BUYING
We hold four Antique and Fine Art sales each year and fifteen sales of Victorian and later furnishings. All auctions are normally held on a Thursday commencing at 10.30, with public viewing on the previous Tuesday from 2-5 pm and Wednesday from 10 am - 8 pm. Dates are published annually and the calendar, which is on this site, is not normally changed, but buyers are always advised to check with us before making a long journey. We hope that you will come to a sale; buying at auction can be rewarding and fun and many become addicted to the excitement of the auction sale.
Chris Ewbank, who has over 30 years experience in the business, answers some frequently asked questions from potential new buyers;
Can anyone attend and or bid at auctions?
Yes, they are public events; you have no obligation to buy and can come along just to view if you wish. If you decide to bid in the sale room you will have to go through a simple registration process and will be issued with your buyer's number. You can register to place commision bids on line via the website by clicking on the registration link above. Once you have registered your registration will cover you for buying at future sales.
Can I find you easily and is there somewhere to park?
We are just off the A3 about 4 miles from Guildford going towards London. You have probably seen us from the main road close to the Ripley slip road. Full details including a map are shown elsewhere on this site. It is an out of town location and we have literally acres of on-site free parking.
How can I be sure that I do not miss a sale?
You can join our free Email update service. All you have to do is email us at office@ewbankauctions.co.uk and you will be put on the list. You can opt for antique sales only or for all sales. In addition to receiving the text of all catalogues you will receive regular newsletters and updates.
Where can I get specific information on
individual lots in a sale?
Prospective buyers are encouraged to view our catalogues
on line on this site, with lots in antique auctions being
illustrated. The descriptions can include several images
and condition reports. Further information on specific lots
can be posted on requests from prospective buyers.These
listing are normally posted about 6 days before the sale
for antique auctions and on a Tuesday before a Thursday
sale for general sales
I am frightened that if I am not careful I may purchase something by mistake.
This is an "old wives' tale", provided that you make sure that you are bidding on the right lot. In my experience nobody has ever bought a lot from me that they were not actually bidding on.
When I buy a lot are there any charges other than the hammer price?
Yes all major auctioneers levy a Buyer's Premium on the hammer price and ours including VAT is 20.56% (17.5% + VAT). You will have to pay for transport if you cannot take the item away yourself, and we can put you in touch with carriers if you want a quote or with shippers, if appropriate.
How can I settle my account?
We are legally allowed to accept cash up to a maximum of £5,000 or you can pay by cheque (subject to prior arrangement). We also accept major debit and credit cards, the latter being subject to a 2.5% plus VAT surcharge.
How can I be confident that you are professional auctioneers?
Like any other area of consumer activity we
are
governed by Consumer Law. I have been running auctions in Guildford since 1982 (Ewbank Auctioneers was set up in 1990). I maintain the highest professional standards as laid down by the two UK professional bodies of which I am a Member. I first became a Member of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers in 1982 and was Chairman 2000 - 2006. I first joined the SOFAA management committee in 1994. I have been a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for over 35 years and was elected to the International Governing Council the highest decision making body in 2005. If anyone has a complaint or problem they can refer it to me personally.
How can I bid if I am unable to attend a sale?
Commission bids. After registering
in person or through this website you can leave commission
bids with us and we will undertake to buy on your behalf
as cheaply as we are able, after reference to any reserve
or other bidders. Please note that bids can be left online
up to 30 minutes before the start of the sale. After that
time you will have to register with us in person or by email,
fax or phone. All registration closes one hour before commencement
of the sale.
Live telephone
bidding. On valuable lots in antique sales you can
ask to be given a telephone bid, which means that a member of
staff will bid on your instructions during the sale.
Live internet
bidding
. This has only been made possible by advances in technology although it is extensively used in the USA. We were amongst the first to adopt it in the UK and full details of how to register are given on the eBay web site.
I hope that
I have answered your questions but if there is anything that
you are still unsure about please ask a member of staff. We
look forward to seeing you at a future sale.
SELLING
We hold quarterly Antique and Fine Art auctions
at the Burnt Common Auction Rooms and regular sales of
Edwardian and later furnishings every two or three weeks. We
are well known in Surrey because we have been in business
since 1990, occupying prominent high profile premises in
probably the best location in the South of England, close to
the A3 and M25. The auction rooms are 4 miles from Guildford
and the same distance from Woking main line station (London
Waterloo 25 minutes).
The building has recently been refurbished with
additional floor space being created by a new mezzanine floor.
The new modern interior provides over 3000 sq feet on the
ground floor and is an intimate and sympathetic setting for
the display of antiques and fine art.
Chris Ewbank heads our probate department which
deals with probate valuations and sales. In addition we advise
executors on security and provide safe-keeping facilities for
valuable items. Clients usually come to us because we have
acted for them before or we have been recommended by friends
or professional advisers.
