deciding whether to participate in the auction, we first need to understand the principles of the auction, in general, its pluses and minuses - in this case for the buyer.

Benefits for buyers

1. Wide range of types of facilities and the cost of selling lots.

Each year at the auction sold hundreds of thousands of different works of art - from ancient times to the present day, costing from tens to tens of millions of dollars. In addition, there are auctions cars, books, weapons, jewelry, wine, etc. It is difficult to find an area of ​​collecting items of which at least occasionally been exhibited at the auctions.

2. Constantly emerging proposals for specific artists.

If the local art market can not find the product of interest, then, thanks to its daily auctions around the world, the probability of detecting a particular job increases many times .

3. Opportunity to buy interesting lot cheaper than market value.

To attract customers, many auctions specifically underestimate estimeyty to work, which is not expected much in demand. So often it happens that these lots or go to the bottom estimate or even to fall short of it, if there is no queue of people wishing to buy. Then the customer gets the desired job much cheaper than its real value and is immediately successful investor.

4. Social aspect: communication with knowledgeable people and increase personal status when making purchases.

Many wealthy people prefer to buy at a public auction: it is considered prestigious and the evidence of stability in their financial situation. In addition, the fight at the auction, to some extent akin to doing business, only the events and emotions that sometimes stretched into normal life for years, the auction compressed into a few minutes. For many trades - it's suspense, the desire to win, an explosion of emotion, adrenaline!

Have an auction and light side to it. And it must be understood that all of the following shortcomings - are objective, they result from the essence of any auction is part of the "game rules", so it's important to be able to properly evaluate.

Disadvantages for the buyer

1. works are sold at major auctions, are the primary selection of the expert commission. < /p>

author is not mistaken, this provision is in place under cons. These houses, like Sotheby's, Christies, Bonhams, etc., contain expert advice on a particular direction and try to hold screenings of false papers. Unfortunately, it turns out that they do not always, because flow of work is vast and the experts do not always have the opportunity and time to thoroughly understand. Probability of "bump" on the outright fraud at major auctions, of course, lower than in the smaller auction houses, where the expert selection is almost completely absent and the purchase is made at your own risk. In many respects the existence of these advisory councils contributed to the emergence and lasting rooting among novice collectors and investors only harmful myth that at auction, especially on a large, perfectly safe to fly, adds fuel to the fire and quite common, but false belief that the bidding do not take work without expert advice.

What to do? Investing in art (or the creation of the collection) needs to bólshih knowledge than any other investment, and therefore - to study, learn and learn! To try to find a maximum of about favorite artist, guided in his biography and work as well as market his work. Want to protect yourself from fraud - looking for information about known whether fake "your" artist and how they met. Read books, talk to knowledgeable people, to watch the work in museums, dig Internet, listen to the experts, but their brains have. And in this case, buying at auction is indeed safe, and fun to participate, win and acquisitions - incomparably greater!

2. The auction house is not interested in, to satisfy the buyer.

galleries and art dealers are trying to meet the needs of the client, they are usually primarily interested in long-term relationships , but for the auction house the main thing - to sell what they have brought, in any way, that is their goal - particular transaction . Often, the auction house consultants trying to convince their customers of the need to purchase a particular work, without hesitation, whether it is suitable for existing collections.

3. The lack of guarantees the authenticity of the acquired operations.

If large auction houses such as Sotheby's or Christies give 5 years warranty, then the average would consider returning for a year, a little limited to one month - during which the buyer, no doubt, will not have time to bring the work purchased, such as France and the conduct expertise. And even if the examination did not confirm the authenticity of the product, return it will not simply for the lapse.

4. It is hard work to return a false auction and get your money back.

If the buyer had to recognize a fake before the expiry of warranty, yet the fact that he could easily get their money back. The rules of most auction indicate that the painting may be returned if the buyer will present the results of at least two recognized independent expert. Sometimes it is very difficult to find two experts, one an artist. Every year, hundreds of hapless consumers turn to the courts for protection of their rights, but also benefit from the auction houses - units. Prove that it is your expert opinion is the only correct, it is extremely difficult. Auctions were not born yesterday: try to learn from them, which opinion of experts is crucial for them. Do not tell in advance.

5. Unfair estimate.

to attract trading interest works, auctions, vendors often offer to put things with inflated estimate. Guided by experts estimate the auction house, the buyer can pay for the work much more than its real value, sell a thing without at least the loss in such cases is not always possible. Such deals disorient inexperienced buyers and sellers and for some time can make a mess on the market of a particular artist, but sooner or later, of course, the stability of returns.