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Absentee Bidding

Telephone Bidding

You can make telephone bids at any of our auctions, although you will need to book beforehand. Telephone bidding is a convenient way to bid for higher value items. It is particularly appropriate if you want to place your own bids on a specific lot when you cannot attend the auction in person or are unable to bid online.

Telephone bids must be booked in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Telephone bids are only available for lots with a lower estimate greater than £300.

If you have booked a telephone bid against a specific lot, a member of our saleroom team will call you shortly before the lot is offered for sale from the saleroom. The experienced member of staff will relay what is happening in the saleroom to you. You will be able to instruct them to continue bidding on your behalf at each stage, until you are either successful or decide not to continue.

If you would like to bid at an upcoming auction by telephone please download, complete and return a telephone bidding form. You may be asked for further proof of identity if you are not known to us.

Telephone bids cannot be accepted after 5.00pm on the day preceding the Sale.

Commission Bids

Download a Commission Bidding Form here.

You can place a commission bid (sometimes known as an absentee bid) against any lot in any of our sales. You will need to complete a Commission Bid Form that authorises us to act as your representative in the sale to secure the lots you indicate for the lowest possible price up to the maximum value you stipulate in each case.

The maximum amount you are willing to bid against each lot should be the hammer price. Remember that the buyer’s premium and any applicable VAT will be additional to this amount.

If we receive more than one commission bid for a lot for the same value then we will accept the bid that we received first.

If you would like to make a commission bid at an upcoming auction, please complete this form and return it to us. You may be asked for further proof of identity if you are not known to us.

Commission bids cannot be accepted after 5.00pm on the day preceding the Sale.

Returning Completed Forms

Forms should be completed and returned to us in good time either in person, by post or email to:-

Southams Auctioneers
24 Newnham Street
Bedford
MK40 3JR

email: guns@southamsauction.co.uk

Please note that Southams take no responsibility for failure to execute telephone or commission bids for any reason.