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topbiddr

Before you bid

How bidding works

topbiddr lists the catalogue. The auction house sells the lot, decides who may bid, and sets the terms you buy under.

  1. 01

    Find something

    Browse every catalogue on the site, or search across all of them at once. Estimates are the saleroom's own opinion of what a lot will make.

  2. 02

    Register with the saleroom

    Each auction house decides who bids in its sales — that is their licence, not ours. Register for the sale you want and the house reviews it. Returning customers are often approved straight away.

  3. 03

    Prove who you are, if asked

    Some houses check identity for every bidder, some above a value, some not at all. The requirement is shown before you fill anything in, and the check is recorded once and accepted by each house separately.

  4. 04

    Bid

    The saleroom gives you a paddle number. Bids go up in set increments, published with the sale, so you always know what the next bid is.

  5. 05

    Pay the hammer, plus the fees

    The hammer price is not the total. A buyer's premium is charged on top, sometimes with VAT, and there may be storage or delivery. Every sale publishes its fee schedule before it runs.

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For auction houses

Listing on topbiddr puts your catalogue in front of bidders who are already registered, on a flat monthly fee with no commission on your hammer.

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