Buying at Christie's

Before you can bid on an item, you must register for the sale. If you plan to attend the sale and bid in person or bid over the phone, you should register with the saleroom’s Bid Department. If you plan to bid remotely with Christie’s LIVE™ or submit an online absentee bid, you can register for the sale online.

First-time bidders must also provide credit information (including bank name, bank contact, account number and phone number).

There are four ways to bid. All are simple and straight-forward:

• In person
  After you've registered with your photo ID, and picked up your paddle, the real fun begins. In the saleroom, the auctioneer will announce bids. If the item and price is right, raise the paddle. Continue until you're the only bidder remaining. The auctioneer will then bring down the gavel and you'll feel a rush of excitement. It's yours. You've won the auction.
  
  
• Online with Christie’s LIVE™
  Real-time video and audio brings the excitement of the saleroom right to your desktop so you can bid from the comfort of your home or from anywhere in the world. To bid with Christie's Live™, be sure to register at least 2 business days before a sale.
  
  
• By telephone
  If you prefer to bid by phone, we will call you from the saleroom and bid on your behalf. To register, contact your saleroom's Bid Department.
  
  
• By absentee bid
  What if you’re unable to attend an auction? Simply place an absentee bid at least 24 hours before the sale and we'll bid on the item for you. It's easy. Just submit your maximum bid online. You can also complete the form in your sale catalogue or download it here, and fax it to your saleroom's Bid Department. To find out how you fared with your absentee bid after the auction, view auction results online in real-time or contact our Client Service Center.

We would like to remind our bidders that that Christie's does not accept payment from third parties, including agents, and that invoice names and addresses cannot be changed after the sale. If you are bidding on behalf of someone else or using another vehicle to pay, then that party is our client and as such will need to be registered as the bidder.