An absentee bid and a commission bid are the same thing: you tell the auction house the most you will pay for a lot, and the auctioneer bids for you up to that ceiling, spending as little as possible to keep you in front. You never pay your maximum automatically — if rival bidding stops lower, the lot is knocked down to you at one increment above the last competing bid. It is the standard way to buy when you cannot attend in person or watch the sale live.
That single mechanism sits behind three familiar options: a written or online commission bid left with the house, a telephone bid where a clerk calls you as your lot approaches, and an autobid entered on a platform like the-saleroom. This guide explains how each works, how ties and bidding increments are handled, and where to find UK sales you can bid on remotely.
What is the difference between an absentee bid and a commission bid?
Nothing meaningful — the two terms describe the same instruction. “Commission bid” is the older trade phrase (you are commissioning the auctioneer to act for you); “absentee bid” is the plainer modern label. On registration forms and online catalogues you will see both, sometimes as “leave a max bid” or “autobid”. In every case you are handing the house a ceiling and trusting them to bid competitively beneath it.
An absentee bid is executed on the book against live bidders in the room, on the phones and online. The auctioneer is bound to buy the lot for you as cheaply as the bidding allows, not to jump straight to your maximum.
How does the auctioneer use my maximum bid?
Say you leave £400 on a painting estimated at £200–£300. Bidding opens at £120 and climbs. The auctioneer bids for you against each rival, one increment at a time. If the last live bid is £260, you win at the next step — perhaps £280 — not £400. Your maximum is a limit, not a price, and you only pay the full ceiling if someone pushes you all the way to it.
Two points that trip up first-timers:
- Buyer’s premium and VAT are added on top of the hammer price. Premiums vary widely between houses — very roughly 20–30% plus VAT on that premium is common — so build them into your ceiling.
- Bidding increments are fixed by the auctioneer, not by you. If the room is rising in £20 steps and your maximum is an odd figure like £410, the house will usually treat it as a bid “up to” that level and knock down at the nearest sensible increment. Set round numbers that sit on the increment ladder.
How are ties and increments handled?
This is where leaving a bid early genuinely helps. If two absentee bids arrive at exactly the same amount — two collectors both leave £400 — the bid received first wins at that level. The commission book is worked in order of receipt, so an early instruction beats a later identical one.
Against a live bidder it is simpler still: if your £400 maximum matches a room bid of £400, the room typically takes it, because a live bid usually has priority over an absentee bid at the same figure. That is another reason to leave a ceiling with a little headroom rather than a round guess. Increments themselves follow a standard ladder — often rising in tens, then twenties and fifties, then hundreds as the price climbs — and the auctioneer will not split them for you.
How do telephone bids work?
Phone bidding suits higher-value lots where you want to react in real time but cannot attend. You register in advance, give the lot numbers you are interested in, and a member of staff rings you a few lots before yours comes up, relaying the bidding and placing yours on your instruction, live. Most houses set a minimum estimate threshold for phone bids because staffing a call takes a clerk off the floor — small lots are usually left to written or online bids instead.
A sensible habit: leave a covering absentee bid as well as booking the phone, so that if the line drops or you miss the call, your written maximum still protects the lot. Timed, online-only sales like the Olympia Timed: Paintings, Works on Paper and Sculpture from Olympia Auctions in London have no live phone element — a good example of when an online autobid replaces the telephone entirely.
You can browse that sale on the house’s live saleroom catalogue. For works on paper, sculpture and pictures generally, the Art & Paintings auctions hub gathers comparable UK sales.
How do online autobids and timed auctions work?
On the platforms most UK houses use, you enter a maximum and the system bids for you automatically, one increment above the current high bid, up to your ceiling. This is identical in spirit to a commission bid, just run by software. In a timed auction — no live auctioneer, lots closing at set intervals — the autobid is the whole game: you set your limit and walk away.
