Important Information for Bidders

• Payment for lots must be received by 4pm by the Wednesday after Auction date.
• Buyers Premium is charged at 20% plus vat at the prevailing rate
• Collection of lots must be by 4pm on the Thursday after the Auction.  A fee of £10 per lot will be charged for storage after this date.
• All bidders are responsible for checking the condition of lots.  We use the term 'a/f' if the damage is obvious but the absence of this, it does not indicate that the item is in perfect condition.
• Condition reports are not available on the day of sale.  They should be requested by 4pm day prior to sale.
• Postage is offered on small items, some silver, jewellery, coins & non-fragile items.  Please contact the office prior to bidding to confirm.  We can provide you with a list of Couriers upon request.
• All commission bids & telephone bid requests must be received by 5pm day prior to sale to guarantee that we can accommodate.
• If you have previously been blocked by another Auctioneer, you will not automatically be approved to bid.  Any query needs to be raised by 5pm day prior to sale.

Important Information for Buyers at Auction

1. Introduction. The following notes are intended to assist bidders
and buyers, particularly those that are inexperienced or new
to our salerooms. All of our auctions are governed by our
Conditions of Business incorporating the Terms of Consignment
(primarily applicable to sellers), the Terms of Sale (primarily
applicable to bidders and buyers) and any notices that are
displayed in our salerooms or announced by the auctioneer
at the auction. Our Conditions of Business are available for
inspection at our salerooms and the Terms of Sale are printed
in the back of our auction catalogues. Our staff will be happy to
help you if there is anything in our Conditions of Business that
you do not fully understand.
Please make sure that you read our Terms of Sale set out in
this catalogue or on our website carefully before bidding in
the auction. If your bid is successful, you will be obliged to
comply with our Terms of Sale.
2. Agency. As auctioneers we usually act on behalf of the seller
whose identity, for reasons of confidentiality, is not normally
disclosed. If you buy at auction your contract for the goods is
with the seller, not with us as auctioneer.
3. Estimates. Estimates are designed to help you gauge what
sort of sum might be involved for the purchase of a particular
lot. Estimates may change and should not be thought of as the
sale price. The lower estimate may represent the reserve price
(the minimum price for which a lot may be sold) and will not be
below the reserve price. Estimates do not include the buyer’s
premium or VAT (where chargeable). Estimates are prepared
some time before the auction and may be altered by a saleroom
notice or announcement by the auctioneer before the auction of
the lot. They are not definitive.
4. Buyer’s Premium. The Terms of Sale oblige you to pay a
buyer’s premium at 20% plus VAT on the hammer price of each
lot purchased.
5. VAT. Items in our catalogue may be marked in the following
ways:
a. (*) indicates that VAT is payable by the buyer on the hammer
price as well as being an element in the buyer’s premium.
VAT will be chargeable at the standard rate (presently 20%).
This imposition of VAT is likely to be because the seller is
registered for VAT within the European Union and is not
operating the Dealers Margin Scheme or because VAT is due
at 20% on importation into the UK.
b. (**) indicates that the lot has been imported from outside the
European Union. [These lots are liable to a reduced rate of
VAT (5%) on the hammer price and buyer’s premium)].
c. Lots which do not have either of the above symbols have no
VAT payable on the hammer price. This is because such lots
are sold using the Auctioneers’ Margin Scheme. The VAT
included within the premium is not recoverable as input tax.
6. Inspection of goods by the buyer. As we act on behalf of
the seller, we are dependent on information provided by the
seller about their goods. We may inspect lots and will act
reasonably in taking a general view about them. However, we
are normally unable to carry out detailed examinations of lots
to check their condition in the way a buyer would do. You will
have ample opportunity to inspect the goods. You must inspect
and investigate lots that you might wish to bid for. Please note
carefully the exclusion of liability for the condition of lots set
out in the Terms of Sale at clause 12.4.
7. Electrical goods. These are sold as “antiques” only. If you buy
electrical goods for use you must ask a qualified electrician to
check them for compliance with safety regulations before you
use them.
8. Export of goods. If you intend to export goods you must find
out:
a. whether an export licence is needed; and
b. if there is a prohibition on importing goods of that character
e.g. because the goods contain prohibited materials such as
ivory.
9. Bidding. Bidders will be required to register with us before
the auction starts. We reserve the right to impose a deadline
prior to the auction by which you must register or by which
we must receive a commission bid. If you wish to bid on
high value lots this deadline may be several days before the
auction in order to allow us sufficient time to carry out the
necessary checks. Lots will be invoiced to the name and
address on the registration form. You will need to provide
us with proof of your identity in a form acceptable to us and
such other information as we may require. Please enquire
in advance about our arrangements for telephone or online
bidding. Please note that we may refuse to register you if you
do not provide us with all the information and documentation
that we ask for or at our discretion.
10. Commission bidding. You may leave commission bids with
us indicating the maximum amount to be bid against a lot
(excluding the buyers’ premium and/or any applicable VAT). We
will execute commission bids as cheaply as possible having
regard to the reserve (if any) and competing bids. If two buyers
submit identical commission bids we may prefer the first bid
received (where this can be reasonably ascertained). Please
enquire in advance about our arrangements for the leaving of
commission bids by telephone or email or via our website or
online bidding platform.
Online Bidding. Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers. offer an online
bidding service via the-saleroom.com for bidders who cannot
attend the sale. In completing the bidder registration on
www.the-saleroom.com and providing your credit card details and
unless alternative arrangements are agreed with BFA Auctioneers Ltd:
1. authorise Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers, if they so wish,
to charge the credit card given in part or full payment,
including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the
auction via the-saleroom.com, and
2. confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card
details to Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers through
www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Bigwood Fine Art
Auctioneers are entitled to ship the goods to the card
holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment
of the sale.
Please note that any lots purchased via the-saleroom.com
live auction service will be subject to an additional 4.95%
commission charge + VAT at the rate imposed on the hammer
price.
Payment is accepted at the saleroom when the buyer is
present either by cash (up to £9000), debit or credit card
Absentee buyers are required to pay by BACS/On-line bank
transfer to our account.  Absentee card payments ARE NOT ACCEPTED.
11. Methods of Payment. We suggest if not attending promptly to
collect and pay by Cash, Debit card, you should make a direct bank transfer online,please quote name and buying number.
Cheques will need to be cleared (which takes 10 days) before
you can take the goods away. Please discuss with our office in
advance of the sale if you plan to use other methods of payment
(except cash, for which there is an upper limit of 10,000 euros
equivalent).Overseas payment will attract an additional £12
bank charge which you should add to the sum paid. We do not
accept absentee debit or credit card payments.
12. Collection and storage. Please note what the Terms of Sale
say about collection and storage. It is important that you pay for
and collect goods promptly. Any delay may involve you having
to pay storage charges.
13. Viewing. Sales are on view at least one day beforehand. Times
are given on our website. Estimates are printed in the catalogues
with each description, and the Sale Room Staff are always happy
to offer advice.
14. Potential Buyers. You are advised to check with the Sale Room
before travelling any distance, in case of last minute cancellations,
alterations or additional lots.
15. Starting Times and Bidding. Please check the sale starting time
and any withdrawals, as these will affect the time your lots come
up.
Auction speeds generally vary between approx. 100 to 150 lots to
the hour, but please check with the office. Please indicate clearly
that you are bidding by raising a catalogue or a hand.