After you have registered to bid, you may bid in person, online, by telephone or by submitting an Absentee Bid.  Before your first auction, you will need to create an account or you may register in person and provide government-issued proof of identity such as a driver’s license or passport.  A bank reference or deposit may also be required.

In Person
To place a bid in the saleroom, raise your paddle until the Auctioneer acknowledges you.  The auctioneer increases the bids by increments that usually do not exceed ten percent of the previous bid. When a sole bidder remains, the Auctioneer brings down the hammer and declares the lot sold, as long as the reserve(minimum price) has been met.  If bidding ends before the reserve has been met, the lot will not sell.  The Auctioneer will then say either, “Pass”, “ Bought-In” or “Remains Unsold” and move on to the next lot.  Please note: if you are bidding on behalf of a third party, you must provide a letter authorising you to bid on their behalf.

Online
To view and bid via the internet please visit /bidlive.  You will be invited to set up an account with the website if you do not already have an established account.  If you are also a new bidder to Smith & Singer, a representative from Smith & Singer will contact you to verify your identity and will request you to  supply a scanned copy of government issued photographic identification such as a drivers’ license or passport.

Smith & Singer cannot accept liability for failure to place or receive such bids.

By Telephone
If you would like to bid by telephone, complete a Telephone Bid Form.  During the auction, a Smith & Singer representative will call you from the saleroom and relay your bids to the Auctioneer.  It is necessary to arrange for this service at least 24 hours before the sale. Additional time may be needed to accommodate bidders require assistance with other languages.  The number of phone lines available is limited, so we encourage you to register early to secure a connection. Smith & Singer will not accept telephone bids for items estimated under $1,000.

Absentee Bidding
If you are unable to attend an auction, we will execute confidential written bids on your behalf after you register an Absentee Bid.  When we execute such a bid, the lot is always bought for the lowest increment that exceeds all competing bids and which meets or exceeds the reserve price.  In the event of identical bids, the bid received first takes precedence. Please submit your absentee bid at least 24 prior to the auction.