Buying Antiques at Auction
Auctions are one of the most exciting ways to buy antiques, and good quality, well kept statement pieces will look good anywhere – even in a modern interior.
Although there is the impression that auction goers are all rolling in it with a country pad to deck out, this is not the case. There are different types of auctions held around the country every week which offer the chance to pick up great bargains.
Niall Mullen, who has an antique shop on Francis Street in Dublin (niallmullenantiques.com), advises people to take care when buying at auctions, though he adds if you see something you like, buy it.
‘It’s very important with antique stuff to look at items very closely, as sometimes things are not what they seem’, he warns.
He says that sometimes you might have the entire contents of a B&B or a hotel, and the auctioneer may not have checked to see if there are legs broken on chairs, or if there is woodworm etc. Of course once you have bought something at auction, from a fancy one or a bargain basement job, there is no going back with it the next day if you find out there is a problem.
‘It’s not the same as going into Brown Thomas’, he says, adding that you must consider carefully the proportion of the table, sofa or whatever you are looking at, so make sure you check at home to get the right dimensions of what space you have.
He points out that an auction is really a wholesaling situation where the middle man is cut out , with the advantage that auctions can (but not always!) be cheaper but there is also more risk and you don’t get the luxury of bringing stuff back if they are not right – unlike a good quality antique shop.
One final word of warning from auction expert Niall Mullen is to decide on your price before you go to the auction and don’t go beyond that.
For a listing of upcoming posh auctions check out the Fine Art pages of the Irish Times every Saturday.
Tips for auction buyers
Go to auctions regularly and try and attend saleroom previews which usually take place a few days before the sale. This will give you more time to examine stuff properly.
Each item in the catalogue shows the price the auction house valuer expects the object to sell for. Estimates should only ever be taken as a rough guide - they are never a guarantee of the final sale price.
Check the auctioneer's commission.
Set yourself a bidding limit. Choose a top price and stick with it.
Pay particular attention to the condition of the piece and take into account the potential cost of restoration - which can be significant.
If you can't get to the sale you can usually leave a bid with the commissions clerk, who will bid on your behalf.
If the bidding is rising rapidly, the auctioneer will usually only take bids from two people at a time. When one drops out he will look around the room for someone else to join in. If you are still within your limit make yourself known!
Budget type auctions
There are also budget auctions where you might come away with fabulous, kooky bargains such as 1930’s furniture for a fraction of what you would shell out on the high street for a look-a-like job.
Obviously at the cheaper auctions there will be lots of drab, old stuff to wade through but if you have the time – and not a lot of money – the cheaper auctions could be for you.
Many bids can start at €2 or €5 and go up €2, €5 or €10 increments and weekly budget type auctions take place around the country. Check your local paper and ask around in antique shops for information.
Items may go on show on a Tuesday afternoons, and then the auction will start on Wednesday morning and might last until lunchtime.
The stuff is sourced from house clearances, executors' sales, people getting rid of old clutter or unwanted presents, pub, hotel and B&B liquidations and people moving house or emigrating.
In his book ‘Style Source Interiors Ireland’ Eoin Lyons says more price friendly places include Adams of Blackrock in Dublin, and Herman Wilkinson in Rathmines, Dublin.
Sheppards in Durrow, County Laois, and Town & County on Dublin’s Lower Ormond Quay also organises regular auctions for house content sales.