There is an item up for bid at one of top auction houses here in NYC that interests me. The authenticity of the item is not – I repeat, not – in question. But I am extremely curious about the item’s origin – it relates to a historical subject I am researching.
It is “bad form,” or whatever, to ask them where it came from? Before the bidding? After the bidding, if I win? Or how about after the bidding if I lose?
The auction house has been very cordial answering my other questions about the item, so I’m not concerned about the snooty factor. I just don’t want to violate some unwritten code of conduct or have them think I’m trying to pull some end-run around their sources.
As long as it’s authentic (and legal for them to sell) what does it matter where it comes from? I would think they would protect their sources of material… otherwise you could always do an end run.
I don’t see why it would be bad form to ask the auction house about the provenance of the item you are going to bid on. I’m sure they get those kinds of questions all the time, as it can factor into the price or perceived value of an item.
I agree with Ivar. I think that as long as you pose the question tactfully (showing interest, not suspicion) your contact at the auction house would probably see it as an opportunity to play up the piece a little more. You know: it’s not what you say but how you say it.
Of course you can ask. They just dont have to answer. When you say "where it came from", are you referring to the previous owners? They should not have a problem giving you the recent history of the piece. If they do, they know how to tactfully decline. I think its OK to ask if you loose the bid. What harm can be done at this point? Unless the “supplier” has more like pieces to offer in the future, then you run into problems of circumventing the auction house and going straight to the supplier. But, if the supplier has a public showroom then you should be able to inquire. Often times the showroom prices are higher than auction prices.
I think a lot of wealthy collectors prefer to remain anonymous. The house will probably protect the identity of the current owner. I can’t hurt to ask, but I don’t think the house is obliged to give up the info. I don’t think I’d want the general public to know I had a collection of valuable stuff in my house or wherever. Professional thieves probably thrive on that informtion.
Yeah, I agree, locally they protect the name of the people who put it up for sale, but sometimes they do say who put it up for sale if they want that info to be known. A famous person selling something can get more money usually if people know they put it up for sale.
While most of my interaction with auction houses is with wine, I have spoken to several of the auctioneers about random subjects. It is most emphatically not bad form to ask about the origins of the piece, its history, etc. They may tactfully tell you that they don’t know, that they can’t tell you, or that the current owner prefers that information may be kept secret, but you will not be committing a social blunder by asking.
How tactfully you ask may have an effect on how much they are willing to tell you, but even if you are terribly blunt, they shouldn’t be offended.
Before the auction (for weeks before the auction, in fact), the auctioneers are very busy. They have been cataloging, moving things, contacting sellers, and just generally working their butts off. Now, on the one hand, they are most interested in discussing the origins of items before the bids, in the hopes of raising the value of the items. On the other hand, they might be terribly busy. After the auction, at the auctions I’ve gone to, most of the auctioneers seemed terribly anxious to start with the drinking wine section of their jobs, and have not been terribly helpful (or easy to find). This is a long way of saying that when to ask depends on the auctioneers more than on any general rule.
It is also worth noting that auctioneers (in my experience) tend to have familiarity with the subject matter they are selling; if this is an antiquities auction, then there is a good chance you are dealing with a bunch of history majors, possibly with masters of fine arts thrown in. Leading with “I’m bidding on this piece because I am researching the subject matter, specifically XXX and YYY” may well be the fast way to the auctioneers hearts. I honestly don’t know whether this old work better before or after the auction.
Sorry to give such an IMHO answer in GQ. I checked Miss Manners “Guide for the Turn-of-the-Millennium”, but she is silent on the subject.