Commission is charged to sellers calculated per
lot, as follows:
15% up to £1,000 - 10% thereafter
Entry
charge on each lot (sold or unsold) £5
Loss and damage
warranty 1.5%
All the above are subject to VAT at current
rates
We may offer special rates for valuable
individual items or collections.
Chris Ewbank who has over 30 years experience in
the business answers some frequently asked questions from
potential new sellers;
Will you come to my house
and give advice on value and reserves? What do you charge for
this service?
I visit clients to advise them on values
of antiques and fine art where they are unable to bring them
in to us. I am prepared to travel well outside the local area
where it is felt that we should be able to obtain better
results for clients than in their immediate vicinity. We do
not normally make a any charge for this service. We offer a
free email valuation service for clients. Just email an image
and dimensions and we shall contact you about possible sale
values
Can you offer specialist
advice on value?
I am a general valuer and have to deal
with all of the things that you might find in a house. We are
often asked to value specialist items and collections and we
have specialists in all areas who we can call upon to assist
us in advising our clients.
How do you market your
sales?
We have a large buyers mailing list for
catalogues and advertise our auctions in the press nationally
and locally. We have an extensive auction email alert list and
post our main catalogues on the Internet on this site
and on the two top UK auction sites. In addition we
subscribe to artnet.com where sales are listed and passed
through to ebay.com. All listings include images and on these
two sites multiple images and condition reports are also
included. This gives us an enormous increase in global
coverage and through artnet.com bidders are able to
participate in antique auctions while they are in progress. We
are one of the first UK auctioneers to participate in this
scheme which gives the seller the benefit of direct access to
a world market of private buyers and collectors. At a recent
auction our catalogue received over 32,500 "hits", with
registered bidders from all over the world including the UK,
USA, the Far East and Australia.
How can you ensure that
my possessions will not be sold at prices lower than my
expectations?
We advise all clients of our suggested
sale estimates for inclusion in our catalogues and we can
place reserves on lots being offered for sale.
How can I get my goods to
the auction rooms and what does this cost?
You can
either bring items in to us yourself or, if this is not
practical, we can put you in touch with carriers who will
normally charge on a time basis at £35-40 per hour.
What happens if any of my
goods are damaged or stolen while in your care?
This is
the type of question that most auctioneers will be reluctant
to address in discussions with you before a sale. We are used
to handling valuable antiques but recognise that it is always
possible for a problem to arise. In the unlikely event of loss
or damage to their property we undertake to reimburse
clients.
What happens if a lot
fails to sell and what charges do I pay?
Unless lots
are withdrawn after the catalogue or advertisements have been
prepared the only charge that we make on unsold lots is the £5
per lot lotting charge plus VAT. If you wish unsold lots can
be returned to you or re-offered in a later sale.
I have a house to clear.
What items do you sell and will you help me dispose of rubbish
and items that cannot be sold?
We shall normally be
able to sell all of the saleable items in a house which are
worth transporting to auction. Our carriers can also deal with
clearances at charges to be agreed. For legal reasons we do
not normally sell electrical goods or domestic upholstered
furniture made between 1950 and 1988.
Why should I sell my art
and antiques in Surrey rather than sending them up to
London?
The London Rooms are usually only interested in
selling higher value goods. We can deal with complete contents
and will not just cherry pick and leave you to deal with the
rest. We are extremely well placed and easily accessible being
only about 30 minutes by car from West London and 25 minutes
by train from Waterloo; buyers coming by road do not have to
struggle to park in town to get to us. We pride ourselves on
being a small firm which offers a personal, friendly service
to our clients, which cannot be matched by larger
organisations. More and more top quality art and antiques are
now being sold outside London because prices are good and the
costs of selling and transport are much less, particularly on
the most important items. The influence of the internet has
made it easier for smaller businesses to reach wider market
places.
To illustrate this we recently sold the
Robertson Collection of 45 lots from the Studio of Francis
Bacon for in excess of £1M. The sale created enormous
international press and television coverage from all over the
World.
Do you subscribe to a
professional code of practice?
As a member of the
Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers and a prominent
Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors I
subscribe to the codes of conduct of the two main professional
bodies for Fine Art auctioneers in the UK.
How do I know that you
will safeguard the money that you hold for me?
I am
very rarely asked this important question. As auctioneers we
collect purchase monies and hold them for clients pending
settlement. The funds that we hold for our clients are
absolutely protected under the RICS client money protection
scheme.
When can I expect to
receive my money after a sale?
We have to collect money
due in from purchasers and normally pay vendors by cheque
posted 21 days after the sale.
My staff and I are always pleased to answer any
other questions that you might have, and to discuss the
disposal of your antiques and fine
art. | 
