The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling at Auction (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

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Once you have begun reading Hildesley's book, a mental image appears of a silver-haired chap reclining in a well-aged leather wing chair and occasionally puffing on a pipe, relating his tales of the auction bidding wars. As a lifetime employee and now executive of Sotheby's, Hildesley instructs deftly and expertly, explaining all the ins and outs of this public selling process. First, statistics astound us: for instance, 80 percent of all auctioned objects sell for less than $5,000, and experienced auctioneers can sell two lots a minute. Then we're invited to an insider's view of the process: determination of value and quality, the details of buying and selling at auction, the actual process (including a vocabulary), and other services provided, from lectures and appraisals to on-site sales. What could have been an extraordinarily dry subject is enlivened both by the author's dedication to the business and by personal, candid anecdotes--some droll, some serious. An introduction, with a few commercial asides, to participate in the sport of millionaires that might intrigue even the average John and Jane Doe. Barbara Jacobs

Product Description

All you need to know to participate in the world's increasingly popular auctions. In recent years, auction houses have commanded increasing attention in the press as major paintings have sold for millions of dollars and the fabulous estates of famous people are put on the block most recently, that of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. What is it about auctions that gets our juices flowing? And more important, how do auctions work? This timely illustrated volume has all the answers. Auctioneer C. Hugh Hildesley explains how to pick an auction house, how a sale is created, estimates and reserves, the procedures for buying, and methods of payment. He takes readers through an auction step by step, where we learn the roles of each player. Finally, there is pertinent information on the range of services provided by auction houses from establishing market value and insurance to charity sales and benefits. Whether you want to buy a chateau in France, a Winslow Homer in New York, or an antique apple peeler in Vermont, this book is for you.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393040712
• ISBN-13: 978-0393040715
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #915,384 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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