Buying

Why Buy at Auction?

Because you’re smart, and not only with money.
Because you have taste and you have style.
Because every auction provides a new opportunity.
Because auctions are fun and full of surprises.

You buy at auction to get the best price, there’s no secret to it. But we know the allure of an auction goes beyond the savings.

You buy at auction for the unique selections, for thoughtfully curated collections; you go to put yourself in the right place at the right time to find that special piece that belongs in your home. Once you have one of those moments at an auction you’re bound to return.

And you go for the thrill of it. For the hunt, the chase and the win. To try your luck, your skill and your steel. You buy at auction for the fun of it, for the can’t-believe-your-luck of it and all the excitement in the battle of the bid.

Why Buy At A Charleston’s Auction?

We believe in keeping things real, keeping things enjoyable, fun and fair. We think art is for everybody and so it should be accessible to everybody in price and locality.

We’re committed to the being the best art auction house in Australia. And to be the best auction house not only do we have to provide the best selection of modern and contemporary Australian art for auction, we have to go that step further and offer the art directly to the people through our online auctions who otherwise might never have the opportunity to own their own slice of great Australian art.

We are a small team of reputable Auctioneers and we’re passionate about art. We roam the country to bring you the very best of what we find.

We are proud of what we do and the happiness we bring into people’s lives through art.

We are proud of our inventory and we guarantee our catalogue descriptions.

We are also proud of the way we operate and the industry respect we’ve cultivated since our first auction in 1997. From our industry peers to the artists we showcase, our genuine interest in supporting the arts is well known.

It’s the source of our enthusiasm and our commitment to keeping our customers satisfied.

That’s all fine and well but what YOU think of us is our real pride.

Along with stunning art we strive to supply a comfortable, exciting, entertaining and enjoyable online auction atmosphere at every Charleston’s Auction and we carry that service through from transaction to delivery and anything else you need beyond that.

Thousands of loyal Charleston’s customers will attest; We’re not happy till you’re happy.

Art is about communicating ideas to people, yet for some reason it has been cornered by a very small group. What we’re doing at Charleston’s is making sure that everyone has access to works of art they probably wouldn’t encounter on a day-to-day basis.

Danny Taibel, Director and Auctioneer

Art buyer quote with an artistic background

Who Buys at an Art Auction

We’ve been around for a while, so we are proud to have a long list of loyal clients who’ve been attending our auctions for more than 25 years.

Through experience we know people who buy at auction are people just like you.

Those seeking quality fine art for substantially less than gallery prices. • Those expecting unique selections at each auction.
Those who want their art framed and ready to hang.
Those who enjoy all the action of an online auction and appreciate the unique experience.
Those who pursue the thrill of an unbelievable bargain.
Some are happy to peruse the catalogue and see how the bidding goes on the day.
Some want inspiration for the home decorating ideas.
Most love the online experience, something different to do or watch with family and friends.
Most enjoy shopping but seek alternatives to visiting galleries or furniture stores.

What is an Online Only Auction?

An Online Only auction is an easy and exciting way to buy fine art at auction. Bid from home on your desktop, mobile or tablet. This auction is available to online bidders only. Similar to an in-room auction which takes place in real time, there is an auctioneer that you can see and hear while watching the live feed as we go through the catalogue item-by-item.

All bids placed via the website prior to the start of the live auction are executed immediately against the current highest bid
All absentee bids placed prior to the start of the auction will be executed during the live auction
If placing absentee bids prior to the auction, any time you are outbid by another bidder, you will receive an automated email notification to let you know, thus giving you the opportunity to increase your bid
Even if you have placed absentee bids prior to the start of the auction, feel free to watch the live auction of the auction and you will have the opportunity to increase your bid during the auction if you see you have been outbid

How to Buy at an Art Auction

Registration

You can register as soon as the catalogue goes online. Or you can register once you’ve started watching the auction and realised there’s a bargain to be had!

Once the online auction starts the show begins! We go through the catalogue item-by-item starting a lot number 1. Every item is displayed on the screen as it’s auctioned. Once a lot you like is up for bidding, get ready! Now the fun begins!

Bid!

The auctioneer will suggest an amount, reserved or otherwise. This amount will display on the screen. If you’re willing to bid this amount, hit the ‘Bid Now’ button as soon as you can.

Bidding Increments

$1-1000 – $50 increments
$1000 – $3000 – $100 increments
$3000 – $10,000 – $200 increments
$10,000+ $500 increments

Here we go! The bids start to come thick and fast as the auctioneer keeps the momentum pumping.

You might bid and go unchallenged. Well done.

Counter bid? Well, how badly do you want the item? How much further is your counter bidder willing to go? YOU determine the market value. Your heart should be pumping but don’t lose your nerve. You gotta be in it to win it. Stay on budget but give yourself a little wiggle room and push the other bidder off the cliff.

Sold!

Congratulations, you just won your lot. Stay put if there are other lots you’re waiting on, you never know how low things may go for.

Within thirty minutes of the completion of the auction, you’ll receive an emailed invoice as well as instructions on how to collect your items as well as your delivery options. Delivery and packaging of all items is something we coordinate. Each piece is carefully wrapped by our great team and we take the utmost care.

Buyers Premium: This is an industry standard auction levy. Your invoice will include the price of the item, inclusive of GST and Charleston’s buyer’s premium of 19.8%. Your payment options are bank transfer or credit card (no surcharges apply).

It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s unique and it’s the best way to buy fine art without the retail markups.

Registering to Bid

If you haven’t used our online platform to bid at one of our online auctions, you will need to become a member and fill out a form that will enable you to create a username and password. Just click on any of the ‘LOGIN TO BID’ icons displayed underneath each catalogue image and become a member. It takes about two minutes.

How Absentee Bidding Works

When absentee bidding you have the choice to either bid at the next increment or you can place the maximum amount you wish to bid on that particular piece and the system will bid for you up to your maximum amount. So if the current bid is at $300 and you place a bid of $500, the system will show you as the highest bidder at $350. If someone comes along and bids $400 then the system will outbid them on your behalf and place a $450 bid for you. The system will only ever bid up to your maximum bid and will never exceed it. Your maximum bid will only ever be reached if there is another bidder who has placed a bid one increment below your maximum bid. Others bidder will not know what your maximum bid is. Anytime your maximum bid is outbid by another bidder, you will receive an automated email alert to let you know you have been outbid, thus giving you the opportunity to increase your bid. If you place a bid and somebody has already placed a bid higher than yours, you will see an on screen notification immediately that will alert you that there is already a higher bid than yours, thus giving you the opportunity to increase your bid if you desire.

When placing a bid you must click on ‘CONFIRM’ to confirm your bid. You will see a 10 second count down allowing you a period of 10 seconds to confirm that you have entered the correct amount. This just gives you the opportunity to double-check that you have entered the correct amount. If you don’t confirm your bid it won’t be registered.

Tips for successful bidding

Bidding during the live streaming auction is very simple and clear, but if it’s your first time, it’s a good idea is to login a few lots before your desired piece just to get a feel for how the system works. That way you can watch to see other lots selling and get a feel for how quickly the bidding goes and how to bid.

How to Join the Live Streaming Auction

Go to the catalogue page and click on the bold green text right at the top of the page saying ‘CLICK HERE TO JOIN LIVE AUCTION’.

SIGN UP FOR FUTURE AUCTIONS