Posts made in March, 2024

At Windsor Auctions, we’re unique in that we’re not only an auction house, but we also provide a comprehensive house clearance service. This extends to full property clearances and partial clearances and to kick off the process, all you have to do is give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll schedule a consultation with our seasoned auctioneer, Harry Ballin. He will visit the house you want cleared, identify items that are suitable for auction and provide a full run through of how the house clearance service works. Our priority is to reduce waste, so anything that doesn’t fit the auction bill will be given to charity,in some cases we may have to take items down to the local recycling centre, every effort is to made to keep landfill to a minimum. With items that are auctioned off and successfully sold, the proceeds will be returned to the client therefore  offsetting the cost of the house clearance. In the past, there have been occasions where we’ve found unexpected treasures in people’s homes, for example, Chinese hardwood screens that sold for £11,000 or a decorative Buddha statue that went for £10,200, so it’s worth letting us come and take a look as your stuff might be worth more than you think. As for items that aren’t sold, they will be placed in another auction at a reduced price and if they don’t sell once again then the client has the option to either take back the item or we will donate it to charity on their behalf. Our pricing model is adaptable. If the items sold at auction are not enough to cover the house clearance costs then the price depends on how many people are needed to clear the house and how long it takes. We also understand the complexities of waiting for probate money and so we work with solicitors to ensure a smooth process for our clients. Clearances are scheduled within weeks of when clients first contact us, as we aim for a quick turnaround. Our efficient team work Monday to Friday, starting at 9am and they’ll usually be out of the house by 3pm each day, with most clearances taking one or two...

Everyone likes buying things. Whether it’s clothes, furniture, sports equipment, jewellery or whatever it may be, everyone likes buying things. At an auction there is something for everyone and if you go about it the right way, there are some real bargains on offer, which makes the whole process quite exciting. I know the stereotypes around auctions are that they’re boring, stuffy and old-fashioned, but that is not the case here at Windsor auctions. We pride ourselves on creating a relaxed but professional environment for those in attendance, there’s chatter in the room, a few jokes thrown in and it’s not just someone barking numbers at you. And even if you can’t attend in person, we work with a number of online services including The Saleroom and Easy Live auction, who accommodate hundreds of our oversees buyers. Now that you’ve been convinced that buying at auction is a great idea, I’ll give you a piece of free advice, which also happens to be the most important thing to remember. Always do your research. Ask as many questions and find out as much information about an item as you possibly can before bidding on it. If you ask your auctioneer for a condition report, they have to provide it and then you’ll know whether there’s any chips, what kind of condition the item is in, is there a hairline crack, does it have any dents, is there a bit missing etc. And if anything in the condition report is incorrect and you end up buying the item then you will get a full refund. Even better than asking for a condition report is if you attend the auction in person, it’s worth handling the items. Nothing will give you a better idea for the condition of an item than picking it up in the flesh, looking at it under an eyeglass, or if it’s a piece of furniture, testing it out, and just getting a really good feel for the item, otherwise you will never truly learn. But, if you don’t do your research, don’t find out about the item and have no idea what condition it is in then to put it bluntly, that’s entirely your problem, and it...

We’ve got a question for you… We want to know why our customers are more inclined to attend a valuation day to get their items appraised rather than booking a house call or an individual appointment at the auction house. So, let us know. Any day of the week, our auction houses are open to value your items or even if you want us to come to your house, we’re happy to do that too. We tend to do as many as six house calls and the same number of walk-ins each day, but we have the capacity to do more and we’re keen to do so. As at the moment, our valuation days are far more popular, usually with queues going out the door with potential clients looking to have their items appraised and people could be waiting up to an hour before speaking to an expert. We love putting these events on and meeting all of you, but we’re just genuinely curious and wanted to pose the question as to why this is often people’s preference. If it’s because you don’t like the idea of inviting someonearound to your house who you don’t know very well, then that’s completely understandable, or do you find coming down to the auction house a little intimidating? No problem. We just want to dispel any fears or concerns you might have, so here are some of the benefits of booking a house call or an appointment at the auction house: For starters, it’s more convenient. At your house we come to you and at the auction house, you pick the time slot so you know you won’t be waiting around. Beforehand, you can even send us pictures of the items you want valued on Whatsapp and we’ll give you a rough idea whether it’s worth bringing down so you don’t end up wasting your time. And don’t worry, if you decide after valuation that you no longer want to put your items up for auction, there’s no obligation on your end. All of our valuations are free of charge and while we hope that afterwards you will consign some or all of what you have brought down to be sold at...

In the labyrinths of vineyards and vintages, the world of wine often feels like an exclusive club with its own secret handshake. We’ve all been in that situation at dinner with a wine list in front of us and no clue where to even start. Here at Windsor Auctions, we want to somewhat demystify the wine world for our customers and so we have enlisted the help of veteran wine connoisseur, Joe Fattorini, whose words of wisdom will help you go from a novice to an aficionado. Armed with Joe’s insights, we aim to transform the act of buying a bottle of wine from a gamble to a guided adventure and leave you with a better understanding of what exactly it is you’re paying for. So, let’s raise a glass to what awaits and find out what Joe had to say:   What are the main factors that affect a wine’s valuation?     There are two main factors, the first of which is the year. When it comes to wine, there are good years and then there are some less interesting years meaning that the wine doesn’t last for as long because it’s not got the four hallmarks that make up a really great wine. These four hallmarks are known as the BLIC test: Balance – Really great wines are beautifully balanced in their fruits and freshness. Length – High-quality wines will not only last for a long time, but they’ll also sit on your palate for a long time. Intensity – A flavour intensity is essential for a great wine and you should be able to pin them down precisely not just to red fruits, not just to strawberries, but as specific as alpine strawberries. Complexity – Excellent wine will have a myriad of flavours. As such, wine from particularly famous years will be more expensive, for example 1982 is especially renowned and more recently 2009. The other factor is something that affects all markets, which is supply and demand. Some chateau’s domains can be incredibly high-prized or occasionally a celebrity endorsement will cause the demand to shoot up. The price of one particular Burgundy, for example, skyrocketed in price after DJ Khaled revealed in one of...

We are delighted this year to be supporting this fundraising ball as part of our local support initiative and are supplying not only the Master of Ceremonies but Auctioneer Harry with be wielding his gavel to help raise more funds. With fundraising in mind we know many of you will not be attending the ball but may be interested in bidding on the auction lots and to support the organisation. Therefore we are listing the lots with a guide price below and if you would like to bid please email your best bid, along with your contact address and phone number to sales@windsorauctions.co.uk by 12pm on Saturday 9th March. Guide Price £250 Guide Price £400 For This 12 Person tour of Grundon’s facility with Norma Grundon and includes lunch   Guide Price £300    Guide Price £1,000   Guide Price £550 Guide Price £200 Guide Price £300   Guide Price £750 Guide Price £350 for rare Harley Davidson Print Guide Price £250 Guide Price...