Buying at Blenheim Auctions – Authenticity Guarantee

All lots are available to be viewed online at www.blenheimauctions.co.uk

We recommend that before placing a bid, potential buyers request a condition report on the lot(s) they are interested in. Our staff will be happy to provide condition reports, further information, additional images, or videos of lots upon request. All potential bidders or their agents must satisfy themselves with the condition of a lot before bidding. While our specialists will examine each lot and describe any damages or defects they can detect, condition reports are opinions to be used as a guide and are not guarantees. Furthermore, an absence of a condition report does not mean a lot is in good condition or damage-free. Please note that we receive a high volume of requests, and while we endeavour to reply to all lot inquiries promptly, you may not receive a response until closer to the auction.

• At Blenheim Auctions, we offer multiple stress-free bidding options for potential buyers, whether on the phone or online. Our specialists and client services team are available to provide assistance and guidance for any inquiries related to bidding, specific lots, or payment. Register to bid 

• Experience the thrill of live auctions with the convenience of online bidding at our auctions. Through platforms like the-saleroom.com  liveauctioneers.com or lot-tissimo, you can participate in real-time bidding as the sale unfolds. Simply visit their websites to register and start bidding.

• For a surcharge-free bidding experience, you can also choose to bid directly with us. Enjoy the benefits of zero surcharge and seamless bidding process when you bid directly through our platform. 

A buyers premium of 19% plus VAT at the standard rate will be added to the hammer price of each lot

Value Added Tax (VAT) at the current rate is payable on the buyers premium in all cases. Where a lot is marked with a ( # ) in the catalogue then VAT is also payable on the hammer price.

Estimates are prepared in advance of the sale and do not include the Buyer’s Premium (or VAT when this is paid on the hammer price) and are purely a guide to prospective buyers.

If you are unable to attend the sale we will be pleased to make commission bids on your behalf or take bids over the telephone. Bidding forms must always be completed in full prior to the sale. Commission bids are timed and where bids are identical the earliest bid will take precedence. Telephone bidding is subject to the availability of lines. There is also a minimum estimate of £300 required if you would like to arrange a telephone line. Telephone bids must be received and clarified by email before 4pm on the day preceding the auction.

We accept bank transfer only.

Please note we do not accept cheques or payment for lots with debit or credit card over the phone, Paypal or online payment link.

Bank Transfer

You will find our bank details listed below in any email invoice we issue.

All goods must be paid for and collected within three working days following sale unless by arrangement. Items are no longer insured once they have been bought at auction. If the item has not been collected after five working days, then a storage charge of £5 plus VAT per lot per day will commence. (if payment is delayed due to any illness or bereavement no charge will be taken)

Postage and packing.

Blenheim Auctions offers an in-house Worldwide postage & packaging service for appropriate items. Each request is assessed on an individual basis to determine the best method of dispatch and relevant costs. You will recieve the best postage quote once you receive your invoice. Our postage team will send you an updated invoice which can be paid via bank transfer.

If you would like a pre-sales quote, please submit this via whatsapp or email.

Prices start at 

£19 UK

£29 USA

£39 Worldwide

We use Royal Mail Special Delivery or 24 Next day 

For the UK (insured up to £2,500 hammer price) for smaller items under 2kg. For lots totaling above £2500 we will use the best suited courier from DHL, FedEx, UPS and APC.

Where available we will do our best to keep costs down by selecting the best service with insurance included.

A packing only service is also available. Once an item has been packed, we will provide dimensions and weight of the package(s) to the buyer so they can book a collection with their chosen courier. (by appointment only) Packing service cost is maximum £10.

Collections in person maybe made by appointment only after all the lots have been concluded from the auction.

Items deemed too fragile and at risk of breakage will be rejected for postage and alternative services will be recommended in the interests of the client. Couriers will also be able to insure items that we are unable to insure.  

Once the lot(s) and postage fees are settled in full, we aim to dispatch items within 10 working days. You will be provided a tracking code once available. All our items are sent covered by insurance, we will use the best suited courier for your winning lots.

If you have a query regarding any stage of delivery or status of your item, please use the messaging function through the link provided in delivery email you have been sent.

How to bid in a timed auction :-

In a timed online auction, there is no auctioneer taking bids from a live audience in a room.

At timed auctions, once the time-period expires, the bidder who has submitted the highest bid wins the lot, provided the bid exceeds the reserve price.

As a bidder, you can enter a max bid – the most you are willing to bid, using our set bidding increments and we do the rest. We will bid intelligently for you, bidding only enough for you to meet the reserve or stay in the lead.

Your max bid stays secret in our system. We won’t share your maximum bid with the auctioneer, the seller, other bidders, or anyone else for that matter.

You’ll see your ‘current bid’ when you log in and view the lot (often it will be less than your ‘maximum bid’). If someone bids higher than your maximum, we will send you an ‘outbid alert’ via email to let you know, so you can decide whether to bid more.

If a bid is placed in the final few minutes of the defined time period, the time period will be extended by a number of minutes. The auction house can set the number of minutes for its own auctions but typically on thesaleroom.com a bid placed in the final 10 minutes of the timed auction extends the closing time by 10 minutes.

This is to stop ‘sniping’ – a practice used by bidders on some other websites whereby they rush to place bids in the last few seconds to prevent other bidders being able to respond before the auction closes.

Step-by-step: what to do

So, you’ve found the perfect item you want to bid on and have set up your account on thesaleroom.com, now you need to register for the auction:

Click on the ‘Connect to auction’ button displayed at the top of the auction catalogue page and complete the auction registration form.

Once, the auctioneer has approved your registration you’ll then be able to begin bidding. In order to bid:

1. Find the lot you want to bid on

2. Type in your maximum bid into the appropriate box and click ‘place bid’

3. Click ‘confirm’ on the page that appears

Don’t forget, just like when you’re in an auction room, bidding online is a contractual commitment to buy.

How do I check if I’m leading in a timed auction?

We’ve got two ways you can do this:

By checking the lot’s webpage

Just log in, find the lot on our website, and click on its description page. You’ll find the current bid, your maximum bid, and whether you’re in the lead on the right-hand side of your screen.

By checking My Saleroom

Just log in, go to ‘My Saleroom’ (in the header above), and click ‘My Current Bids’. To see the lots on which you’re leading, click ‘Leading’. To see the lots you’re not leading in, click ‘Outbid’.

Get bidding and good luck!

For winning bidders an invoice will be sent after all lots have been completed from :-  accounts@blenheimauctions.co.uk (please check spam folder for invoice) with an optional choice for packing/shipping or arrangements for collection.

We only accept Bank Transfer and cash payments (under £5000) You will find our bank details listed in any email invoice we issue. Once payment has cleared your lot/s will be packed and shipped accordingly to your request.

All goods must be paid for within five working days following sales invoice unless by arrangement. 

Auction Guarantee.

We guarantee all items to be authentic and genuine. We do not in any way deal with or sell counterfeit/fake items. We offer a guarantee certificate with all of our lots and valuations.