From the first lot to the last hammer
A sale goes through five states. This is what you, your bidders and the room see in each, and the one moment a lot can be knocked down.
Most of an auction happens before anyone bids. The lots are described, photographed and numbered, the premium is set, the order of the sale is written down day by day. Antiquaro keeps all of it beside your shop, from the same stock, and switches it on only when you hold a sale.
Prepare
Lots, photos, the premium and the order of the sale go in, out of sight. The premium is set per auction, and the schedule says which lots come up on which day, so a bidder can plan the visit.
Open
The sale is online. Bidders scroll the catalogue as one list, without pages, and search it by title, author or subject. They keep a bidding list: change a bid, delete one, add a note, and send the list when they are ready. A bid that comes in late is still taken, with a warning.
Start
The room. The sale runs lot by lot, and this is the only state in which a lot can be knocked down, so no lot is sold by mistake while the catalogue is still open for bids.
Pause
The room breaks for lunch, or for the night. Resume, and the sale carries on at the lot where it stopped.
End
The hammer falls for the last time, and the sale is closed to bids.