Frequently Asked Questions

General

  1. How can I find out the value of my item?
  2. If you are interested to know what you have and what its value might be, feel free to email images to [email protected].

  3. How long will it take for me to hear back after submitting images?
  4. It can take three to five business days to hear back from a specialist.

  5. Are you available for walk-in appraisals?
  6. No. Specialists are not always in the gallery. Please call the gallery to make an appointment directly with a specialist before bringing your items. Virtual appraisals and valuations are available upon request.

  7. Do you provide written appraisals?
  8. Formal written appraisals for insurance or estate purposes can be provided. The fee is $250 for the first hour and $150 for each additional hour. Please call the gallery for more information.

  9. How do I know if you can sell my items?
  10. Clars’ specialists need to see and approve for auction all items to be sold. You can email photos to [email protected]. For larger quantities of items, such as an entire estate, please call the gallery to see if a courtesy visit might be available.

  11. What types of items do you sell?
  12. Clars has five departments: Fine Art, Furniture & Decorative Arts, Jewelry & Watches, Fine & Rare Wines, and Asian Art.

  13. Do you have consignment minimums?
  14. Yes, minimums fluctuate depending on department needs. Please email images of your items to [email protected] to determine if Clars can handle them for you.


In-Person Auctions

  1. Can I view the item in person before the auction?
  2. Yes, public previews are held Thursday before the auction from 1–5PM. You are welcome to view the items in person during this time, and specialists are available to answer your questions. (For speciality auctions check calendar for preview dates and times.)

  3. Can I bid in person?
  4. Yes. In person bidding is open to the public and free of charge. Doors open at 9AM each auction day, and the auction begins at approximately 9:30AM. You will register for a bidder paddle upon your arrival, and your number is good for both days.

  5. What if I cannot attend or I’m interested in an item that isn’t selling for several hours?
  6. You may leave an absentee bid with the front office. The auctioneer will execute your bid for you as if you were here bidding competitively.

  7. Is my Clars Live bidder number the same as an in-house bidder number?
  8. No. Clars live will assign you a four digit bidder number generally in the 1000 number range. This bidder number does not transfer to bidding in person. You will need to register for an in-house paddle number to bid in person.

  9. What is a Buyer’s Premium?
  10. A Buyer’s Premium is a service fee charged by all auction galleries. Clars’ in-house premium is currently 26%. This percentage will be charged on top of the hammer price of each individual item.


Online Auctions

  1. How do I bid online?
  2. Catalogs are available online for viewing and bidding through Clars Live, Live Auctioneers and Invaluable. You can create an account on any of these platforms free of charge, and either leave absentee bids online, or bid in real time as the auction progresses during the live sale.

  3. Is there a fee for bidding online?
  4. Yes. The Buyer’s Premium will be higher if you bid online instead of directly with the gallery. The Buyer’s Premium on Clars Live is currently 28%. The Buyer’s Premium on Live Auctioneers and Invaluable is currently 31%.

  5. Do I have to register for each sale individually?
  6. Yes, you are required to register for each sale individually to verify that you agree to the Conditions of Sale, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.

  7. How do I know if I am approved to bid?
  8. Once you have been approved to bid, you will receive an email letting you know that you are all set to participate freely in the auction.

  9. Can I bid against myself?
  10. If you are only bidding on one bidding platform, then you will not be bidding against yourself. The only way you could bid against yourself is if you placed a bid on the same item(s) in the same auction on multiple bidding platforms (Clars Live, Live Auctioneers, Invaluable or in-house). For this reason, it is strongly suggested to bid on only one platform.

  11. How do I know if I won?
  12. Invoices from Live Auctioneers and Invaluable are emailed at the conclusion of each auction day. Invoices from Clars Live are emailed on the Monday after an auction.

  13. The item sold for the same amount that I bid for it, but I am not the winner. Why didn’t I win?
  14. There are a few reasons why this could have happened. The most common reason is that more than one bid came in at the same amount, resulting in a tie. Bids are accepted at the auctioneer’s discretion. Therefore, even if you have made an absentee bid online or in-house, this does not guarantee that you will win the item.

  15. How long do I have to pay and pick up?
  16. For all auctions, you have three business days after the auction to pay for any items you purchased. After 10 business days, if the items have not been picked up, Clars may begin to charge storage fees at a rate of $10 per lot per day.

  17. Do you provide shipping and packaging services?
  18. Clars does not provide in-house packing or shipping services. Packing and shipping is at buyer’s cost, and you must coordinate this with a third party. A list of third party shippers that Clars customers have used is located on the shipping page of the website.

  19. What types of payments do you accept?
  20. Clars accepts cash, cashier’s check, wire transfer, personal check (items may be held until the check clears), and PayPal. For payments made within the US and Canada, Clars also accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.


Timed Auctions

  1. What is a timed online auction?
  2. Timed online auctions are auctions conducted solely online. There is no auctioneer.

  3. How do timed online auctions work?
  4. The auction runs for a defined amount of time, typically a few days or weeks. This allows bidders to register and place one or more bids on lots of interest until the last day listed. The lot will stay open if there are bids and will close 15 seconds after the last bid.

  5. How are bids accepted in a timed online auction?
  6. You must register on the assigned platform and place bids online only. NO telephone or absentee bids are accepted for timed online auctions.

  7. How do I know if I have the current highest bids?
  8. Bidders are notified should their maximum online timed bid be outbid and are given the opportunity to raise their bid amount. The winner is determined on the date the auction closes.

  9. Can I request condition reports?
  10. Condition reports and photo requests are not available for timed only auctions. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging.

  11. What happens at the end of a timed online auction?
  12. Once the auction has ended, the winning bidder is responsible for organizing any item to be shipped or picked up. See Shipping & Pickup page for more information.

  13. Can I retract my bids?
  14. You can only retract 3 bids per registered auction.

Any remaining questions?