How to buy taxidermy at auction

If you are savvy and determined, you can find good pieces at auctions, and this is my own “go-to” way of finding special collectibles.

So how do you buy taxidermy at auction?

Many people think that buying at auction can be a minefield… But it needn’t be.

Let’s start with some of the common concerns:

I HAVE TO PAY COMMISSION ON TOP OF THE HAMMER PRICE??!!

Yes, you do. But it’s a matter of asking yourself what you are getting in return. Auction houses have overheads to cover ranging from premises and expert staff through to advertising and brochures, But there are other benefits to buying at auction that often go unconsidered. .

WHAT IF I BUY A FAKE?

Any significant auction house, and this article only covers the ones I have personal experience of and who include specialisation in the taxidermy sector in their offerings, should offer proper indemnity. This means that if they erroneously market something that is fake or make a significantly incorrect statement about its provenance or status, then you can ask for a refund.

HOW CAN I SEE WHAT I AM BUYING?

If you are unable to attend the auction physically, then you have at least two avenues to satisfy your concerns. Firstly, as part of those auction fees, the auction house funds extensive and expensive photography of each and every item. So even on the internet you can get a close look at what you’re buying.

In addition to that, and again funded by hammer fees, any reputable auction house will provide you with a condition report which should highlight any issues that might adversely affect the items value. And of course, since this report has been specifically requested, the auction house is duty bound to make sure it’s accurate..

BUT HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT ITEMS OF INTEREST?

Most reputable auction houses will maintain a simple email database that will allow you to be updated when an auction containing content that you might be interested in is forthcoming. It’s not my experience that your email is ever shared or used for any other purpose, but such assurances are easily sought from the auction house. You can either subscribe to individual auction houses or you can check consolidator websites like easylive  or The Saleroom

ISN’T BIDDING A PAINFUL PROCESS WHEN YOU AREN’T THERE?

Generally speaking, no. Most reputable auction houses have direct online bidding and those that don’t often use the services of a third-party consolidator such as The Saleroom. Direct online bidding is obviously the best option and does not incur any additional fees.

All you have to do is register as a bidder, which is a very simple and quick process which gives you a bidder reference number unique to a particular auction. Then you just have to sit online and watch the fun! There are no additional fees involved for direct bidding and your bids arrive in parallel with those from the floor.

Alternatively, you could leave an absentee bid with the auctioneer so that the last bid placed in your name will be equal to or less than your proposed figure. It doesn’t mean that the amount of your bid will automatically be spent in full. Even if the previous bids are significantly lower at the point they stopped. You will only be liable for your highest bid – if it gets that far. This can give you the additional benefit of avoiding ‘auction fever’ where you are tempted to keep bidding even though you’re over the limit you have set yourself.

HOW DO I KNOW THAT ALL BIDS ARE GENUINE?

It’s a very good question because the law allows limited flexibility in this respect,  and while I cannot speak for individual auctioneers, I can at least tell you what the law allows.

And that is something called ‘off the wall bidding’. There is literally only one scenario where this is permitted and that’s where the seller has put a reserve on an item, in which case the auctioneer is legitimately allowed to take bids ‘off the wall’ (I will leave you to interpret the meaning of that!) until he or she reaches a point just below the reserve price. If you think about the legitimacy of that, well, if the item was never going to hit its reserve it was never going to be sold was it, and while it might generate apparent interest in the item to the benefit of the seller, the effect of that ought to be absolutely negligible, mainly because one of the key things when buying at auction is to have a maximum price in your head that you are prepared to pay, and stop when bids reach that level. You might sometimes consider it worth exceeding that if there is sufficient interest in the room, but such interest will always be evident way after the reserve price has been passed.

WHAT ABOUT COLLECTION OR SHIPPING?

Most auction houses will keep items for a short period, and sometimes for longer for a storage fee, giving you time to collect in person. Alternatively, there may be shippers who specialise in carrying items, especially fragile ones, who will collect and deliver, although for very fragile items, packaging and labelling by the auction house will not necessarily be available except by agreement and at extra cost. You need to find out what the auction houses will or won’t do in this regard.

ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS TO BUYING AT AUCTION?

Well, the first and most obvious benefit is that you will invariably be paying significantly less than retail value for most items. Even when a dealer buys at auction, they have all the overheads relating to auction attendance, collection and transport of items and insurance, but also carry the risk that something they have paid good money for stays in their stock for a very long time if indeed it ever sells at all.

But this means that generally speaking dealers – and you – expect to buy in auction at an often substantial discount to the retail sales price.  If you ever buy from a dealer or a re-seller directly, remember that they’ve mostly likely marked up the item by 100%. In other words, they ask at least double what they’ve paid for it. They are in business, after all!

How do you find the things you want at auction?

Once you’re on the mailing list for any of the established auction houses that have taxidermy as a significant part of their portfolio, as I’ve already said, you will be notified before the event and should have a wide range of items to look at, so hopefully you won’t miss the good stuff ever again!

I’ve talked a lot about online bidding, but of course there is nothing to stop you going to the auction in person. There is absolutely no need to be intimidated… Once you’ve collected your bidding number on the way in, you are simply in a room full of people who want to buy something and have a maximum price in their head that they don’t want to exceed…you are just one of them whether they are dealers or private individuals. Be confident when you put your hand up or wave your brochure or whatever you do because the auctioneer will always see you – it’s their job!

And of course you have the added bonuses of not only being able to see in person those items you are interested in, but you get to experience the heady atmosphere of a busy auction room.