At Halls Fine Art we hope to ensure buying at auction to be easy and enjoyable from viewing our colour catalogues online to receiving your lot at home. Here we explain this process. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to get in touch, we would be happy to help.
All UK auctioneers charge a premium in addition to the hammer price.
Halls’ Buyer’s Premium is 24% plus VAT (28.8% inc VAT) for the first £500,000 and 12% above £500,000 per lot.
All the bidding options below are not available in every auction. Go to the auction details to confirm what these are prior to booking your bid.
Ensure you have read our full Terms and Conditions applicable to buyers prior to registration and leaving your bid.
On the day of the auction come to our Cash Office to register to bid and obtain your bidding number.
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 fineart@hallsgb.com
You may leave an absentee bid, also known as a commission bid, which is the maximum you wish to spend excluding Buyer’s Premium. We 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.
Leave your bids by one of the following options:
Register to bid live with HallsLive. You can bid live online, following the sale as it happens with streamed video and audio.
You can also bid live with the-saleroom.com and Easylive.
For timed auctions, bidding is slightly different to a live auction. Follow our guide below to understand how it works and register to bid.
Please call 01743 450 700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com to arrange your bid or for further advice.
All our auction catalogues are available to view online as interactive listings via our Forthcoming Auctions page. These are uploaded in advance of each auction. Each lot is imaged and can be enlarged to get a more detailed view.
All auctions take place on a Wednesday and are open for viewing prior to the sale day.
Viewing for our Timed Auctions is prior to the auction finishing.
Viewing dates and times can be found on the details for each auction.
You do not need to book to view our auctions. Just turn up!
You can ask for further details and extra images about any lots in our sales and this is especially important if you cannot view the lot in person. 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.
Condition reports must be submitted before 4.30pm the day before an auction so that we have sufficient time to action the request.
To request a condition report go to the lot of interest and click on the 'Request a condition report' button or email fineart@hallsgb.com. Condition reports are always given in writing.
So that you are happy with our conditions of sale please click here to read our full terms and conditions
There are various methods of bidding in our auctions:
In person at our saleroom with a paddle number (this is currently not available)
To bid in any one of our auctions we require all potential buyers to register and provide two forms of identification. This is to comply with existing Anti-Money Laundering Regulations.
All our clients need to provide photo ID and proof of name and address by providing the following:
Please send copies via email to fineart@hallsgb.com when arranging your bid. These documents will be sent to a secure computer and uploaded to your client details.
Please allow plenty of time for registration and before 4.30pm the day before the auction. Bids left after this time cannot be guaranteed and may not be submitted.
Vat is only refundable on the hammer price but is not refundable on Premium
For your information Halls Fine Art are part of the 'margin scheme'
If you are interested in buying a large or heavy item we advise to look at shipping arrangements prior to buying.
Halls strongly advises their clients to seek advice from their shipper as to the extra costs of shipping items to and from Europe, given the UK is now no longer part of the EU. These costs will include import duty and VAT, for which Halls is not liable and so buyers/vendors will need to budget for this.
Halls cannot guarantee that payments from restricted countries will be accepted. A list of open un-restricted countries can be found below.
If your country does not appear on this list, please check the restricted countries list.
Payments from any closed country will not be accepted. This applies to all countries on the list below:
Buyers based in a restricted country will need to provide a government issued form of photo ID (current identity card/driving licence) and complete a due diligence form (download here) to enable Halls to expedite the necessary checks BEFORE their payment can be accepted. If the payment is made by bank transfer before doing so, it will be declined and your bank may issue charges.
If you have any concerns regarding payment to Halls Fine Art please do not hesitate to get in touch with the team and we will try to help. Call 01743 450 700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com
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!
To avoid any confusion when bidding raise your paddle number or hand to bid. Let the auctioneer know before the gavel comes down!
Methods of payment are:
Please note: You may receive a warning that the bank details cannot be verified. This should not stop you from proceeding with the payment, however if you would like further reassurance please do not hesitate to contact us to confirm the bank details.
We regret that we do not accept payment by credit card.
Payment methods for non UK-based Buyers
Note: Please would all international buyers please let Halls know from which country and bank payment will be made, if the buyer concerned wishes to pay by bank transfer, as Halls’ bank (Metro Bank) fees will vary depending on the amount and country. Once Metro Bank has this information they can confirm the fees involved before the buyer makes their payment.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT PHONE CARD PAYMENTS FROM ANY NON UK-BASED BUYERS
Pay online: Login to/create an account on our website. In 'my account' click on 'invoices and payments' to find your outstanding invoice. Follow the onscreen instructions to make payment.
