Bidding on the phone is another way to bid if you can’t join the auction in person. It is very easy to do and here are the steps to make it happen.

1. Find the lot you want to buy and select 'Telephone Bid'.

2. Enter your phone number and, if you wish, you can also leave an 'Emergency Bid'. This will be used by The Auction Collective in case we can’t get through to you on the phone (like an absentee bid).

3. One of the team will then give you a call during the auction.

They will call you well before your auction lot is due to be sold. This will allow plenty of time for you both to get ready for when the bidding begins.

When the lot comes up to be sold, they will describe what is happening in the auction room, what the current bid is and ask whether you would like to join the bidding. The language of the telephone bidders is very clear and will often go as follows:

TAC: We are now on Lot 4, the work by Barbara Hepworth. The auctioneer has started the bidding and the bid is at £2,000 with another bidder in the room. Would you like to bid?

Bidder: Yes

They will then indicate to the auctioneer that you would like to bid the next increment. Once accepted they relay this to you.

TAC: The bid is with you at £2,200.

And if you are outbid by someone else...

TAC: The bid is now at £2,400 with another bidder. Would you like to bid?

Bidder: Yes

And so on. The aim of telephone bidding is to recreate the auction room atmosphere and buying opportunities. We want to give you the same freedom and ease to bid as if you were in the auction room itself.

If you are the successful buyer in the auction, then congratulations. An email with instructions on how to pay will follow shortly and one of the team will be in touch to discuss collection.

Registration for telephone bidding closes before the auction begins, please check the auction pages for more details.