Watch for two things online. First, many timed sales use anti-sniping: a bid placed in the final minute extends that lot’s closing time by a few minutes, so late scrambles rarely win outright. Second, your autobid is confidential — rivals see only the current price, not your ceiling. A sale like the Soul, Jazz, Reggae and Blues vinyl records sale from Omega Auctions in Cheshire runs online and in person, so an autobid competes against the room and the phones at once. Original pressings and clean copies in these genres attract keen collector interest, and a firm ceiling stops you chasing a rare 7″ past its sense.
Its online catalogue shows the lots and estimates. If your interests run wider than records, the collectables auctions hub and the Toys & Models auctions hub collect similar remote-friendly sales across the country.
What should I check before leaving any bid?
Whichever route you choose, do the homework first. Always request a condition report for anything you cannot inspect in person — a photograph flatters, and restoration or a hairline crack changes the value. Confirm the buyer’s premium, whether the lot carries VAT, and what postage or collection costs apply, especially for furniture or heavy ceramics.
- Register early. Houses often need to approve new bidders, and for higher lots may ask for a deposit or bank reference.
- Set your ceiling all-in. Add the premium and VAT before you decide your maximum, not after.
- Read the increment ladder so your bid lands on a sensible step.
- Note the timings for absentee cut-offs — written bids usually must be lodged before the sale, or before a lot closes online.
Where can I find UK sales I can bid on remotely?
Start at the Auction Eagle home page to search UK auctions by category, region and date — the hub pages always carry the live calendar, so they stay current long after any single sale has closed. To see who is holding sales near you, browse the full directory of every UK auction house.
By specialism, the jewellery auctions hub is worth a look if you buy remotely a lot — small, high-value lots are exactly where telephone and covering absentee bids earn their keep. For where the market is moving before you set a ceiling, read the UK auction market report. Category buyers can also follow the more specialised guides, such as the Toys & Models buyer’s guide.
First-time buyer’s checklist
- Register with the house well before the sale and get approved.
- Request condition reports and extra photos for anything you can’t view.
- Work out your all-in ceiling: hammer + premium + VAT + collection.
- Choose your method — written/online autobid for lower lots, phone for the ones you’ll fight for.
- Leave a covering absentee bid even if you book the phone.
- Set a round maximum that sits on the increment ladder.
- Note the absentee cut-off time and, online, watch for anti-sniping extensions.
Once you are comfortable with the mechanics, the rest is discipline: decide your limit in advance and let the book or the software do the work. Browse the relevant category hub, follow houses like Olympia Auctions and Omega Auctions on Auction Eagle, and you will get an alert when their next remote-friendly sale opens for bids.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an absentee bid and a commission bid?
There is no practical difference — both mean leaving a maximum bid with the auction house so it bids on your behalf up to that limit. "Commission bid" is the traditional trade term; "absentee bid" is the plainer modern one.
Do I always pay my maximum absentee bid?
No. Your maximum is a ceiling, not a price. The auctioneer bids competitively for you, so if rival bidding stops below your limit the lot is knocked down at one increment above the last bid. You only pay your full maximum if someone pushes you to it.
What happens if two absentee bids are the same amount?
The bid received first wins at that level, because commission books are worked in order of receipt — so lodging early beats a later identical bid. Against a live room bid at the same figure, the room bid usually takes priority.
How do telephone bids work at a UK auction?
You register in advance and list the lots you want; a staff member phones you shortly before each lot, relays the live bidding and places bids on your instruction. Most houses set a minimum estimate for phone bids, so smaller lots go to written or online bids instead.
Are there extra fees on top of my winning bid?
Yes. Buyer's premium is added to the hammer price and VAT is usually charged on the premium; premiums vary by house but are often around 20–30% plus VAT. Add these, plus any postage or collection cost, before you set your maximum.
Where can I find UK auctions I can bid on remotely?
Use Auction Eagle's category and region hubs, which always show the live calendar, and the auction-house directory to find sellers near you. Timed and online-and-in-person sales let you leave an autobid or covering absentee bid without attending.
