Buying at Auction

Taking part in an auction at Griffin's couldn’t be simpler, whether bidding online, in person in the saleroom or viewing the lots before a sale.

We aim to make the experience of buying at auction as easy and transparent as possible, no matter what you are bidding on.

Continuous Online Sales

Our continuous online sales include furniture, decorative interiors and antiques, collectables, china, jewellery and much more, for every taste and budget!  Viewing is available EVERY WEEKDAY from 10.00am - 4.00pm at our saleroom. We have hundreds of lots on view with new lots added daily! 

You can also browse, register and bid in these sales online at Auctionet.com or you can leave a commission bid with us by phone, email or in person. 

Live/Hammer Sales

The lots for each auction will be available to view online approximately one week prior to the sale. To view the catalogue visit our Auction Calendar and select the auction you wish to view. Here you have the option to create a watch list, request a condition report or place a commission bid.

Lots can be physically viewed the day before the sale from 10.00am until 4.00pm and the morning of the sale from 8.00am until 10.00am. Viewing is by appointment only. Viewing slots are 30 minutes long.

If you wish to receive updates on upcoming auctions, please sign up to our mailing list.

Condition Reports

The item "condition" is provided describing known defects.

If required, you can request further written or verbal condition reports by contacting us via telephone or email. This is free of charge and we are always happy to provide additional images or give our expert opinion on an item’s condition, age or authenticity.

Griffin's always take the greatest of care in ensuring any comments on an item are accurate and reliable, however please note that without any provenance these are skilled opinions. As such, we cannot guarantee that all aspects of the condition of an item will be covered and would respectfully advise that you view an item in person to satisfy yourself as to the condition and history of a lot before bidding.

Bidding in Person

Please arrive in plenty of time and register at reception before the auction, where you will be asked to provide your name, address and telephone number.

You will be issued with a unique bidder number which will identify you.  Please then find a place in the saleroom and raise your number to attract the auctioneer’s attention when you wish to bid.

Telephone Bidding

You can request to bid by telephone by contacting the saleroom either by email or telephone. Lines must be booked before the office closes the day before the sale and due to limited lines, this is done on a first come first served basis. A lot must be estimated at £100 or more for telephone bids to be accepted.

We will call you during the auction, typically 2 or 3 lots prior to the lot you are interested in buying.

Leaving a Commission or Absentee Bid

You can leave a commission or absentee bid online, over the telephone, by email or in person at the saleroom. Simply state the highest price you wish to pay for the lot, excluding the buyer’s premium.

Griffin's will bid on your behalf for the lowest possible figure (subject to reserve price and competing bids) and continue up to your maximum bid. We will never open the bidding at your maximum bid and have strict rules in place to ensure your bid is not ‘run up’ artificially.

All commission bids must be placed before the sale begins.

Internet Bidding

Live bids can be submitted through our website or Auctionet.com. There are no additional platform fees for bidding online through our website or Auctionet.

For our live hammer sales, bidding is also available via the saleroom.com or easyliveauction.com. Please note, additional platform fees will apply. the-saleroom.com adds 5.94% (4.95% plus VAT), and Easy Live Auction adds either 3.6% (3% plus VAT) or a flat £3.00 per sale, inclusive of VAT.

Buyer's Commission

All UK auction houses charge a commission in addition to the hammer price.

Griffins charge a buyer's premium of 25% plus VAT (30% inc. VAT) plus a lot fee of £5 per lot (inc. VAT). So for example, a lot selling for £100 would attract a premium of £25, VAT on that premium of £5, and the £5 lot fee, bringing the total payable to £135.

VAT is not applicable on books or unframed maps.

Payments

Payment must be made prior to collection. Goods will only be released upon receipt of cleared funds.

The simplest way to pay your invoice is by card payment on your account.  

You can also pay in person, by debit or credit card, bank transfer or cash (up to £8,000). Payment by debit/credit card may be made through the invoice terminal. Under no circumstances can we take payment over the phone.

Payment can be made on the day of the auction and goods collected. We allow up to one week for payment and collection of all purchases unless a prior arrangement has been made with us. Thereafter a  late fees and storage fees will apply per lot. A daily storage fee £5 plus VAT per lot will apply.

FOR UK BANK TRANSFERS:

Sort code: 82-61-37 Account number: 30179984

FOR INTERNATIONAL BANK TRANSFERS:

International Bank Account Number (IBAN): GB02CLYD82613730179984

Branch Identifier Code: CLYDGB21137

Shipping & Packing

Collection:

The responsibility for the collection of purchases rests with the buyer.  Collections are available every weekday from 9am - 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays).

Shipping:

Griffins do not provide in-house shipping however, this can be arranged via our partner Auctionet.com. Auctionet offer different transport solutions using a variety of transport companies, depending on size, value and end-destination.

Can I get a quote before placing a bid?

Buyers can view delivery options and costs for every lot, online via auctionet.com. The basic delivery charge is shown below each lot description.

How do I pay for my invoice and shipping?

Once you have won an item, you will receive an email to inform you how to pay your invoice, collect your item and order transportation. A price for shipping is always indicated on ‘My Pages’. Both the item invoice and transport invoice must be paid prior to despatch.  Payment can be made via ‘My Pages’ on your Auctionet account.

Transportation Time:

When payment has been made, you will receive an e-mail with a tracking number once the parcel is booked and you will be notified of the name of the transport company providing the service.  Transit time is normally set to 7 days but can take up to 14 days. Delivery will only start after we have confirmed receipt of your payment both for the item and the shipping invoice.

Insurance:

All transportation is covered by a basic transport insurance but you can choose to add additional shipping insurance.

Combined Shipping:

You will receive separate shipping invoices for each lot. However, if you are buying multiple lots in the auction, shipping discounts will be available.  If you wish to get a transport quote for multiple lots, please fill in the contact form at https://auctionet.com/en/contact. Please note, Auctionet cannot discount transport invoices, if they have already been paid for.

External Couriers:

You may wish to contact a local courier to collect and ship your item/s. Please note, we do not pack and wrap for couriers to collect, as we cannot be held responsible should the goods be lost or damaged in transit.

Local couriers to our auction house are:

(1) Mailboxes Shirley-Solihull: shirleysolihull@centres.mbe.uk / 0121 744 3300

(2) Pack & Send Hall Green Coventry: coventry@packsend.co.uk / 0247 509 7898

(3) Shiply (https://www.shiply.com/listings/form2) allows you to compare local couriers.