FOR BUYERS

• Payment
• Collection, Handling and Administration

Collection, Handling and Administration

How will I know if my bid was successful? All successful bidders at Christie's are notified by postal mail.  Payment, property collection, handling and administration, and shipping information are included with the invoice.

How do I pay for my purchase? Successful bidders receive payment and shipping instructions with their invoice, which is mailed immediately after the sale. We accept wire transfers, bank drafts or cashier's orders, cash or checks. Under certain circumstances, some Christie's salerooms may accept payment by credit card (subject to a surcharge).

What am I paying? Buyers pay the purchase price (hammer price plus buyer's premium) plus any sales, use or value added taxes (VAT) that may be due on the buyer's premium and/or the hammer price. Unless exempted by law, buyers in US auctions pay applicable state or local sales or use taxes, if they take possession of their property in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas or Washington DC. Since the Artist's Resale Right took effect in the UK in February 2006, a royalty also may be payable on certain lots.

When can I collect property I have purchased? Instructions for each auction can be obtained at the registration desk and from the cashier at the saleroom in question. The same instructions are also sent together with our invoice mailed immediately following the sale. Provided your payment has cleared, you can collect your small-sized purchases on the day of the auction. It is possible that larger items may have been moved to our handling facility.

How can I have my purchases shipped to me? Buyers may arrange shipping using their own carriers or request our assistance.  Christie’s has facilities worldwide to help with packing and shipping of purchased property.  For purchases made from New York- Rockefeller Center, London-South Kensington, or London-King Street, you may submit a Shipping Quote Request online.  For property purchased from all other salesrooms, please contact Christie’s Art Transport for a shipping quote.

What if I can’t collect my purchases soon after the auction? Property remaining beyond the stated number of days following the auction is subject to handling and administration charges, taxes and insurance.
New York - Sold/unsold property may be held at Christie's Rockefeller Center, or at our new handling facility, Redstone, located in Long Island City, New York, free of charge for 35 days from the auction date.
London, King Street - Sold/unsold furniture, carpets, and large objects not collected by 2:00 pm on the day after the auction will be moved to the warehouse of Cadogan Tate Fine Art Services to be stored at no charge for 28 days. Pictures (sold) will be held at Christie's for 28 days following the sale.
London, South Kensington - All lots sold in Interior Sales will be transferred to the warehouse of Cadogan Tate Ltd the day after the sale where they will be stored free of charge for two weeks. Storage charges commence on the second Tuesday after the sale. All lots sold in specialised sales will remain at Christie's South Kensington and stored free of charge until the 5th Friday following the sale; then they too will be transferred to the warehouse of Cadogan Tate Ltd at which point storage charges commence.
Paris - Sold/unsold furniture and large objects not collected two days after the sale will go into storage at Global Art Management at the buyer's expense and risk. Smaller items will be stored at no charge for seven days from the auction date.
Geneva - Buyers are advised that all purchases not collected on the day of the sale will be held for collection at no charge for twenty-eight days. Thereafter, there will be transferred to our Storage department at the Free Port where a minimum charge of Sfr 100 per item will be incurred.
Christie's can organize shipment within 24 hours upon receipt of payment and precise delivery instructions, through its international forwarder Valimpex S.A., CH-1211 Geneva Airport 5 (for Jewellery and Watches) and Harsch S.A. rue Baylon 10, CH-1227 Geneva (for all work of art). Estimates for the shipping of any property and advice on the most secure and economic means of dispatch can be obtained from our shipping department (Tel: +41(0) 22 319 17 58).
Hong Kong - Christie's can assist with any arrangement for storage and shipping that purchasers may require. All purchases will initially be held at the saleroom at no charge, after which they will be transferred to the warehouse. If purchases are not collected within seven days after the sales, we shall arrange storage at the buyer's expense.

Are there restrictions in shipping to other countries? Certain property sold at auction may be subject to laws governing export from the country where it was purchased and import into another country. It is the buyer's responsibility to be aware of these restrictions and obtain any relevant licenses. Please ask for details from your customs agent, international shipper, or the Christie's sale location.