Has Anyone Placed Absentee Bids At A Live Auction Before?

In my area there are two antique auctions with items I want to bid on that are scheduled at the same time, on the same day. Has anyone had any experience with absentee bidding? I do realize there may be extra fees for the auctioneer for taking absentee bids and holding the items.

Your thoughts?

 

I've placed absentee bids, but I've never won with an absentee bid. Most places will have different pick-up deadlines, but I haven't seen any places with an extra fee for absentee bids. It wouldn't amaze me if some places do, the best thing to do is usually to call and find out. Have you tried?

 

I have also placed absentee bids in the past, no extra charge at all.
With some auctioneers there are set pick-up dates, with others you can call and make an appointment that is convenient for both you and them. Some auctioneers will even arrange shipping if you can't collect the item, but that involves extra cost of course.

 

hello joe ...we use live auctioneers and invaluable over here and don't have any problems when we bid in advance of auction through them, although if bidding this way you are charged a premium of 3% to 5% , think now the latter.

Absentee bids are handled direct to the auction house holding the auction and in our case our auctioneers do not charge additional for absentee or phone bidding, just the normal commission . Wise to check terms and conditions of your auctioneers.

The option we usually use is to conduct bidding on line, and in the event of multiple auctions at same time , we split computer screen and operate on 2 auctions at a time. This costs us an additional 5% on top of buyers commission.

Another option is to facilitate phone bidding where the auction house phones in advance of item/s you wish to bid on..normally the commission is same as if bidding in house.

If bidding wild without inspecting goods it is wise to ask auctioneer for a condition report, however over time you become aware of the scruples and honesty of auction houses. Happy bidding...post your experiences and let us all know how you go...........regards ...pewter2

 

Not too much to add besides what has been said.

I've placed quite a few auctions. Won some, lost some, but never charged a fee.

I would call and ask the auctioneer for details on when/where to pick up though.

 

Find out how the auctioneer will handle the absentee bids. Some will treat it like an on the floor bidder, others will start the bidding at the left bid price.

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/is-maximizing-the-absentee-bid-proper/

 

Interesting. If I do end up putting in some bids I'll make sure to ask.

 

I've left absentee bids with several auctions.
Won some , lost some.

One auction house though.....where I left several bids on one auction, had me scratching my head.
All the bids I lost out on , were only one bid higher than mine.....& the things I won, were all pushed right to my limit.
It seemed as though they used my high bid ...as their opening bid.

 

Some will do that. If they have a bid on the books, that's the starting bid if it's over the minimum. Some don't.

 

To add to Komo and Eve: auction houses can vary in how they handle absentees; but one with which I am quite familiar, I've sat on the floor and watched their process.
If they have more than one absentee, they start with the second-highest; if nobody bids from the floor, the high absentee gets it at one increment over the underbidder. If people bid from the floor, the auction continues until either a floor bid exceeds the highest absentee, or the absentee gets it at one increment over the last floor bid. If there is only one absentee, the auction starts at a low reserve, and the absentee gets it at one increment above the last floor bid, if any; or loses to the high floor bidder. That's a fair and honest procedure, and nobody ends up over-paying.
But I've been to other live auctions where it sure looked like the auctioneer did not follow that honest procedure, and where I suspected the absentee was pretty certain to be over-paying.

 

I have no idea how it goes in the USA but I did almost all of my bidding, when I was buying regularly, by viewing the sale and leaving a list of bids. A few days later I''d get an invoice for any purchases, a day or two after that I'd go and collect, sometimes on the viewing day for the next auctiion, minimising travel.

BUT, I only did this at aucttion rooms where I knew and trusted the auctioneer's practices, and where I was an established customer that they would rather keep. I could be confident that if I leftt a £200 bid on an item estimated at £50 to £80, biddiing would start at £40, just below the probable reserve and woulld genuinely stop at £90 or whatever my winning bid was without any padding. The auctioneers with any sense knew that word would get round the trade very quickly if they took any kind of advantage of absentee bidders, and it would cost them money as people stayed away.

To suss out a new auction room you have to go at least once and watch the action. Watch the floor bidders and pay close attentioon to exactly what the auctioneer says. There will be detectable differences between 'bids' where the auctioneer is just making them up to try and get near the reserve, and where the bids are genuine. A good guide is to spot a way overpriced item, where you know no-one is going to actually reach the reserve, assumed to be low estimate minus 10%.
Another thinga lo to look for is the house buyer number, the auctioneer may not announce the item is 'passed' but knock it down to a bidding number that does not belong to any buyer. If several overpriced items get knocked down to the same number, time after time, you have spotted the ''house' number and you know the auctioneer is at least mldly fliim-flamming you.
Do not be afraid to gossip with other buyers, not the grannies out for the afternoon but proper dealers or collectors. No one likes a dodgy auctioneer. I disapprove of the auctioneer holding a commission bid saying "one more will take me out" as this unfairly discloses the commision top bid.

Much of it comes down to experience in the sale room, and I did not get mine without being taken for a ride now and again.