Buying Guide Halls Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers Shrewsbury
Buying with Halls - Before The Auction Viewing the catalogue Our online catalogue can be viewed prior to the auction from the Forthcoming Auctions page. All our catalogues are published on the web site as interactive listings or a ‘page turner’ e-catalogue, both of which can be accessed from the auction details page. For our larger auctions you can purchase a perfect bound, printed catalogue for £15 (including postage) by phoning or emailing the saleroom.
When can I view your auction in person? All auctions take place on a Wednesday and are open to public viewing prior to the sale day. Viewing dates and times can be found on the details for each auction.
Can I ask questions about lots before the auction? You can ask for further details about any lots in our sales and this is especially important if you cannot attend the view. We don’t detail condition in our catalogue descriptions and so recommend asking for a condition report and additional images. Our reports provide a general guide to the condition of a lot but are not a forensic examination and so a physical inspection by you or an appointed agent is ideal. You can telephone the saleroom and talk to a specialist or you can email adminfineart@hallsgb.com. Alternatively you can click the ‘ask a question’ button in the lot details screen. Condition reports are always given in writing
Buying with Halls - Before The Auction What is buyer’s premium? All UK auctioneers charge a premium in addition to the hammer price. Halls’ Buyer’s Premium is 20% plus VAT for the first £500,000 and 12% above £500,000 per lot.
Buying ivory Items made of, or containing elements of, elephant ivory are subject to trading bans in the USA and China among other jurisdictions, and are subject to CITES regulations in the UK. If you are bidding outside the UK, please ensure you are aware of your country’s regulations BEFORE bidding. We cannot rescind a sale if you are unable to ship ivory to your country.
Terms and Conditions Please click here for our full terms and conditions
Buying with Halls - During The Auction How can I bid? There are various methods of bidding in our auctions: In person at our saleroom Book a telephone line - we shall call you during the auction and bid on your behalf Leave a commission or ‘absentee’ bid Bid live online
How do I bid in person in the saleroom? You will need to register on the day of the sale prior to the auction beginning. Go to the bidding office to the right of main reception We will ask for your name, address and contact details If you have not bid with us before we will ask for identification including a form of photo ID (such as driving license or passport) and a proof of address (such as utility bill or bank statement) You will be issued with a paddle number and this will identify you to the auctioneer and other staff throughout the auction
How can I bid by Telephone? You can arrange to be contacted by telephone to bid during the auction. Phone the fine art team on +44 (0)1743 450700 or email adminfineart@hallsgb.com. If you have not bid with us before we will ask for identification including a form of photo ID (such as driving license or passport) and a proof of address (such as utility bill or bank statement).
Buying with Halls - During The Auction How do I leave a commission or absentee bid? You may leave an absentee bid, also known as a commission bid, which is the maximum you wish to spend excluding Buyer’s Premium. You can do this by one of the following ways: Click here to register as a client on our website and leave bids via our online catalogue (click here for a quick guide on how to do this) Fill out a yellow bidding form in the saleroom Completing the bidding form in the back of your catalogue Phone the bidding office or email your bids to peter@hallsgb.com Absentee bids can be accepted up to 4pm on the day prior to the auction and must be confirmed in writing.
How can I bid live online? You can bid live online, following the sale as it happens with streamed video and audio. First Click here to register as a client on our website (click here for a quick guide on how to do this) From 9.30am on the day of the auction go to the auction catalogue and click on the ‘Bid Live’ link button. You will be taken straight through to the live bidding page and are ready to bid! If you bid and register directly with Halls Fine art we will only charge 3% commission plus VAT on top of our buyer’s premium of 20% + VAT. If you already have an account on the-saleroom.com (TSR), we will link your account and associated data. If you do not have a TSR account, we will create an account for you on the-saleroom.com; you do not have to register twice on our site and the-saleroom.com to bid live with us.
Buying with Halls - During The Auction Will you automatically bid my maximum amount? No. Halls’ auctioneer will bid on your behalf for the lowest possible amount, subject to other competing bids, and continue bidding up to your maximum. We do not open bidding at your maximum, nor do we ‘run you up’ artificially.
Do I need to provide ID? If you have not bid with Halls before, we will ask for identification to register your bids. This will include a form of photo ID (such as driving license or passport) and a proof of address (such as utility bill or bank statement).
If I scratch my nose, will I buy a Ming Vase? Our auctioneers are highly experienced and will be looking at everyone in the room as well as their screen on the rostrum. If they aren’t sure you are making a bid, they will ask you. If you didn’t mean to bid or were just swatting a fly, speak up! Let the auctioneer know before the gavel comes down!
Buying with Halls - During The Auction Bidding increments - a rough guide As the auction starts to flow and bids come in it is good to anticipate the next bid, especially when bidding via a telephone, to avoid nasty surprises . Below is a rough guide to the bidding increments structure and is good to get to know so you can prepare and assess your budget as the prices rise.
£10 - 200 = £10 £300 - 500 = £20 £500 - 2,000 = £50 £2,000 - 5,000 = £100 £5,000 - 10,000 = £200 £10,000 - 20,000 = £500 £50,000 - 100,000 = £5,000 £100,000 - 500,000 = £10,000 £500,000 - 1,000,000 = £50,000 £1,000,000 - 5,000,000 = £100,000
Buying with Halls - After The Auction When should I pay for my purchase? We usually like to receive payment and collection arrangements within seven days of the auction.
What payment methods can I use? You can pay with cash (up to ÂŁ8,000), debit cards, direct bank transfer or a personal cheque. We regret that we do not accept payment by credit card. Cheques should be made payable to Halls Holdings Ltd.
Do I need to collect immediately? We prefer buyers to arrange collection within ten days of the auction. Storage space is very limited at our saleroom and we regret we cannot store purchased lots for long periods.
Do you ship bought lots? Halls do not provide a shipping or postage service but we can assist in finding a suitable carrier for your bought lots. Please email peter@hallsgb.com for further details.
Can I get the VAT refunded if I am bidding from outside the UK? You can obtain a refund of VAT if you buy an object which is shipped to a country outside the European Union. You will need proof of export from your courier and then complete a VAT refund form obtainable from the HMRC website.
Buying with Halls - Auction calander 2019
Our Auction House Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and cakes every day from 9am - 4.30pm so you can enjoy some fresh, local food before or after the auction.