OR
Please make payment via bank transfer.
Bankers: Barclays
IBAN: GB87BARC20780110470120
BIC: BARCGB22
Beneficiary: Halls Holdings Ltd.
Beneficiary address: Bowmen Way, Battlefield Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR
The Halls Fine Art saleroom team are always on hand to help, whether you are collecting in person or require advice about local carriers. Collection or shipping arrangements for lots can be made from midday on the next working day after the auction.
If you are the successful bidder and once you have paid for your items you are free to collect anytime between Monday and Friday 10am - 5pm.
Rules to follow when coming to collect from Halls Fine Art:
Points to consider:
All lots shall be paid for and removed at the buyer’s risk and expense by the end of the 2nd working day after the sale (Friday), failing which the Auctioneer shall not be responsible if the same are lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, and all lots not so removed shall remain at the risk of the buyer and subject to a ‘warehousing’ charge of £5/lot per day. If they are not paid for and removed within 7 days of the sale the Auctioneer may re-sell them by auction or privately without notice to buyer.
Please note that a storage and handling charge of £5.00 + VAT per lot, per day, will be levied if after a period of seven days from the sale date, items remain uncollected.
Halls Holdings Ltd. reserve the right to re-sell any items that have been paid for where appropriate after a period of fourteen days. The original buyer will be charged storage, full commission and insurance and the net proceeds remitted to them.
SHIPPING & COLLECTIONS:
The Halls Fine Art saleroom team are always on hand to help, whether you are collecting in person or require advice about local couriers. Collection or shipping arrangements for lots can be made from midday on the next working day after the auction.
If you are the successful bidder and once you have paid for your items, you are free to collect anytime between Monday and Friday 10am - 5pm.
Rules to follow when coming to collect from Halls Fine Art:
If you are not able to collect in person Halls are happy to suggest a number of local carriers who will be able to arrange packing and shipping for you.
Halls Fine Art are a small team so unfortunately has neither the staff, nor the facilities to provide a comprehensive packaging service. Consequently, Halls will not package items for collection by third parties.
Buyers that engage the services of companies that do not fulfil these criteria will be asked to email or write to Halls stating that they, the client, do so entirely at their own risk and take full responsibility for their choice.
Halls are able to offer a limited in-house postage service within the UK in conjunction with Restored Reloved specialist Nationwide Couriers. This is only for small, unbreakable items below £2500 (including buyer’s premium) which can be placed in a jiffy bag and weigh less than 2kg. Please see below.
If you wish to use this service, please note that once payment has been made Restored Reloved contact Marcus Brain should be contacted for all further delivery queries: sales@restoredreloved.co.uk
Please ensure/check the address on your invoice is correct for delivery.
Charges:
Charge for Books:
Halls cannot ship items internationally.
Please call us on +44 (0)1743 450 700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com if you require further assistance with payment, collection and shipping.
Please call us when you have paid your invoice and we can see if we can arrange this for you.
LOCAL COURIERS:
For all other collection and delivery services, see our list below for local couriers.
Please contact them directly to receive a quote for costs. You are, of course, very welcome to use an alternative courier.
If you are interested in buying a large or heavy item, we advise to look at shipping arrangements prior to buying.
If you need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to call us on +44 (0)1743 450 700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com
Please note that a storage and handling charge of £5.00 + VAT per lot, per day, will be levied if after a period of four working days from the sale date, items remain uncollected.
Halls Holdings Ltd. reserve the right to re-sell any items that have been paid for where appropriate after a period of fourteen days. The original buyer will be charged storage, full commission and insurance and the net proceeds remitted to them.
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.
Please would all overseas bidders note that if they are bidding from a ‘restricted country’, if they are successful and become the buyer and wish to pay by bank transfer, they will need to provide ID and permit due diligence checks BEFORE payment can be made. If payment is made before this can take place the buyer may end up paying for a cancelation initially, as our bank will not accept payments before the necessary due diligence checks are made.
Halls strongly advises their clients to seek advice from their shipper as to the extra costs of shipping items to and from Europe, given the UK is now no longer part of the EU. These costs will include import duty and VAT, for which Halls is not liable and so buyers/vendors will need to budget for this.
