The Surrey Auction House

Viewing, Week of Auction

Wednesday 10:00am to 5:00pm
Thursday 10:00am to 7:00pm
Friday from 8:00am

Auction starts at 11:00am

Catalogues

View the Catalogue

Search the Catalogue

Text Catalogue

Order of Sale

Online Catalogues available

Saturday before Auction,

Printed Catalogues week of Auction

Buying at the 20th Century Auction

Bidding at the Auction

Buyer Registration

Buyers Premium

Payment
Telephone Bids

Commission Bid

Storage

Submit your Commission Bids via email - Click here

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Packaging & Shipping

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Specialist 20th Century sales are held twice yearly.
They encompass art and design movements

from the 1880 onwards.

These include the following.

Aesthetic movement, late 19th Century based on the ethos ‘art for arts sake’

Arts and Crafts, associated with  a rejection of Victorian mass production and elevation of well designed and hand crafted objects.

Art Nouveau a European movement of the late 19 th and early 20 th Century . Known as Jugendstil in Germany and closely associated to the Austrian Secessionist movement

Art Deco, the movement that celebrated the age of the machine, with geometric forms clean lines and bold colours.

The sale also  focuses on  mid century design, including Danish and Scandinavian design . Italian design of the 1960s and 1970s

Catagories include:

Studio Pottery by well known potters
Design lead silver from the 20th Century
Glass and  Ceramics from 1900 to 1980 by known designers
Pop Art
Early plastics and  Advertising
Paintings and prints typical of the period
Designer fabrics

Vintage Fashion sales are also held periodically, suitable items for auction in this field include, Clothes pre 20th Century, Lace,  samplers, textiles, fine embroidery. Parasols and Fans Oriental costume.

Clothes and accessories of the 20th Century are also sold, including 1920 flapper dresses 1930s bias cut evening wear and day dresses . 1940s including utility, 1950s print dresses and evening wear. 1960s Psychedelic items from Bibba, Items from the late 20th century must be good quality, from well known designers and be typical of the period.

We do not generally sell Furs or high street fashion from the later decades.

Buying at the Specialist 20th Century Auction

Bidding at the Specialist 20th Century Auction

In order to bid, you must register for a Buyer’s Number at Reception. Click here for details

 

Viewing days before and on the day of the auction provide the opportunity to inspect all items in the auction.

Viewing may be limited in some sections of the auction rooms whilst the auction is in progress.

 

Before bidding on an item, make sure that you have checked the item, making yourself fully aware to any faults that there may be.

Note:

• In the catalogue “a/f” stands for “as found”. This refers to a fault in the item, for example a hairline crack in a porcelain figure. The absence of a/f does not imply that the item is without damage.
• We do not provide guarantees or warranties for any electrical or other items.

Condition reports may be provided upon request, either over the phone or by e-mail request.

 

We are also able to provide images on most items. Images are not produced for reproduction, contemporary goods, damaged items, lots bearing estimate sub £100.

 

Refunds will not be given in respect of faults found after the sale.

 

Bidding on an item will commence when the auctioneer has announced the lot number of that item along with a brief description.

 

The item up for auction will also be on view, either on the television screens in the auction room or by being held up by a member of staff.

 

To bid, raise your bidders number in the air clearly so that the auctioneer can see. Confirmation of your bid being accepted will be made by eye contact from the auctioneer, and also a verbal description of where you may be standing in the auction room if there a lot of people bidding close together.

 

Once bidding is complete, (one or more lots) payment is made at reception for the lots won. You will receive two copies of your invoice (one for the Tuesday General Auction); a Buyer’s copy and a Porters copy. Give the porters copy to an available porter in the auction room and they will collect your items for you and sign them out of the auction house. Please do not collect the items yourself.

Buyer Registration

All Buyers must register for a Buyers Number.

There are two different types of registration:

 

Temporary Buyer Registration

 

• It is recommended that Buyers register during viewing to avoid delays during the running of the auction.
• Temporary Buyer's Numbers are only valid for the specific auction you have registered for.

 

Permanent Buyer Registration

 

• Permanent Buyer's Numbers are available on the production of a Photo Drivers License or Passport AND a Current Utility Bill. Also subject to Terms
• Permanent Buyer's Numbers are valid for ALL our auctions – so you only need to register once!

 

Buyers Premium

Buyers Premium 20% + VAT

Payment

• Invoices must be paid prior to removal of goods.
• Payment accepted by either Cash, Debit or Credit Card (chip and pin required)
• Credit Cards are subject to a 2.5% surcharge.
• Maximum of £500 by Telephone.
• Cheques are accepted up to your Card Limit.
• You may also pay by Bacs - please contact us for details.

Telephone Bids

• Should you not be able to attend the Auction, but wish to bid live, you may book a telephone Bid.
• A member of Wellers auction team will call you and act as a relay of your bidding to the Auctioneer.
• When bidding by phone it is advised to leave an emergency or covering bid that staff can use should contact not be possible at time of sale.
• Telephone bids for overseas clients will not be accepted without a covering bid.
• Wellers have a limited amount of telephone lines and these are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Note

Telephone bids are generally not accepted for items with an estimate below £100.

Commission Bids

• This is a method of bidding should you not be able to attend the sale.
• Bids are undertaken without extra charge by the Wellers auction team.
• Bids may be left in writing, telephone, fax or via email.
• It is requested that these bids are received prior to the commencement of the auction.
• Bids can be taken during the sale but no guarantee will be given as to their acceptance.
• In the event of two bids of the same price being received, the bid received first will take precedence.
• You will not be informed if a higher bid has been received.
• You are advised to leave your maximum bid for the best chance of success.

Successful bids.

• All successful bidders are informed by telephone on the day of the sale, or next available working day.
• At this point payment by Debit or Credit card may be requested along with details for collection of the items.
• Should you require packaging and shipping this may be arranged at this time and costs advised.
• Leaving bids and the bid process

When a commission bid is left, where does the bidding start?

The process is dependant on four factors

• Reserve
• Other commission bids
• Bidding in the room
• Estimates

Examples having left a commission bid of £200

A) Lot 10   Reserve £100     (Est. £100 - 200)
The opening bid is with the commission bid at the reserve of £100. The bidding would continue against the competition in the room

 

B) Lot 10   Reserve £100     (Est. £100 - 200)
The auctioneer would look for an opening bid in the room around the estimate given. This occurs at £100, the commission bid is then pitted against the competition in the room with the auctioneer trying to balance the bids to ensure that should the bidding reach £200, the commission bid is in

 

C) Lot 10   Reserve £100     (Est. £100 - 200)
Other commission bids have been received at £80 and £150. The opening bid would now be £160 and then normal competition continues. If another commission bid had been received at £330, the opening bid would now be £220 and your bid is out.

 

D) Lot 10   No Reserve     (Est. £100 - 150)
The Auctioneer would look for an opening bid in the room at around the estimate given. Should no bid be received in the room the auctioneer will open the bidding at 50% of the lowest estimate figure. The opening bid will be at £50 for the commission bid and then normal competition continues.

 

Storage

Storage will be charged on unsold items after notice is given to collect.

We also reserve the right to dispose of uncollected items after notice is given to collect.