Buying at Auction
Everything you need to bid with confidence — viewing, registering, the four ways to bid, paying and getting your lots home.
There’s a certain atmosphere to a proper auction room. The anticipation before the sale. The catalogue in hand. The first bid. Whether you prefer to bid in the room, online, by telephone or by leaving a bid with us, this page tells you everything you need to know.
Antiques, Jewellery, Militaria, Coins, Vinyl, Toys, Ceramics, Collectables
First time at an auction?
We welcome first-time buyers, and we’re happy to guide you on how it all works. Please come and see us or call us to talk it through. In the meantime, here’s the short version.
- Check what’s coming up. Our upcoming auctions page shows when each sale takes place and what’s in it. You can also browse our online catalogue from home.
- View the lots. Everything in the sale is laid out in the saleroom on tables and in racking. Come and handle the pieces, ask questions, and take your time.
- Register to bid. Register online through our online bidding platform, or find a member of staff on the day and we’ll set you up in a couple of minutes.
- Note your lot numbers. Jot down the lots you’re interested in and how far you’re prepared to go — then bid in whichever way suits you best.
If you come to the live auction, you’ll be issued with a paddle carrying a number linked to your registration, so we know who is bidding. Each lot is announced in turn — listen to the auctioneer for the starting price, and if you want to bid at that price, raise your paddle. The price will go up in increments until all bidders are out except the last one. If you are the last one to bid, then the item is yours.
If you leave an absentee bid instead, we will contact you if you have the winning bid, and you can collect and pay for your item the day after the auction or arrange collection within 7 days.
It’s therefore advised to leave bids in order not to be disappointed if we are at full capacity upon arrival — see our Auction Fees page for how seating works on the day. There’s parking for 40 cars just across the road, less than 2 minutes’ walk.
Catalogues, viewing & condition reports
Our catalogue is published in the run-up to each sale. You’ll find it — with photographs and estimates for every lot — on our online bidding platform.
Every sale is preceded by public viewing in the saleroom, running for the full 7 days before each auction, 9am to 4pm. No appointment needed — all lots are available for public inspection before the auction, and we encourage buyers to examine items in person. Sale dates and viewing weeks are listed on our upcoming auctions page.
Can’t make it in? We’re happy to provide condition reports for prospective buyers. Please request them at least 48 hours before the auction — we cannot guarantee a reply to requests made within 48 hours of the sale. Additional photographs can be requested on the same 48-hour basis.
Please note that the absence of a condition report doesn’t mean a lot is in perfect condition. Our reports are based on a visual inspection and reflect our honest opinion, not a statement of fact. We do not employ professional conservators, restorers or engineers. We do not cover damage to gilded wood or plaster picture frames, or frame glass, while items are in our possession — see our Terms & Conditions.
Registering to bid
To bid with us for the first time, you’ll need to create an account. Register online via our online bidding platform, or in person at the auction house. We’ll ask for:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your email address
- Your telephone number
Once registered you’ll receive a bidder number — in the room, that’s the number on your paddle. One registration covers every way of bidding, at this sale and every sale after it.
Four ways to bid
In the room
Come along on sale day, collect your paddle and bid live with the auctioneer. It’s the classic way to buy at auction, and there’s nothing quite like it.
Live online
Follow the sale in real time and bid from anywhere through our online bidding platform — sign in with your email address, watch the auction and bid on the lots you like.
By telephone
For lots with an estimated value of £100 or more, you can bid over the phone: a member of our team calls you as your lot comes up and bids on your instruction. We operate two telephone lines, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so please book your line by close of business on the day before the sale.
Absentee (commission) bids
Leave your maximum bid with us — in person, or online through our online catalogue — and the auctioneer will bid on your behalf as cheaply as the competition allows, up to your limit. Absentee bids are executed at the bidder’s risk; see our Terms & Conditions.
When working out how much to bid, remember that the buyer’s premium of {buyer_fee}% is added to the hammer price. Full details are on our Auction Fees page.
Paying for your purchases
Once you’ve won your lot, payment can be made by cash, bank transfer, or credit/debit card. We accept cash up to £1,000, and card payments where the cardholder is not present up to £500.
All payments must be completed within 5 days of the sale; accounts outstanding after that incur interest at 5% above base rate. Funds from bank transfers must clear before items are eligible for collection.
For bank transfers, our account details are:
| Lloyds Bank PLC | |
|---|---|
| Account name | The Auction House North Shields Ltd Auctioneers Client account |
| Sort code | 30-54-66 |
| Account number | 31281268 |
| IBAN | GB19LOYD30546631281268 |
| Swift/BIC | LOYDGB21F95 |
Anti-money-laundering checks
To comply with current anti-money-laundering regulations, we conduct due diligence checks. Buyers whose total invoice exceeds £1,000 will need to provide two forms of ID and a source of funds before any purchased lots are released:
- Passport and driving licence, or
- Photo ID and a recent utility bill.
You can submit these in person or by email — details on our contact page. We reserve the right to withhold lots until these checks are complete, and all personal information is stored securely for as long as the law requires.
Collection, storage & delivery
Once payment has cleared, all lots must be collected within 7 days of the sale. Collection is by appointment:
- Tuesday to Friday: 9:30am to 3:30pm
- Saturday: 9:30am to 11:30am, strictly by appointment
- Appointments between 7 and 14 days after the sale are subject to availability.
Each sale’s specific collection dates are shown on that sale’s event page — check there before you set off.
If items are not collected within 7 days, a handling fee of £5 per lot and a storage charge of £5 per lot per day may apply at our discretion.
Delivery
Can’t collect? We run our own local delivery service around North Shields, and for everything further afield we can point you to a trusted courier who handles packing, shipping and insurance. Prices, courier details and what to know about import duties on overseas shipments are all on our Delivery & Shipping page.
Artist’s Resale Right
If you buy a work of art by a living artist, or an artist who died within the last 70 years, with a hammer price over £1,000, a royalty is due under the Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006. The royalty is managed by the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) or the Artists’ Collecting Society (ACS), Qualifying lots are not marked in the catalogue — checking whether a lot qualifies, and arranging and paying the royalty, is entirely the buyer’s responsibility. The full rate bands are set out in our Terms & Conditions, and if you’re unsure whether a lot qualifies, just ask us before the sale.
Questions?
We strive to make buying at auction as transparent, accessible, and straightforward as possible – regardless of the lot’s price. If anything here isn’t clear, pick up the phone or drop in — we’d genuinely rather you asked.
North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE30 1EG 0191 429 1773 Max Sinclair — 07496 172 866 Matthew Watts — 07871 506 720 info@theauctionhousenorthshields.co.uk