A man can always use more alcohol, tobacco and firearms.
I'm not questioning you or Holts personally. Let's just say though an unscrupulous auction house advised a client that an item was worth less than it actually was in order to snap it up for themselves (assuming no one else in the room wanted it). Wouldn't there be a conflict of interests?
I'd always assumed auction staff wouldn't be allowed to bed, that's all.
Dave
Smell my cheese
You'd think it would be a conflict of interest, wouldn't you?
I was at an aucton, years ago, when the auctioneer himself actually said 'We'll have some of that. Put that down to us'. There were a number of lots of office supplies with bidders being invited to say how many lots they wanted once a price had been established. Nobody seemed concerned.
IF you recall one of the major international houses caused a scandal fairly recently when it was revealed that they had lent money to a punter to buy some work of art at an inflated price to create a record price.
I hate the way Buyers' Premiums have crept all over the country. We only used to get them in Lincolnshire and the sales people would knock stuff down if it got within 5 or 10% of the reserve and forgo their premium in order to get the sale, settling for just the usual commission. I don't deny them the right to make a living but they do seem to have got very greedy. In fine arts they can end up with as much as a third of the monies achieved. It can seem as if the auction is for their benefit rather than the owner of the goods. I once bought a 1931 Rolls Woody estate for £10,000, firmly believing that there was some profit in it. There was, about £1500, but for me to obtain that through a prestige car auction it would have have to do about £13000 under the hammer, with them then having a second bite out of the buyer.
Incidentally the kids have been told it is only to be referred to as My First Rolls Royce, but I seriously doubt if there'll be a second!
You must remember that all that small print in the catalogue was written by the auctioneer and mostly protects .. the auctioneer!
Of course, this is only my take on it and I'm sure Messrs Christie, Sotheby, et al will plead poverty.
ATB, Mick
When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns .
£2400
Went for £3300 + fees.
I think that’s around £4250.
hi, £3,300 was my final bid.. and the person who bid £3,400 won it.. + fees + postage.
not far off the £5,000 mark.. i was so looking forward to a nice jw50 tipper..
now i suppose i will never get one ! kind rgds.. J.S.D.