Buyer's and seller's premiums

CONTEMPORARY art may still be heading skywards, but the imminent buyer’s premium rate increases – and Sotheby’s latest set of results – show that pressure at the margins is as intense as ever.

As of June 1, Sotheby’s auctions in New York and London will be subject to new buyer’s premium thresholds that will hit further buyers of ‘middle range’ art and antiques.

Midlands auctioneers Fieldings and the Clarice Cliff Collectors’ Club (CCCC) are to join forces to hold sales of the avidly collected Art Deco pottery.

Collectors of Clarice Cliff have voiced their opposition to increased auctioneers’ charges with some refusing to attend Christie’s latest sale of the popular Art Deco pottery.

Leyburn auctioneers Tennants have standardised their buyer’s premium rates across their sales.

Sotheby’s match Christie’s with 25% premium on lots sold below £10,000

Third threshold won’t hurt South Kensington says director

Bonhams have changed their buyer’s premium rates globally to match Sotheby’s and Christie’s with immediate effect.

CHRISTIE’S have announced that they are raising their 20 per cent buyer’s premium threshold from £100,000 ($200,000) to £250,000 ($500,000). The move matches that made by Sotheby’s in mid January.

Dramatic rise in threshold points to battle royal for top end of market

Salisbury auctioneers Woolley & Wallis are putting up their buyer’s premium from 15 to 17.5 per cent plus VAT.

DORSET auctioneers Cottees are under new ownership and have bucked the trend of rising charges in the saleroom by cutting both their buyer’s premium and vendor’s charges.

Despite a substantial fall in total sales, increases in buyer’s premium and vendor’s commission margins helped Sotheby’s post record revenues for the second quarter of 2005.

Edinburgh auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull have announced substantial changes to their buyer’s premium structure.

Following the lead of The Fine Art Auction Group, Fernhurst auctioneers John Nicholson are to increase their buyer’s premium from 15 to 17.5 per cent.

Lawrences, Bletchingley Buyer’s premium: 12.5 per centTHE unceasing campaign among provincial auctioneers to bring the right material to the rostrum is, perhaps, tougher the nearer one is to London. However, salerooms outside the capital can compete both on vendors’ charges and by accepting pieces turned down by the metropolitan’s top three.

The Fine Art Auction Group have raised their buyer’s premium across their network of provincial salerooms.

Christie’s are to modify their buyer’s premium structure to fall in line with their biggest rival.

Sotheby’s are to change the thresholds of their buyer’s premium structure from January 1, 2005.

CHRISTIE'S are to increase their buyer’s premium. With effect from January 1, 2005, the current 19.5 per cent premium which is charged on the first £70,000/$100,000/€110,000 will increase by 0.5 per cent to 20 per cent at almost all Christie’s sites.