How to Bid at Auction


Registering: Anyone who wishes to bid at a Willis Henry auction must first register with the company and obtain a bidding card. Registration is easy. Simply give your name, current mailing address, phone number, and tax exemption number (if you have one) at the front desk and receive your official bidding card in return. Although this bidding card is only good for the current sale, we keep your relevant data on record so the next time you attend a Willis Henry auction you need only supply your name to receive a bidding card. Phone bidders may be asked to reserve their spot with a credit card which will not be charged until after the auction and the winner is determined.

Standard Audience Bid: Unlike in the movies or on television bidding at auction is not as subtle as lifting an eyebrow or adjusting a tie. All potential bidders must first register with the company and obtain an official bidding card (see Registering above). With this bidding card you can bid on any piece you desire by simply raising the card to a position that is visible to either the auctioneer or one of our "callers" (a person working beside the auctioneer who points out bidders to the auctioneer). The auctioneer will then acknowledge your bid by either pointing to you or through a short statement such as "I have $500 from the woman in the front row do I heard $550". However, if your bid is not recognized by the auctioneer you should either display your card more prominently or verbally call out a bid. For example, if the auctioneer asks "I have $500 on the Windsor chair, do I have $550 anywhere?" and if for some reason he or our callers can not see your bidding card  it is acceptable to call out "I have $550" or any other meaningful declaration. When your bid has been recognized you can continue to bid on a lot by keeping your card raised or by redisplaying your card once a higher bid has been obtained. At the conclusion of the bidding the Auctioneer will call out the lot number, selling price and the bidder number of the buyer. For example he might conclude the bidding by saying "lot 110 goes to bidder number 45 for $600".
   All sales are final so please remember to be circumspect and alert when bidding. We will not re-auction an item if you dislike the price you paid or if you were absent while the bidding for you favorite piece was taking place. Therefore we suggest:

1. Pre-select the items you wish to bid on. Most items are on the auctioneer's block for less than a minute. For most people this is not enough time to decide whether or not to buy a lot. 
2. Know how much you want to pay for an item. Prices at auction move quickly and many people become "caught up in the excitement" and overbid. The best way to avoid overpaying is to decide how much money you are willing to spend before a lot  reaches the auctioneer's block. In addition, always remember that every lot is subject to a 17% buyers premium and a local sales tax (6.25% in MA) for non-dealers. Therefore, a non-dealer who wins a lot on a  $1000 bid really must pay $1170 plus tax.
3. Know the lot number of the pieces you are interested in. Perhaps one of the most common mistakes that bidders make is failing to bid on a piece they like because they do not know when it was going to be offered. The simplest way to avoid this error is to keep track of the current lot number and the lot number(s) of the piece or pieces that you like. Our auctions are run sequentially so it is fairly easy to anticipate when a lot will be offered once you know its lot number. In addition, we suggest that you return to your seat and be prepared to bid at least five lots ahead of the lot you are interested in.

Left Bids or Absentee Bids both refer to a flat bid left by someone unable to attend a given auction. To leave a left bid simply call or make an appointment before an auction and we will take your name, phone number, current mailing address, tax exemption number (if you have one) and dollar amount bid for each lot that you wish to bid on. These bids are then competitively bid into the auction. That is, we start the bidding as if there were no prior bids and bid on your behalf until other bids exceed your bid or there are no other competing bidders. Therefore, it is very common for absentee bidders to win lots for substantially less than their set bid.
   As a courtesy we also offer "plus one" left bids which will bid one unit above the amount given in the left bid. This prevents a member of the audience from buying a lot for exactly the amount of a left bid. For example, suppose you leave a $1000 left bid on a painting and our bidder bids $900 for you and an audience member responds by bidding $1000, at this point the "plus one" left bid gives you the opportunity to bid $1100 and hopefully win the painting from the audience member.
   Please remember that left bids are subject to both a buyer's premium and local sales tax. These charges are factored in above the stated amount of a left bid. Therefore a successful left bid of $1000 would result in a total purchase price of $1170.

Phone Bids are another way that bidders unable to attend an auction can participate in a sale. We reserve the right to limit phone bidding for the most desirable lots in the auction giving those priority. We will always try to accommodate phone bidders, but it may not always be possible due to lack of phones or staff. To arrange a phone bid simply call or make an appointment before an auction and we will ask for your registration information (see Registering above with the addition of leaving a credit card number to insure payment by the winner) and make arrangements to have someone call you when the lot(s) that you desire reach the auctioneer's block. When we call during the  auction we will provide you with the current bid and other relevant information. At this point our phone-bidder will ask you whether or not you wish to accept the current bid. If you accept the current bid, he or she will bid on your behalf. The phone bid ends when you are the only remaining bidder or when the bidding exceeds the amount you would willingly pay for a lot. As a courtesy, in most cases our phone-bidders will remain on the line with you until an item is sold regardless of whether or not you are the winning bidder.  This allows you the opportunity to discover the winning bid and the level of  interest in a lot.
   Please remember that phone bids are subject to both a buyer's premium and local sales tax. These charges are factoring in above the quoted amount of the phone bid. Therefore a successful phone bid of $1000 would result in a total purchase price of $1170.
   Also, please be aware that phone bids may not be available at every auction.