Bidding at a public auction is surprisingly easy. Here is a general outline of the steps to follow to be a part of the auction.

Go to the auction preview. Previews are usually a day before the auction. Check the auction calender. Find what you are looking for. See what is available. Take your time there is no pressure. Make sure the item you are looking at is what you want, determine to highest you are willing to pay. We have a catalog available at most of our auctions. Use the catalog. Mark it up, take notes. The preview is essential. Previews are held the day before the auction. You can also pre-register for a bidder number to avoid long lines on the day of the auction.

On the day of the auction, make sure you've registered for a bid card. The bid card will have a number printed on it. This number is how we identify who purchases what. You must have a bidder number before you can make an offer. There is a $100 refundable deposit that must be made each time you register for a bid card. This deposit is returned to you if no purchases are made. If you do make a purchase, the $100 is put toward your invoice. If your purchase is less than $100, you will receive the change.

As the auctioneer proceeds through the auction, be ready. At this point, the catalog is essential. If you've taken notes you know which lots you want to bid on and how much you're willing to offer. The auctions usually follow the catalog, and if the auctioneer announces that certain lot numbers will be sold next, you will be ready.

To make a bid, hold up your bid card, your hand, nod you head, anything attract the auctioneer's, or a ring-man's attention. The ring-man stands in the crowd to help draw the attention of the auctioneer to a bidder. They are an essential part of the auction. Do not try and talk to a ring-man during an auction other than to bid, he is looking for bids and will probably ignore you. The auctioneer will determine the winner of the bid, and can reopen bidding if he so chooses.

At the close of the auction or after you are finished bidding on the items you want, go to the front office to make payment on your purchases. Once again, the catalog is essential. Using the information you have written in your catalog, you can double check your invoice to make sure that it is correct.

After you have made your payment (Be aware there is a 10% buyers premium on most auctions and you are also responsible for state sales tax). You can present your invoice to any of our agents for load-out. If a load-out does not interfere with the remaining auction, they will help you. If it does, they will ask you to come back after the auction is completed. For the security of your purchases and the purchases of others, do not load-out yourself. At the completion of load-out, make sure that you have everything on your invoice.