Selling at auction is one of the best ways to achieve a fair market price for antiques, collectables, jewellery and specialist items, because the price is set by competing buyers rather than by a single dealer making you an offer. This guide explains how the process works at Clumber Auction House, from the first valuation to the money landing in your account.
Step 1: Get a free valuation
The first step is finding out what your items are likely to make. We offer free valuations with no obligation to sell. You can bring items to the saleroom at 1 Station Road, Laughton Common, Dinnington, any weekday between 09:30 and 15:00; email or WhatsApp photographs to info@clumberauctionhouse.com or 07867 201883; or arrange a free home visit for larger collections and house contents. We will give you an honest auction estimate, which is not the same as an insurance figure or a shop price, and tell you which of our sales suits the item best.
Step 2: Consign your items
If you decide to sell, we complete a short consignment form that lists the items entered, confirms the charges and records any reserve prices. Keep your copy; it is your receipt.
What is a reserve price?
A reserve is the minimum price you are willing to accept. If bidding does not reach it, the lot is unsold. Our auctioneers will advise on realistic reserves. In our experience a low reserve, or none at all, attracts more bidders and usually a better final price than a high one.
Step 3: Cataloguing and photography
Our team photographs and describes each lot for the online catalogue, which is published on this website ahead of the sale so buyers have time to research and plan. Good photographs and accurate descriptions are what bring in the online bidders, and online bidders are what push prices up.
Step 4: The sale
On sale day your lots are offered to bidders in the room and live online at the same time, with absentee and telephone bids running alongside. Our general auctions are held fortnightly on Wednesdays; coins, gold and silver bullion go into our Sunday online-only sales. You are welcome to come and watch.
Step 5: Payment
After the sale you receive a settlement statement showing each lot, its hammer price and the charges deducted. Payment is typically made within 15 to 21 working days of the sale, once buyers have paid us.
Our charges
Auction houses charge the seller a commission, and separately charge the buyer a premium. At Clumber Auction House our seller’s charges are simple:
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Seller’s commission | 18% of the hammer price |
| Lotting fee | £2.00 per lot, sold or unsold |
| Payment to you | Typically within 15 to 21 working days of the sale |
| Traders | Please ask about trade rates |
Worked example: a lot that sells for £200 hammer returns £200 less £36 commission less the £2.00 lotting fee, so £162 to you. A lot that makes £1,000 returns £818.
What sells well at auction?
Almost anything can be sold at auction, but some categories perform consistently well in our sales:
- Gold, silver and jewellery — Competitive bidding regularly takes gold above scrap value.
- Coins, medals and banknotes — Especially named medal groups and gold sovereigns.
- Militaria — Badges, uniforms, edged weapons and wartime ephemera.
- Vintage toys and comics — Dinky, Corgi, Hornby, Action Man, Star Wars, Marvel and DC, particularly boxed.
- Antique furniture and pictures — Good Georgian and Victorian pieces, and mid-century design.
- Ceramics and glass — Moorcroft, Clarice Cliff, Beswick, Royal Doulton and studio pottery.
- Tools and industrial equipment — Quality hand tools, machinery and workshop clearances.
A few tips from the rostrum
- Do not clean or repair before we have seen it. A polished medal or a repainted Dinky can lose most of its value.
- Bring the paperwork. Receipts, boxes, certificates and family history all help.
- Trust the estimate. We have every incentive to get you the best price; a realistic estimate is how we do it.
- Look at past results. Our past auctions show what similar lots have made.
Start selling today
Tell us about your items online, call or WhatsApp 07867 201883, or email info@clumberauctionhouse.com to arrange a free valuation.
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