Any necessary research will then be carried out by one of our valuers, ensuring that items are catalogued correctly.

The pieces will then be photographed ready to be presented in our online catalogue, and may be illustrated in a printed catalogue, both of which are available for prospective buyers to browse for up to two weeks before the auction. 

Once the item has been sold and paid for, commission and any further agreed charges will be deducted and payments by bank transfer will be processed from 28 days after the auction. Payments by cheque can be arranged but this method may take longer to process. As a matter of policy, all funds are held in a secure client account.

If you have any further queries regarding the sale of items, one of our members of staff would be glad to discuss them.