To avoid any delay in the release of your purchases, you may wish to prearrange check or credit approval by contacting the Credit Department at the saleroom where your auction will take place. If you are new to Christie's, we recommend speaking to the Credit Department to provide your banking information in advance of the sale. Clients can submit an absentee bid or bid by telephone. We recommend arriving at least 20-30 minutes before the sale to allow sufficient time to register for a bidding paddle. When the sale begins, property is auctioned in numerical order, as it appears in the catalogue.
Bidding usually opens below the low estimate and advances in regular increments.
The lot being offered is usually shown at the front of the saleroom or appears on a slide screen. The auctioneer will accept bids from those present in the saleroom, absentee bidders participating by telephone or by written bid left with Christie's before the auction. Only with your prior written permission. A lot is an object or group of objects offered for sale as one unit. A bidding increment is the amount, usually pre-determined, used by the auctioneer in advancing the bidding.