FAQ

How can I bid at an auction?

The auction house Historia firmly believes that the barrier to participating in auctions should be lowered. For this reason, we use state-of-the-art technologies and offer various ways to participate.

You can bid in the following ways:

Written advance bids: You can submit your bids either by email or conveniently directly on our website. This ensures that you do not miss the auction. By placing bids before the live auction, you authorize us to bid on your behalf against other bidders to win the collector’s item you desire.

Online live bidding during the auction: Our platform for live bids allows you to enter the virtual auction room and bid in real time during our auctions. Simply follow the live stream and place your bids with a click of the mouse. To participate, either log in to your existing account or complete the registration process.

In-person bids: Visit us in person during the auction and experience the exciting atmosphere firsthand. Actively participate in the bidding by raising your hand to place your bids.

Telephone bids: If you submit written advance bids, you can simply indicate that you would also like to bid by telephone. This will connect you directly from the live auction hall with one of our employees who will bid on your behalf.

Please note that you must register in advance for each of these methods and be authorized to place bids. You can register online by creating an account on our website. Please do this in time so we can authorize you to place bids before the auction.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

How can I sell something at an auction?

Before a potential consignment, there is always an assessment of the price an object can currently achieve on the auction market. Whether an object is actually suitable for an auction is determined during the appraisal by our experts, who are happy to examine all your pieces – including those you may consider worthless. We evaluate your objects free of charge and without obligation and inform you whether an auction is sensible and under what conditions they can be auctioned. You can either come by in person with the objects (after a short preliminary notification) or send us photos by email or post. For a larger number of objects, our employees will also be happy to visit you by appointment. To ensure proper processing and proper inclusion in the catalog, all objects must be delivered at least 8 weeks before the auction.

Do I, as a consignor, incur costs for unsold items?

In the event of no sale, you will not incur any costs. The costs for cataloging, advertising, and the storage and insurance of the items until the auction in our premises are included in the commission and will be borne by us in the event of a non-sale. After the post-sale period, which is within 2 months after the auction, we ask consignors to pick up any unsold items after a short notification. Otherwise, we must charge storage fees due to limited storage capacity.

How many and what types of items can I auction off at Historia?

Historia handles each submitted piece carefully and professionally. Unlike some other auction houses, Historia does not only select highlights for an auction but also dissolves entire estates and collections upon request. Appointments for the appraisal of large objects, estates, and collections can also be arranged at your location if desired.

Why haven't I been approved as a live bidder yet?

We review and activate all registrations as quickly as possible. We ask you to register and sign up as a live bidder at least 24 hours before the auction starts because it can take up to 24 hours to transfer your registration or sign-up through the respective live-bidding platform into our system. Once you are activated, you will receive an automatic notification. After successful activation, it can take up to an hour for it to be processed by the respective live-bidding platform before you can start bidding. Therefore, please be aware that we cannot guarantee timely activation if there is less than 24 hours before the auction, as we do not have direct control over the processing on the live-bidding platforms.

What does Historia auction?

At our auctions, we annually auction over 20,000 paintings, prints, drawings, watercolors, porcelain, glass, silver, jewelry, watches, bronzes, sculptures, selected furniture, and collector’s items from all periods – essentially everything that is currently in demand by collectors both domestically and internationally and for which an auction is sensible given this context. Whether an object is suitable for auction is determined during the appraisal by our experts, to whom you can show all your pieces – including those you may consider worthless. Upon request, we also auction complete collections and estates.

What happens if a consigned item does not sell at the auction?

Items not sold at the auction can be sold in the post-auction sale, which starts after the auction and runs for about 4 weeks, at the agreed limit price. Upon request, unsold items that you do not wish to take back can be offered again in an auction at a reduced limit. This incurs no additional costs to you. Of course, you can also pick up any unsold items from your consignment.

When is the next auction?

Our auctions in Bremen and Berlin take place every 8 to 10 weeks. These are timely announced on our website. Upon request, we are happy to include you in our newsletter distribution list and keep you informed about our auctions.

How is the shipping of items handled?

If you have indicated a shipping preference on your bid form, the invoice already includes the calculated shipping costs (without guarantee) to the billing address we have on file. If you did not mark either shipping or pickup on the bid form, we assume that you want the purchased items to be shipped to you. Including the shipping costs in the payment is considered a shipping order for us. If you have a different delivery address, please inform us when submitting the bid form, as we write and send invoices including shipping costs immediately after the auction. All shipping cost prices are stated inclusive of the statutory VAT of 19%.

In case of a subsequent request for shipping, please send an email with the desired items and the shipping address to info@historia.de.

Please note that shipping is a service provided by us, and we are not a shipping company. Our trained staff carefully pack the items and strive to ensure that you receive your purchased items as quickly as possible by post, considering the hundreds of packages that are packed and sent via various shipping service providers after an auction. Furthermore, we refer to § 447 BGB: The shipment is made on behalf and at the risk of the buyer. Postage and packaging are charged at cost price and partially subsidized by Historia Auction House.

