If you are interested in bidding or buying at CooperOwen, we hope this guide will be useful to you in explaining the simple procedure.

This guide is only a supplement to our TERMS & CONDITIONS of Business as well as any supplementary notices. By bidding at CooperOwen, you are bound by those TERMS & CONDITIONS of Business.

Please remember that all property is sold ‘AS IS’. There are only limited rights of rescission as described in our TERMS & CONDITIONS of Business. If you have any questions related to this, please contact one of our members of staff or email louise@cooperowen.com

Estimates

CooperOwen provides descriptions and auction estimates for each lot in the sale. These are guides for prospective bidders and, where possible, reflect prices that similar objects have sold for in the past. The estimates are determined prior to the sale and are occasionally subject to revision and are intended only as a guide to the actual selling price.

Viewing

A public view is held prior to each auction to enable prospective bidders time to examine any lots of interest. CooperOwen representatives are on hand at these viewing exhibitions to answer questions. The dates and times of these viewing periods are printed in the front of the catalogue and displayed on our website.

Condition Reports

If you are unable to attend the view, CooperOwen will be pleased to provide a condition report on lots. However prospective buyers are reminded that each lot is sold ‘as is’.

Registration

Registration prior to, or on sale day, is required to bid in any auction. Registration is free and does not obligate you to make a purchase. However, you will be required to provide us with suitable proof of identity and payment in accordance with our TERMS & CONDITIONS of Business.

If you acting as an agent for a third party, we will require prior authorisation from that third party otherwise you will be treated and invoiced as the principal.

How to bid

There are four ways of bidding at a CooperOwen auction:

i.) in person, with a bidding card issued by CooperOwen

ii.) by absentee bid, using the absentee bid form printed at the back of a catalogue

iii.) By online bid prior to the auction. You may leave an online absentee before the sale by registering on this site and leaving a bid through this site.

iv.) Online ‘live bidding’. You may bid online during the sale if you are a registered user of eBay and that auction is listed on www.ebayliveauctions.com.

v.) by telephone bid, participating in the auction by telephone. Telephone bids will only be accepted at the department’s discretion and usually only for high value lots.

Bidding

Bids usually moves upwards in 10% increments. If you wish to make a bid, please raise your catalogue or bidding card clearly for the auctioneer to see. If you are the successful bidder on a lot, the auctioneer will acknowledge this and ask for or call out your bidding number.

Auctions speeds vary but most auctions at CooperOwen proceed at 100-150 lots per hour.

Seller Not Permitted to Bid on his Own Property

CooperOwen acts as an agent for the seller and CooperOwen prohibits a Seller from bidding on his own property. It is important for all bidders to know that the auctioneer may open the bidding on any lot by placing a bid on behalf of the Seller and may continue bidding for the Seller by placing responsive or consecutive bids, but only up to the reserve. The auctioneer will not place consecutive bids on behalf of the seller above the reserve.

Reserves

A reserve is the confidential minimum bid established between CooperOwen and the Seller, below which the lot will not be sold. The reserve will not exceed the low estimate of the lot.

Hammer Price and Buyer's Premium

A Buyers Commission of 17.5% of the hammer price of each lot sold (together with any VAT chargeable thereon) is payable by the buyer to CooperOwen for their own retention and will not be waived.

Payment for Purchased Property

Payment is due at the time of the sale. CooperOwen accepts the following methods of payment:

Sterling Cheques - All cheques must be cleared before you can collect your purchases. A valid cheque guarantee card must support all purchases.

Bankers Draft or Building Society Cheque - These will enable you to collect your purchases immediately (assuming they are lots in the possession of CooperOwen) accompanied by a suitable proof of identity.

Cash - We are happy to accept cash but advance warning for larger amounts is appreciated.

Bank Transfer – CooperOwen’s bank details are available upon request. When making transfers please give the invoice number as a reference. Please note that there is a 1% surcharge for using this method.

Debit Cards - We accept Switch and Delta cards. If you have another card, please contact us in advance to confirm if we can accept it.

Credit Cards - We accept Visa, Access, Mastercard. Please note that there is a 2% surcharge for using this method.

CooperOwen reserve the right to charge interest on all accounts outstanding over five working days, together with storage and removal charges where applicable.

Collection of Property

Most purchases can be collected during normal working hours,(providing payment has cleared) up to one week after the sale from our offices (Please telephone prior to arranging collection). Please note that some lots may not be located at CooperOwen’s office. We suggest that you telephone prior to arranging collection. If lots are not collected at this stage, a charge will be applied.

If an agent or carrier is collecting on behalf of the buyer and cannot produce the correct paperwork including written authority from the buyer then CooperOwen cannot release the property.

Shipping of Sold Lots

Please visit our ‘Shipping & Fulfillment’ to read more about this service.

Sale Results

Sale results are published on our website following all CooperOwen auctions and can either be printed out or downloaded to your computer. Unsold lots may not appear on this list.

Export Permits

Please be aware that an export permit may be required for certain items including ivory, tortoiseshell, endangered species covered by C.I.T.E.S. regulations and categories of goods over a specific value. Our Customer Services department can offer advice, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the relevant permits.

There is a commission of 17.5% of the hammer price of each lot sold through CooperOwen.

Insurance

Insurance is charged at 1.5% of the hammer price. If you do not require your property to be covered by our insurance, please inform us in writing at, or prior to, consignment.

Other fees, such as illustration fees specific marketing costs, advertising etc, will be discussed with the consignor in advance or detailed in the receipt you will receive from us when you consign your property for sale.

Unsold Fees

There is a fee of £8.50 (plus UK VAT) for lots that do not sell with an agreed reserve. However CooperOwen reserve the right to charge an unsold commission.

Shipping Arrangements

Consignors must arrange for the delivery of property to CooperOwen at the consignor’s risk and expense. CooperOwen will supply, at a consignor’s request, names of packers and shippers who are independent contractors.