Bidding

Placing a bid/price offer or buy now orders

Once registered, you will be able to make price offers, select the buy now option (if available), or place bids.

Place a bid:

Bidding occurs only online and is very simple. It is your responsability to keep your ID number and your password confidential and you will be responsible for any activity on your account.

Bidding Increments:

Bidding will be conducted in increments as follows:

Current bid:	Increments:
0 to 240	by 10
250 to 475	by 25
500 to 950	by 50
1'000 to 2'400	by 100
2'500 to 4'750	by 250
5'000 to 9'500	by 500
10'000 to 24'000	by 1'000
25'000 to 47'500	by 2'500
50'000 to 95'000	by 5'000
100'000 to 240'000	by 10'000
250'000 to 675'000	by 25'000
700'000 to 950'000	by 50'000
1'000'000 to 1'900'000	by 100'000
2'000'000 and up	by 200'000

The sale currency is the Swiss Franc (CHF). You can choose from a fixed increment selection tailored to the Lot estimates or make a proxy bid.

Web Page Refresh

The bidding information you see on your computer screen, tablet or smartphone screen may at times be slightly out of date. ARTES fine auction’s lot pages will automatically refresh; however, to make sure you are seeing the most accurate up-to-date bidding information, you can click "Refresh" or "Reload" on your browser window to request the latest bidding information from our server.

Proxy Bids:

A proxy bid is similar to a left bid in a traditional auction and allows bidders extra flexibility in the bidding process. By placing a proxy bid, a bidder sets a maximum amount that he or she is willing to spend and enables the auction software to execute bids as necessary on his or her behalf.

The auction software will place an initial bid (one increment above the current bid) and then wait. If another bidder places a challenging bid, the auction software will automatically execute a bid on behalf of the original proxy bid (again, one increment above the current bid).

The auction software attempts to place as few bids as possible in order to keep the bid amount as low as possible. Under no circumstances will the auction software exceed the amount of a proxy bid.

To place a proxy bid, the bidder should select the relevant Lot and click the "Place Proxy Bid" button. The bidder will then receive an email confirming that a proxy bid has been placed.

If the maximum amount of the proxy bid is ever exceeded, the bidder will receive an outbid notice by email.

Ending Time:

Each Lot has a specific ending time. Should bids be placed in the final 10 minutes, the ending time will auto-extend by 10 minutes. This will continue to happen until there is only one bidder left and the Lot will end.  Email notifications are sent throughout the auction informing you of Lots won or Lots you have been outbid on.

Price Offer:

For some Lots we are providing a Price Offer system.
You can submit a serious Price Offer (excluding commissions and VAT) using the form for the relevant Lot. All offers are legally binding. ARTES will contact you at the end of the „Price Offer“ period to let your know whether your offer has been accepted.

If your offer is the highest of those that have been submitted and is accepted by the owner, we will notify you and you will be invoiced for the relevant amount plus auction commission and VAT, if applicable.
During the time of the "Price Offer“ period you can raise your offer if you wish to increase your chances of securing the Lot but you cannot lower it.

Buy Now:

Some Lots might be available for sale through the "Buy Now" option.
By selecting the "Buy Now" button, a bidder will see the price at which the instrument can be purchased online.
All offers are legally binding.
The "Buy Now" price will be somewhere between the low and the high estimates.
As usual, the buyer’s commission will be subsequently added to this price.

First in, Last out, 1% Reward:

Be the first AND the last bidder on a certain Lot and you will pay a reduced buyer’s premium (-1%).

Estimates:

Estimates are for guidance only; bidding will have a starting price at or around the low end of the estimate.
ARTES has two kinds of estimates (we will not always give an estimate for the “Price Offer” phase):
1. ARTES estimate, reflect an opinion only and do not (and nor does the Seller) guarantee the quality, state of repair, condition, history, and/or value of a Lot);
2. The Seller’s estimate, reflect the opinion of the Seller and does not (and nor does the Seller) guarantee the quality, state of repair, condition, history, and/or value of a Lot). ARTES does not necessarily share the Seller’s opinion.
Each Lot will bear a mention about which estimates apply (excepting the “Price Offer” Lots).
Where ARTES makes any reference to the price history of a Lot, ARTES has used the standard available search mechanisms for this information, both for past auction record prices and for retail sales values. The retail price guide is derived from market data.
ARTES cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of these findings; they are intended for reference only and are not objective statements of fact. Accordingly, it is the Bidder’s responsibility to determine the veracity and importance of these factors before bidding for any Lot and the Bidder shall rely on his/her own inspection of the Lot prior to the auction.
Each Lot has a "Reserve Price", below which it will not sell (the reserve is a confidential minimum figure agreed with the owner of the Lot).
When the Reserve Price has been met, the price shown will change from red to green.

Reserve Price

The Reserve Price is a confidential minimum price agreed by ARTES and the owner of the Lot, below which the Lot will not be sold. The exact amount of the reserve is confidential.

When the Reserve Price has been reached or exceeded, an indication of "Reserve Met" appears on the Lot’s description on the web page and the colour of the message changes from red to green.

ARTES can set an estimate price range by its own judgement in consideration of the Reserve Price.

The final agreement about the estimate price and all other additional contract clauses will be made after ARTES has made a detailed personal examination of the Lot.

Buyer's Premium

A premium will be added to the final bid price for each Lot.
Our premiums* are regressive:
15% on Hammer Price between 0-50'000 CHF,
14% on Hammer Price between 50'001-150'000 CHF,
13% on Hammer Price between 150'001-1'500'000 CHF,
12% on Hammer Price above 1'500'001 CHF.
*Extra Benefits are not included

Bidding History

ARTES website provides complete bidding histories for all Lots. The bidding history details the time and date, Bidder ID, and amount of each bid.