Please note that even with online transfers, it may take about 3 days for the credit to be received in the escrow account. Only after receipt of payment are the packages packed and dispatched, which may take a few more days. Keep in mind that with each call for information about your purchased goods, you take up valuable time during which your items could have been packed and/or shipped.

For large, fragile, and bulky items as well as furniture – total dimensions over 120 cm and/or a total weight of over 31 kg – we offer delivery through the shipping company Reitmayer, with which we cooperate. Paintings with dimensions over 50 x 60 cm are considered bulky goods. For large and heavy furniture pieces, a helper must be provided at the delivery location to assist the driver with unloading.

Objects framed behind glass (especially paintings and prints) are shipped without glass due to the risk of damage. If the buyer insists on shipping with glass, this requires written confirmation. Shipping with glass is done solely at the buyer’s risk.

Shipping rates (including 19% VAT) within Germany:

Jewelry (including insurance costs)
up to €500 invoice amount: €15
from €500 invoice amount: €30
from €2,500 invoice amount: €40

Small art and paintings (including frames, per item)
up to 30 cm: €15
up to 60 cm: €20
up to 90 cm: €30
up to 120 cm: €40

An additional €4 is charged for each additional item (except for jewelry and paintings). The flat rate for delicate objects, sets, and table services ranges from €10 to €50. For bulky goods, an additional flat fee of €20 is charged.

Insurance costs (including 19% VAT), depending on the invoice amount:
from €500 invoice amount: €12
from €2,500 invoice amount: €22
from €5,000 invoice amount: €33
from €7,500 invoice amount: €46
from €10,000 invoice amount: individual

Shipping costs abroad are available upon request.

Price examples, per item:

Paintings, clocks
from €59
Large vases, bronzes, sculptures, carpets
from €69
Tables, chairs, armchairs, side tables, stools
from €69
Grandfather clocks, chests, dressers, secretaries
from €99
Cabinets, showcases
from €129

Deliveries can be made nationwide. All transport prices are individually tailored to your needs and include secure packaging as well as transport insurance and VAT.

A shipping discount is possible for bulk orders.

Delivery times are 1 to 3 weeks after approval by the auction house.

Timely telephone notification, with date and time window, is guaranteed.

Payment is made directly to the shipping company. Cash payment upon delivery against invoice is preferred.

Thomas Reitmayer Transporte
Geisenfelder Str. 40
85283 Wolnzach

Mobile: 0173 36 76 100
Email: reitmayer.transporte@gmx.de

To enable us to process your request as quickly as possible, please have the catalogue numbers of your purchased items ready!

For inquiries about international shipping, please contact our service provider by email:

JG Shipping

Contact: Mr. Onur Sahin

Tel.: 0049 – 160 – 99 06 67 31

Email: historia@gezici.de

When is the auction preview?

During the week preceding the auction, all items intended for the auction are displayed in our premises and can be inspected by all interested parties. By appointment, a preview is also possible outside of the preview times (on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday before the auction).

Why do I have to pay value-added tax (VAT)?

We apply a value-added tax (VAT) of 19% to our buyer’s premium and shipping costs. However, this tax is not applied to the purchase price of the auctioned item itself. The reason for this is that the buyer’s premium is considered a service provided in Germany and is therefore subject to taxation. This service and the associated VAT are final in any case, and VAT reimbursement on the buyer’s premium is not provided.

For foreign art dealers with a valid EU tax number, it is possible to reclaim the VAT on shipping costs. We ask that you provide us with the EU tax number at the time of bidding to avoid delays and subsequent corrections. It is common for us to have to adjust invoices retrospectively because VAT is disputed by customers only after receiving the invoice and the necessary VAT numbers are provided to us later.

For shipping to non-EU countries (third countries), VAT is not shown on the invoice for shipping costs, and we do not provide VAT refunds for such services or shipping to third countries.

How can I pay?

Payment can be made in cash, by debit card, or by bank transfer. If paying with PayPal or credit card, we must charge a fee of 5%, including VAT, on the invoice amount. We request payment of your invoice within 14 days.

How do I receive my purchased items?

After a successful bid, you have the following options to receive your purchased items:

Self-pickup: You can collect the items directly from our premises. For pickup, please inform us in advance via email at info@historia.de to minimize waiting times.

Shipping: If you wish to have the items delivered to your address, you must request this shipping from us. Further information can be found under Shipping Information.

Please note that pickup should occur within 14 days after the auction. If you exceed this period, we may need to charge storage fees due to limited storage capacity.

If someone else is to collect your purchased items, we require a power of attorney issued by you.

When do I need to pick up purchased items?

We kindly request that you pick up the purchased items within 14 days after the auction. Otherwise, due to limited storage capacity, we may need to charge storage fees. All purchased art objects can also be picked up during the auction after payment, provided they are easily accessible for our staff. For later pickup, please inform us in advance to avoid waiting times. If someone else is to pick up your items, we require a power of attorney issued by you.

Sell with Historia

Individual items, collections, entire estates

In the past decades, we have accompanied the sale of entire collections and estates in addition to the auctioning of individual objects. We will be happy to assist you with advice and handling – even in the case of household liquidations.

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