Buying with Halls Fine Art

Guide To Buying At Auction


At Halls Fine Art we hope to ensure buying at auction to be easy and enjoyable, from viewing our 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 our clients need to provide photo ID and proof of name and address by providing the following:

  • a government issued form of photo identification (plastic card element of a driving licence, or passport)
  • proof of address such as a bank statement or utility bill, dated within the last 3 months

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.

 

Room Bidding:

On the day of the auction come to our Cash Office to register to bid and obtain your bidding number.

 


Telephone Bidding:

You can arrange to be contacted by telephone to bid during the auction.

 

Commission Bidding: 

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.

  • Bids must be placed by 4.30pm the day before the auction.

Leave your bids by one of the following options:

 

 

Online Bidding:

Register to bid live with HallsLive.  You can bid live online, following the sale as it happens with streamed video and audio.

  • First Click here to register and create a client account.  Read our 'How to Bid Live' guide on how to do this here
  • From 9.30am on the day of the auction sign in and go to the auction catalogue then click on the ‘Bid Live’ link button.
  • You will be taken straight through to the live bidding page and are ready to bid!
  • If you bid and register directly with HallsLive we will only charge 3% commission plus VAT on top of our buyer's premium of 24% + VAT

You can also bid live with the-saleroom.com and Easylive.


Please call 01743 450 700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com to arrange your bid or for further advice.

More and more of our buyers are choosing to bid online in our auctions.  Bidding remotely via HallsLive can be a thrilling experience enabling you to bid wherever you are in the world!

Charges: To use HallsLive we charge 3.6% commission including VAT on top of our buyer's premium of 28.8% including VAT.  

 

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:

  • a government issued form of photo identification (plastic card element of a driving licence, or passport)
  • proof of address such as a bank statement or utility bill, dated within the last 3 months

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.

 

Points to note:

 

  • The Estimate or Price Guide is an indicator of the sums similar items have sold for in the past.
  • Timed auctions take place without an auctioneer calling the sale. You can bid at any time during the defined time period by entering a maximum bid which is the highest amount you're willing to pay for the lot.
  • To request details of the condition of a lot click on 'Ask a question' once you have clicked on the lot.
  •  Please note that we are unable to post commission bids on your behalf in a timed auction.
  • We will automatically bid on your behalf only as much as necessary to ensure that you meet the reserve price or that you remain in the lead; up to your maximum bid.
  • We will notify you if another bidder places a bid that is higher than your maximum bid. Your maximum bid is kept confidential until it is exceeded by another bidder.
  • If a bid is placed in the final few minutes of the defined time period, the time period will be extended by a number of minutes. The auction house can set the number of minutes for its own auctions but typically on thesaleroom.com a bid placed in the final 10 minutes of the timed auction extends the closing time by 10 minutes.
    This is to stop ‘sniping’ – a practice used by bidders on some other websites whereby they rush to place bids in the last few seconds to prevent other bidders being able to respond before the auction closes.
  • The auction will 'start ending' at the end time noted on the auction details and each lot will end at the set staggered time.  This may be 10 seconds or more.  Please read the auction terms and conditions for this information.


To register to bid live in our timed online auction through our online bidding platform HallsLive follow these easy steps:

 

Step 1: Go to ‘Create a Client Account’ dropdown from the Buying tab

 

 ‘Sign in’ if you already have an account with us

OR


‘Create my account’ 

 

If this is the first time you are registering an account with us, after completing the online forms you will be sent an email with a link to verify your email address. Please click on this link to verify your account. If you do not receive your verification email, please call us 01743 450 700

 

Step 2: Being approved for live bidding - pre-registration

 

In order to bid live you will need to have registered a bank card (necessary to be approved for live bidding), if you have previously registered an account on our website but have not yet done this follow the steps below:

 

  • Click on your username/name on the far right of the main menu bar (if you are not signed in this be displayed as ‘My Account’)
  • Click on the option for 'My Account'
  • Fill in your card details under ‘Register new card’. Once your card details are registered, you will be approved to bid live in our auctions.

 

Step 3: Joining the Auction - Register to bid

 

  • To register to bid in the auction you are interested in, go to 'Auctions' from the 'Auctions & Events' tab and click the ‘Register to bid’ button.
  • Make sure you are signed into your client account and have accept the Terms and Conditions of sale.
  • If you have registered a debit or credit card on your account you will be ready to bid.

 

Step 4: Bidding

 

  • Go to the lot you are interested in and start leaving bids.
    On this page you can see all the lots details, the estimate and 'Ask a question' about the lot.  This is known as a condition report request.
  • You will see that the lot has an 'opening bid' (this means there is a suggested starting bid) or a 'current bid' (this means this lot already has a bid left on it).
  • To leave a bid, type it in the box below and click on the button 'Place bid'.
  • You will be notified if your bid is accepted or if you have been 'outbid'.
  • If you win your lot, you will receive an invoice from us after the auction has ended.
  • Please always remember bidding is a contractual commitment to buy.

 

Good Luck!

 

 If you have any queries about using HallsLive don’t hesitate to call us on 01743 450 700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com and we can guide you through the process.

Things to know before you bid...

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.

 

Note: 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'

Viewing our Online Catalogues

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.

Viewing In Person:

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

 

Methods of payment are:

  • 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. 
  • Direct bank transfer - We have just changed account, please make note of the below:
    Account Name: Halls Holdings Ltd
    Bankers: Barclays
    Sort Code: 20-78-01
    Account: 10470120

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.

  • Debit cards up to £1,000 - please call us on 01743 450 700 to pay over the phone 


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

 

  • For this we shall require your Swift number.
  • Please check with your bank for the cost of making the transfer, as there is usually a fee for this service. This varies from bank to bank.
  • 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 cannot guarantee that payments from restricted countries will be accepted. A list of restricted countries can be optained from Halls Fine Art.

Payments from any closed country will not be accepted. 

 

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

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:

  • Please ensure you have paid your invoice in full prior to collection.
  • All collections can be made Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm.
  • On arrival please come to main reception to notify us that you are here.
  • Please bring a form of identification with you when collecting your lot(s)
  • All lots shall be paid for and removed at the buyer's risk and expense by the end of the 4th working day after the sale (Tuesday), failing which the Auctioneer shall not be responsible if the same are lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, and all lots not so removed 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 4 working days of the sale the Auctioneer may re-sell them by auction or privately without notice to the buyer.


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:

  • Total invoice amount under £300: £20.00
  • Total invoice amount between £300 up to £2500: £25.00

Charge for Books:

  • Total invoice amount under £300: £25.00
  • Total invoice amount between £300 up to £2500: £30.00

 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.

 

Brexit:

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.

 

 

 

 

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.