Collectibles: What is an Auction House?

At first, I questioned if I needed to write this article, some of you might be bored just by the title. However, you would be surprised how many people come to visit us at Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers without having a clue how an auction house works or what it actually is, which is why I decided to explain it here for you.

Auction houses generally work with sellers on consignment, meaning they take your items to market and sell them on your behalf through auction and in return get paid a small portion of the sale price. Auction houses do not buy your collection outright from you (though we can and will if you twist our arm), but it is always in your best interest to consign. That way the selling process becomes a team effort; When everybody works in each other’s best interest you and the auction house make more money. It’s win, win!

Now that you know an auction house gains items for auction through consignment, you might wonder how to get your items consigned and up for auction. The initial step is having an appraiser from an auction house take a look at your collection to give you an estimate of potential auction value. At Bruneau and Co., there are three major ways we offer appraisals (other houses might vary, but I don’t speak for them!), they are: 1. Via house call where we come to you and look at everything you have. 2. Through email if you send us photos, and 3. By bringing some items in on our Tuesday walk-in appraisal day between 9am and 12pm. If you’re unsure which method is best for you, just give us a call – we’re here to help!

Finally, if you have never been to an auction as a buyer, it is something you definitely need to do. The energy in an auction is like no other shopping experience. Most importantly, they are free to the public! An admission fee is false belief some people always tend to have about auctions. It’s not like a rock concert selling tickets (though sometimes you can find vintage concert tees at auction!); auction houses want you to join the fun and buy from them. If you are into antiques, fine art, jewelry, vintage advertising, toys, comic books, video games - anything cool and collectible - then auctions were made for you. Stop on by and give us a visit at Bruneau and Co. sometime, we would love to have you!