Stick to what you want to pay. Don't get caught up in competition.

Find out the buyer's premium you pay on top of the hammer price, and factor that in.

I love auctions!

Remember, auctions alway come down to 2 people - one who wants it more/is willing to pay more than the other. I always bid with a look of determination, and NEVER hesitate with my bid. That can tell the other bidder that I'm almost at my dollar limit.

Often, the other bidder backs down when my determination makes them think I'm willing to pay more than them. I am usually willing to go a bit over my pre-determined limit, but I bid according to what it's worth to me, not necessarily what the item is worth - usually they're pretty close.

Good luck, and make sure to share pictures of your wins.
Dee

Sorry, Pal, what does that mean, your second sentence.

Right, I get it, like ebay, don't get caught up in a bidding war.

The buyer's premium is added to whatever you bid so if you bid $100 and the premiuim is 10%, then at check-out you will pay $110, plus sales tax if there is one in your area. You will find out the buyer's premium when you get your auction number. It is also probably noted in the circular advertising the auction. If not, just ask.

Also be sure you're in a place where the auctioneer can see you. Pay attention during the bidding on something you want.

Don't be afraid that you might inadvertently bid on something by scratching your chin or something. Auctioneers are good at telling what's a bid, and what's not. And if they are in doubt they will confirm it on the spot.

If you've never bid on anything at a live auction before you might plan on bidding on something small early on to get used to the pace of it.

I usually don't make the first bid on something I really want.

It's very exciting to bid; the first couple of auctions I went to I was in such a stew, I felt sick. At the first auction I was keen to buy some large mill stones, but was afraid I'd screw it up. I was flabbergasted when I won. When the auctioneer said, "sold to the lady there" and pointed to me, I blurted out, "You're kidding?" And that really embarassed me, so much so that I nearly forgot to bid on the next stone!

I've found that auctioneers are quite tolerant of newbies. After all they certainly want to have lots of people come to auctions so they go out of their way to make it a good experience.

Good luck.

L

Let's say the auctioneer starts the bidding asking for $100. If no one jumps in for $100, he'll lower the asking price until he gets a bid. Just supposing you were the only one in the room interested in the item, it's worth your while to wait to see how low he'll go.

If he starts the bidding saying, "I HAVE $100, who'll give me $125?" then you just bid. Sometimes there are absentee bidders who have left bids at the office and you may be bidding against someone who's not in the room.

The auctioneers talk really fast and when you get flustered because you really want something, it's good to remember if yours was the last bid so you don't start bidding against yourself. LOL

When the bidding is over and you've won the item, hold up your number so he can see it. He'll call it out, and it gets recorded.

All sales are usually final unless the item has been misrepresented in some way so make sure you inspect things well before you buy.

If you're bidding against a dealer, you have the advantage of not having to make a profit on resale.

You're going to have fun. Good luck!

THANK YOU, these are a lot of help. I will try to not get too excited as I have nothing yet!

Thanks for the heads up on the buyer's premium. The flyer says 10% for cash, 13% for credit cards. So, maybe I want to hit the bank some time next week!

Some of the case goods are John Van Koert. I don't know if I have a prayer of getting these.

If you have never been, it is lots of fun.

I know myself, and I get caught up in the excitement. So I don't actually go anymore. There is an auction house down the road from me. I look at their catalog every month. If I see something I like, I go the morning of the auction, check it out, and if I like it I leave a bid. :) then I have no regrets.

Most household and many antique auctions don't charge a buyers premium....at least around here. Some auction houses will charge a premium at spacialized auctions like say for clocks or rugs or dolls....but mostly not.
I often pop in with the first bid. One auctioneer always starts way too high.....and it takes a while for him to get from what should be the ending bid down to a good starting bid....so I often pop in with a shouted "ten dollars". It's always accepted, and occasionally I have bought something I was just starting the bidding on! LOL! Back when silver was $20 an ounce I would open the bidding on any sterling piece for $1.00. I have a lot of souvenir spoons....and a very full set of sterling that began with8 spoons "Take one or take them all" For $1.00....mine was the first bid and I shouted $1.00 when he was asking for $5.00. That $8.00 purchase has cost me several thousand as I completed the set....and I still need a boullion spoon and a butter knife!
also be aware how things are sold....by the lot....which means say all 8 glasses for one price...or buy one- buy them all....where you are bidding on one piece and your bid will be multiplied by however many pieces there are.
Have fun...I LOOVE auctions!
Linda C

Furnished our first house with auction stuff. I still have the dining room set. (I use the table as my work table in my studio,chairs get used in the basement.) AND one of the dressers. Couple of end tables...and a nice mirror. Got it ALL for under $1000. I got lucky--no one was bidding on big stuff that day. Be prepared to take it with you...most places require that you remove it that day.

We used to go to auctions several years ago and still have most of the items we purchased (Various furniture items and several Persian rugs). But the best purchase we ever made at an auction was a huge pine drugstore cabinet that had been taken out of a drugstore in Oklahoma and brought to California by an antique dealer who thought he could get lots more for items in California. (His auctions weren't as successful as he hoped, so he only came to our area about three times.) The cabinet is about 7 feet tall and 10 feet wide with 24 drawers on top and doors on the bottom. DH said "I'm going to buy that" and I said "you've got to be kidding--how much do you think you can get that for?". He said "$250", so I told him if he could get it for that to go right ahead. All of the original brasses were with the cabinet, but the dealer had stupidly put them in the drawers so the cabinet didn't look as good as it could've. There was only one other bidder and he and DH went back and forth until DH got to exactly $250. The other bidder stopped, and we had the cabinet! Getting it home was quite a project as there are big 6"x6" beams in the bottom part. But it has been a great addition to our living room--though it never ended up helping me to get organized like I hoped it would!