### Clue: Help us to acquire article before they auction it (8)
### Answer: SOTHEBYS 
 ### Explanation: SOS(*Help us*) having inside(*to acquire*) THE(*article*) BY(*before*, as a locational preposition, like "next", "behind" and so on).  Defn:  Famous international auction house, auctioning anything of big value, from art pieces to jewels to jewellery to wine to memorabilia.