Register to Bid
For Menzies live sales there are four ways to bid at auction.
-
IN ROOM BIDDING
All clients intending to bid in the room are required to register for a bidding paddle by completing a Buyer Pre-Registration form. This form may be submitted in advance of the auction via our website or at one of Menzies' pre-auction viewings. Please introduce yourself at the auction venue to collect your paddle. Clients registering on the evening of the sale are encouraged to arrive 20-30 minutes before the auction commences to collect their paddle. Menzies is pleased to offer reserved seating in the saleroom for pre-registered clients. We ask that seating requests are made no less than 24 hours prior to the auction, either at the time of registration or by contacting Menzies directly.
If you have a designated bidding agent who will be bidding on your behalf, they can also pre-register for the auction by following the appropriate approval and identification procedures.
-
TELEPHONE BIDDING
For clients unable to attend the auction in person, Menzies offers the option of live bidding via telephone. This service is free of charge; however resources are limited and telephone bids are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each telephone bidder will be called by a Menzies staff member a few lots before the relevant work; once bidding has opened, the staff member will relay bidding activity to the client and place any bids on their behalf in the room. To register for a telephone bid, please complete a Telephone Bidding Form. This form may also be found in our online and printed catalogues, or obtained from our pre-auction viewings. Telephone bids must be submitted no later than 12 hours prior to the auction. Telephone bidders are encouraged to familiarise themselves with Menzies' bidding increments (see below).
-
ABSENTEE BIDDING
Absentee bids are written instructions allowing Menzies to bid on your behalf on one or more lots up to the maximum amount specified for each lot. The auctioneer will execute your absentee bid at the lowest possible price, taking into account the reserve price and other bids. There is no charge for this service. If identical absentee bids are left by two or more parties, the first bid received by Menzies will take precedence. To register for an absentee bid, please complete an Absentee Bid Form. This form may also be found in our online and printed catalogues, or obtained from our pre-auction viewings. Please note that your bid amount is the hammer amount with buyer's premium and GST added where applicable. Dollar amounts placed that are not a standard bid increment will be rounded down to the nearest full bid increment. Should a bid of identical value already exist, the preceding bid will be declared priority bid.
If your bid is successful, an invoice will be emailed to you the day following the sale. If your absentee bid was unsuccessful, you will be contacted via phone or email the day following the auction.
-
ONLINE BIDDING
Menzies offers online bidding via the third-party platform, Invaluable. Clients intending to bid online will need to register directly with Invaluable. Menzies offers buyer's premium parity for online bidding, meaning online bidders will pay the same premium (25% including GST) as the bidders in the auction room. A live video stream and hammer results for the auction are also accessible through Invaluable free of charge. Menzies accepts no responsibility for errors or technical issues encountered when using Invaluable.
Successful bidders will be emailed invoices the day following the auction. Please note that Menzies charges 25% buyer's premium inclusive of GST on all successful bids.
Menzies' Bidding Increments
Bidding generally opens below the estimate and advances in the following increments
- $500 - $1,000 by $50
- $1,000 - $2,000 by $100
- $2,000 - $5,000 by $300
- $5,000 - $10,000 by $500
- $10,000 - $20,000 by $1,000
- $20,000 - $50,000 by $2,000
- $50,000 - $100,000 by $5,000
- $100,000 - $200,000 by $10,000
- $200,000 - $500,000 by $20,000
- $500,000 - and above by $50,000
Occasionally the auctioneer may vary the increments during the course of the auction at their discretion.