|
Auction house bargains
Auction houses can be intimidating
places. There are those that sell Monets
for millions, produce catalogues of
staggering beauty and make you feel that
you must be on your best library
behaviour. At the other end of the scale
there are the numerous renovated garages
on the outskirts of towns where they pile
it high, sell it cheap and the catalogue
looks like a few scribbles on the back of
a napkin.
Sotheby's, London
The two biggest players in the
auctioneering world are Sotheby's and
Christie's. Both houses have two-tiered
presences in London: the glamorous end of
Sotheby's can be found in New Bond Street,
with its second, more workmanlike saleroom
at Olympia. Christie's flagship is on King
Street in St James's, and its more
informal second saleroom is located in
South Kensington. If it's a Michelangelo
drawing or a Chippendale commode you're
after then it is New Bond Street and St
James's for you. If you'd be content with
a 19th-century copy after Michelangelo or
a standard Georgian chest of drawers, then
Olympia and South Ken will suffice.
Christie's, Mayfair
If Sotheby's and Christie's represent
the Premier League of auctioneers,
Phillips was always keen for promotion to
join the elite. With a vast array of
regional offices and salerooms to
complement its New Bond Street head
office, Phillips tried just a bit too hard
to keep up with the big guns and,
unfortunately, after recent shenanigans
the name has almost disappeared into
obscurity. However, Bonhams, another
auction house established in the 18th
century, has stepped into the breach.
Bonhams in London
You can also find first-rate auction
houses outside London, from Tennants in
North Yorkshire to Lawrence's in Somerset.
But be prepared for a different viewing
experience compared with Sotheby's or
Christie's. There is still a sense of
discovery when viewing country sales,
whereas in London you can expect to see
sales displayed in room settings, with
moody lighting and even background
music.
You will have to part with anything
from £2 to £25 to get a copy of
the auction catalogue, which will give a
brief description of all the items
included in the sale together with
estimates and photographs of the better
lots. Most auctioneers try to publish the
sale catalogues a few weeks before the
sale date, giving you time to do a little
homework before going to view. If
something catches your eye but you are
unable to view the sale, ask the
auctioneer for a condition report and
perhaps a few additional photographs to be
sent by email.
Just like us, antiques and fine art can
be frighteningly photogenic, or not, as
the case may be. What may look wonderful
in the catalogue could turn out to be a
canard mort, and vice versa.
|
