So the gavel comes down and you’ve won the lot. Don’t forget that there is, usually, more to pay the auction house. In addition to applicable taxes and shipping fees, there is also the buyer’s premium. This premium is added to the hammer price of the lot, and may vary by the amount of the hammer fee (tiered, declining as the hammer increases), depending on auction house.
Rates listed below are based upon the highest (starting) buyer’s premium. The rates also assume online bidding as some auction houses add additional fees if you bid online, as crazy as that sounds.
These rates are subject to change. Please confirm with the auction house before bidding.
Please let me know if you see any updates required.
Buyer’s Premiums, from high to low:
- Liveauctioneers: I’ve seen up to 35% (!), though 25-30% is the usual range. Fee will vary by auction.
- Bonhams: 28%
- Koller: 28%
- Doyle: 28%
- Phillips: 27%
- Christie’s: 26%
- Bruun Rasmussen: 25.6%
- Heritage: 25%, though states it “varies by lot”
- Antiquorum: 25%
- Dr.Crott: 25%
- Monaco Legend Group: 25%
- Henry’s Auktionshaus: 25%
- Bukowski’s: 25%
- Sotheby’s: 20%
- LoupeThis: 10%
- FutureGrail: 5%
- Bezel: 0%
- Ineichen: 0%