Buying at the auction
What can I buy at Vendu Rotterdam?
Buying at an auction is a great way to expand your collection or to discover unique pieces for your home. In our three types of auctions we sell around 20.000 items each year. This ranges from furniture, art, design and jewellery to specific collections in every field. Occasionally we also organise thematic sales, such as wine or fashion sales. Whether you are tired of your old artwork or looking for a fine piece of furniture for your new home, we offer all sorts of objects in every price range.
We want to notify you that we are bound to international and European legislation concerning goods incorporating materials from endangered and protected species. Read here how this might concern you.
When are the auctions?
Vendu Rotterdam organises approximately ten auctions a year. Two Art & Antiques auctions, two Design auctions and five General sales. Beside this we organise Real Estate auctions on a monthly basis.
If you want to know when Vendu Rotterdam organises its upcoming auctions, you are always welcome to view our calendar.
Do you want to be informed about our auctions and any other activities of Vendu Rotterdam?
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Where do I find what is on offer?
Catalogue
Want to know whether we are auctioning items that might be of interest to you? View our Online catalogue or order a printed catalogue. Our catalogues contain a short description of the object, the lot number and a price estimate. You can also compose your personal catalogue on our website by selecting your favourite lot numbers, which you can subsequently download or print.
Condition report
If you desire a more detailed description of the condition of an object, you can request a condition report from one of our specialists. This option is only available for objects from our Art & Antiques or Design auctions. You can request a condition report by sending us an email.
Viewing days
You can find all objects from the catalogue on display during our viewing days. We organise a certain number of viewing days for every auction in our saleroom at Kipstraat 54. You can visit us to inspect the objects up close and we will answer any questions you may have about the items or the auction. For dates and times we refer you to our calendar.
Where do I register for bidding?
N.B. We may ask you for a government issued photo ID to complete your registration. For certain transactions, you may also be asked for a deposit as a condition of allowing you to bid.
Art & Antiques / Design auction
Live online bidding
You can register online by visiting ‘register’ on our homepage. You will then be requested to fill in your personal data on an online form. As soon as you have completed the form you will receive an email, asking you to complete your registration by clicking on a link.
Bidding in the saleroom
To bid in our saleroom you will need to register in person at our office. This is possible until the day of the auction. You will receive a personal bid number with which you are able to bid during the sale.
Telephone bidding
You can also bid by telephone. You will be called when your lot number is up. This allows you to participate in the sale without being present in the room. If you want to request a telephone line we ask you to send us an email at least 24 hours before the sale.
Please keep in mind that telephone lines are only available for lots with low estimates above € 500,-, unless agreed otherwise. We ask you to register timely as there is a limited number of available telephone lines.
Absentee bids
If you cannot attend our auction in the room or online, you can also leave an absentee bid. You are requested to register online by filling in your personal data on an online form. As soon as you have completed the form you will receive an email, asking you to complete your registration by clicking on a link.
General sale
Our General sales are exclusively online. You can register online. You will then be requested to fill in an online form. As soon as you have completed the form you will receive an email, asking you to complete your registration by clicking on a link.
How do I place a bid?
Art & Antiques / Design auction
Live online bidding
As soon as you have registered for online bidding you are able to login and follow the sale ‘Live’ from your computer.
In the saleroom
After you have registered at the reception desk you will receive a personal bid number. When you wish to bid on a lot number, simply put your bid number up in the air for the auctioneer to see. If you have bid successfully you can directly pay and collect your goods at our reception desk.
Telephone bidding
When you have received confirmation of your telephone registration we will call you five lot numbers before your lot is up. During the auction of your lot we will talk you through the bidding process and ask you if you wish to continue bidding at each stadium. This will continue until you have bid successfully or until you indicate that you wish to stop bidding.
Absentee bids
If you are not able to attend our auction in the room or online you can leave an absentee bid.
Online: You are required to login with your email and password. You will then be able to leave a maximum bid with each item in the Online catalogue. Our auctioneer will start as low as possible and will bid on your behalf until he has reached your indicated maximum.
In person: You may fill in a bid form at our reception desk during our viewing days, indicating the lot number(s) and your desired maximum.
N.B. Please keep in mind that you are always bidding the hammer price. This price is excluding buyer’s premium.
General sale
Our General sales are exclusively online. During our timed online sales, bids can be submitted throughout the duration of the bidding period (usually a six day window). The auction opens at the indicated start date. You can leave your bids until the indicated end date, when the lots will gradually close according to a fixed schedule. When bidding continues in the last minute, the closing time will be extended with 3 minutes.
In order to bid you can login with your email and password. You will then be able to leave a bid for each lot number in our Online catalogue. You may also leave a proxy bid. Our system will then automatically bid until your indicated maximum. You will receive a notification as soon as you have been outbid.
N.B. Please keep in mind that you are always bidding the hammer price. This price is excluding buyer’s premium.
Buyer’s premium
We charge a buyer’s premium of 29 % including VAT for purchases at our auctions.
Artist’s resale rights
For some objects we are legally obliged to charge resale rights. This applies to original works of art made by living artists or artists who have died less than 70 years ago, who have been a subject or resident of a country in the EU or EER or a country that also assigns resale rights.
The resale rights are calculated over the hammer price including buyer’s premium (excl. VAT):
| € 3.000 | to | € 50.000 | > 4% |
| € 50.000 | to | € 200.000 | > 3% |
| € 200.000 | to | € 350.000 | > 1% |
| € 350.000 | to | € 500.000 | > 0.5% |
| € 500.000 | to | € 5.000.0000 | > 0.25% |
After the auction
If you want to know whether your (absentee) bids were successful, you can always login on your Vendu account.
Payment and pick-up
After the auction we will send the invoice to your email address. We kindly ask you to pay and collect your purchased goods within five working days.
You can transfer the amount to our bank account:
IBAN: NL96 INGB 0653 8761 65
BIC: INGBNL 2A
t.n.v. Stichting derdengelden Register Veilinghouder Vendu Notarishuis
As soon as we have received your payment you can come and collect your purchases.
You can also pay at our reception desk with a debit card or cash. Pay attention that we do not accept credit cards.
Aftersales
Some lots may remain unsold during the auction. For these lots you shortly have the option to buy them in the so called ‘aftersales’. We generally charge the low estimate excluding buyer’s premium and any additional costs. If you are interested in purchasing items in the aftersales, please contact us via email.
Shipment
(Inter)national shipment
We offer insured shipping of your purchased goods to any address of your choice. Vendu Rotterdam has worked with the professional transport company Jan den Otter Transport B.V. for over 20 years. We hereby offer you an indication of our shipping costs. If you wish to make use of this service, please send an email to shipment@vendurotterdam.nl.
More vulnerable goods or large size items, such as paintings or furniture, may require additional (packaging) material for safe and secure transport. We therefore always recommend to contact us beforehand for a shipping quote. Please be aware that in certain cases our preferred shipper may not be able to provide transportation.
Goods will be dispatched twice a week during the first two weeks after the sale. After this period purchased lots will be send on call and you may expect a longer shipping time. We always strive to deliver your goods as soon as possible.
For our biannual auctions (Art & Antiques / Design) Jan den Otter will deliver goods throughout the Netherlands the Saturday one week after the sale, for the rate of € 50 per max. 5 items (furniture on request).
In case you wish to make use of your own transport or a transport company of your choice (e.g. FedEx), we also offer packaging only (rates on request).
In case you receive a package which shows signs of damage, we ask you not to accept it.