Absentee Bid: A bid placed prior to the auction. Your absentee bid should reflect the maximum amount you wish to bid. The auctioneer will bid on your behalf up to this amount.
Bid Increment: The established amounts by which the auctioneer will increase the bidding. Our bid increments can be found under “Conditions of Sale” on each auction page.
Buyer’s Premium: The industry standard 25% fee added to the hammer price payable by the purchaser as part of the total purchase price. Purchases made through Invaluable or LiveAuctioneers will be subject to an additional 5% charge.
Condition Report: A detailed report and/or additional images, from one of our experts, describing an item’s condition. To request a condition report, please call or email the gallery, or request a report directly from the online catalogue by clicking “request more information” on each lot page.
Hammer Price: The winning bid amount at which the auctioneer’s hammer falls.
Live Online Bid: A bid that you submit live during the auction by clicking “bid” on the live-stream portal on our website. The auctioneer will then accept your bid in real time.
Preview: During the week prior to the auction, our gallery will be open for the auction exhibition, with our experts on hand to answer any questions you might have. Schedule an appointment for preview by calling the gallery at 617.720.2020 or emailing us at [email protected].
Provenance: The history or record of ownership of a work.
Starting Bid: Where the auctioneer will open the bidding on sale day. All starting bids are initially set at half of the low estimate and will increase based on the level of demand for the lot leading up to the auction.
Telephone Bid: Bids placed over the phone live during the auction. One of our experienced bidding agents will bid on your behalf per your instruction live during the sale. Please note that you must register for telephone bids before the auction.
Terms & Conditions of Sale: The legally binding terms and conditions of bidding at auction, which you agree to when registering for a sale. The full terms can be reviewed here.