Michaan's Auctions

Questions

HOW CAN I FIND OUT THE RESULTS OF AN AUCTION: Results are posted online shortly after the close of each auction session. The main Auction Results page lists sales from the current month. Navigate from month to month by clicking the "next" and "previous" links at the top and bottom of the list.
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ARE TICKETS OR RESERVATIONS NEEDED TO ATTEND AN AUCTION?: All Michaan's Auctions are open to the public at no charge.
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WHEN WILL I GET THE CATALOG I ORDERED?: Catalogs are published and shipped approximately three to five weeks before the date of each auction. Catalogs should arrive within three to ten days provided that the catalog is ready for shipping at the time of your order.
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I HAVE NEVER BOUGHT AT AUCTION BEFORE, HOW DOES THIS WORK?: The general steps are 1) register to bid 2) bidding 3) paying 4) picking up or shipping your property.
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WHAT ARE THE STANDARD BIDDING INCREMENTS?: Refer, link back to the bidding increment page.
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I WON THE BID, BUT NOW I'M NOT SURE I LIKE THE ITEM. CAN I CANCEL THE SALE?: We encourage everyone to bid wisely and responsibly. At the moment the auctioneer says "sold" at the end of the bidding on each lot, the title transfers to the new owner. The sale is final, and there are no returns.
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I DIDN'T NOTICE A SCRATCH, CRACK OR FLAW. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE?: The majority of property offered at Michaan's Auctions comes directly from estates and private collections, and may show signs of use and age. All property is offered in "as is" condition, and prices are not reduced due to pre-existing flaws. We encourage you thoroughly inspect the property and request a Condition Report prior to bidding. Condition Reports are subject to our Conditions of Sale. They are supplied free of charge by our specialists and may be requested through our Client Services Department.
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I WOULD LIKE TO FIND A PROFESSIONAL WHO CAN REPAIR OR REFURBISH THE ITEM I AM BUYING. CAN YOU REFER SOMEONE?: Our Client Services Department maintains a list of professionals who provide a wide variety of repair services for furniture, paintings, jewelry, glass, porcelain, silver, rugs and many other categories. We will be happy to provide a copy of this list to you.
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WHAT PAYMENT METHODS TO YOU ACCEPT?: We accept credit card payment with Visa, Mastercard or Discover, Wire Transfer, Money Order, Bank Check, Personal Check, Business Check and cash. At this time we cannot accept credit card payments from International buyers.
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HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO PAY AND PICK UP?: Seven days after the auction to pay for items, 15 days after the auction to pick up.
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DO YOU PROVIDE APPRAISALS FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES?: Michaan's Auctions specializes in "fair market value" appraisals, which are used for estate planning and division purposes. Insurance companies use "replacement value" appraisals, which Michaan's does not provide?
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WHEN DO I HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO CONSIGN PROPERTY?: Michaan's accepts property for auction throughout the year for the 25 auctions we hold annually. We advise sellers to consign their property at least two months in advance of the sale to allow for research, cataloguing, photography and publicity. Our specialists will work closely with you to respond to your individual situation.
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I HAVE DECIDED TO CONSIGN PROPERTY. DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT TO DROP IT OFF?: Yes. Please contact our Client Services Department to arrange a time to drop off your property, or to arrange use of our truck service to pick up from your location. You may call us at 510-740-0220.
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WHAT IF I HAVE MY OWN INSURANCE?: In order to waive the insurance fee, the consignor must provide Michaan's Auction, at the time of consignment, a "Waiver of Subrogation" form available from our Client Services Department. Any damage to the property is then the sole responsibility of the consignor.
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WHAT IF MY PROPERTY DOESN'T SELL?: If the off chance that your item does not sell you will have the option of lowering the estimates and re-offering the item in a later auction or you can pick up the item. Michaan's Auctions doesn't charge photography fees and as another courtesy to our consignors, we will not charge them insurance or a buy-in fee to take the item back.
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HOW DO I GET MY ITEMS APPRAISED?: The first step in the process is to arrange a consultation with one of our specialists. You may bring your property directly to our gallery, where a specialist will meet with you, conduct an evaluation and provide you with a preliminary auction estimate. You can also submit images online.
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WHAT ARE YOUR COMMISSION RATES?: Sellers pay a commission that is deducted, along with any agreed upon expenses, from the hammer price. Should you have any specific questions regarding the selling commission, please contact your specialists for more information.
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HOW LONG AFTER THE SALE WILL I BE PAID?: 30 business days after the auction.
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IF I CONSIGN SOME ITEMS HOW SOON WILL THEY BE AUCTIONED OFF AND WHAT SALE MIGHT IT BE IN?: Once we have discussed your requirements with you and inspected your property, we will give you an estimate of what the item(s) are likely to realize at auction and will advise you of the most appropriate sale.
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DO YOU PROVIDE SHIPPING INTERNATIONALLY?: We are happing to assist with delivery and will provide a quote to do so. Please contact our shipping department for further information.
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WHY IS THIS SO EXPENSIVE TO SHIP OUT?: MA ships solely via United Parcel Service Ground and final shipping costs include packaging and materials. MA will ship no property without first obtaining consent from the purchaser.
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HOW MANY ITMES MAY I SUBMIT PER REQUEST?: You may submit up to three images per request.
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WHAT IS THE REQUIRED FILE FORMAT FO RMY DIGITAL IMAGES?: The auction estimate request form only accepts JPEG images. If your image is not currently a JPEG, open it in your photo editing software and save it as a “.jpg” file.
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WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM FILE SIZE ALLOWED FOR MY DIGITAL IMAGES?: Individual images may not exceed 4 MB (4,000 KB). The total size of all images within a single request may not exceed 10 MB (10,000 KB). If your image is too large, open it in your photo editing software and save it at a lower resolution.
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CAN I BRING IN MY PROPERTY IN PERSON?: Yes, please call Client Services at 510-740-0220 to schedule an appointment with the appropriate department during business hours Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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CAN I GET YOUR AUCTION CALENDAR EMAILED TO ME?: Yes, please go to www.michaans.com to register your email and you will receive email alerts on upcoming auctions and events 2 weeks before all of our events. Registration is free.
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