How it works

Bidding, simplified.

GavelDown runs curated online auctions with transparent rules. Every lot has a clear minimum increment based on its price tier — no surprise jumps, no hidden reserves.

Tier-based increments

Our admins set bid increments per price tier. The minimum next bid is always shown on the lot page.

Live, real-time bidding

Bids appear instantly. Sign in, place a bid above the minimum, and you'll see the lot update across every browser.

Vetted lots

Every lot is reviewed and photographed by our team. Provenance and condition reports are included where available.

Two ways to bid

Absentee

Opens as soon as the catalog is online and closes one hour before the In-House Auction starts. All online bids are downloaded into our clerking system and executed by auctioneer or clerk for the In-House Auction.

Live

This is an Online - Internet Only - Timed Auction. When bidding, just enter your maximum bid. The system will bid on your behalf using only what it needs to keep you in the lead. This feature is the surest way to win the items you're interested in at the lowest possible price. We have a two-minute soft close policy on each lot. This means that if a bidder enters a bid within two minutes of the lot's initial closing time, a two-minute extension would be added on. The lot will not close until bidding is static for two minutes.