Selling (Consigning) at Auction
FAIRFIELD PORTER (American, 1907-1975), Bushes, 1962, casein on canvas, 24 x 22 in., sold in July 2018, Hammer price: $80,000
Over our 30 years of business we have endeavored to make the consignment process as straightforward and easy as possible.
If you are looking to consign items for auction, please email images with any pertinent information to info@butterscotchauction.com. If you have a large number of images to send, you can send an email requesting a dropbox link, and we will reply with a secure link you can use to upload an unlimited number of photos without the headache of sending multiple emails.
What We Provide:
exposure to hundreds-of-thousands of bidders from all over the world through Liveauctioneers & Invaluable, the two largest live-auction online bidding platforms.
free auction estimates
free in-home consultations
free pickup & storage
free cataloguing & photography
free advertising & insurance
Our only fee is a flat commission rate, which is based on the value and size of the consignment, and ranges between 25% and 6% of the hammer price.
Why Choose Butterscotch?
Apart from the benefits listed above, what sets us apart from larger auction houses is a level of serviceability that is hard to find elsewhere. We accept a wide range of merchandise and work closely with our consignors to make sure they are comfortable with the process. We have set auction records in numerous instances and provide access to an active worldwide marketplace where we continue to stand out as one of the oldest and most respectable regional auction houses in the country.
What We Specialize In
Specializing in estates and large collections, we accept a wide range of items and excel in handling high-volume consignments. Our specialists are versed in a panoply of fields, including fine art, jewelry, Asian art, mid-Century design, antique furniture, decorative arts, books, manuscripts, and more.
How We Advertise Your Collection
Each auction is advertised extensively--online through social media and with our auction partners Invaluable, Liveauctioneers, Artnet, and Askart; and in print with international trade publications like Antiques and the Arts Weekly, The Antiques Trade Gazette, and The Maine Antique Digest, among others. We have our own in-house online bidding platform and app, and our online catalogs average 300,000+ page views and 5,000+ registered bidders per sale. We routinely are among the highest-trending auctions on both Invaluable and Liveauctioneers (the two major online-bidding platforms in the world). We also produce a printed brochure (sample) of highlights for each auction which is mailed to an extensive mailing list we have maintained for over 30 years.
What You Get When You Consign
An itemized description of each consigned article with a lot number and auction estimate
Inclusion in our fully illustrated online catalog, which generates an average of 300,000+ page views per auction
The issuance of a Certificate of Insurance in the amount of the high appraised value for all items consigned, at no additional charge to the consignor
A consignment contract determining the commission rate and consignment terms
Extensive advertising at no cost to the consignor (see above)
Inclusion in our printed brochure of highlights for each auction
Free pickup by our own professional moving service, experienced in handling, packaging, and removal of valuable and fragile objects. Items can be picked up at any time.
A flat commission rate from 25% to as low as 6%---no extra charges.
A reserve price set on items appraised at $500 or more (generally set at 60% of the low estimate). This is a price below which an item will not be sold.
Settlement on consignments made within 35 days after the auction date.
What Happens If My Item Doesn't Sell?
Another benefit of consigning with Butterscotch is that we re-offer unsold lots in future sales at no charge to the consignor. We also give consignors the option to reclaim any unsold items without charging 'release fees' of any kind. When an item is re-offered, we reduce the estimates and reserves by approximately one third. By this method, we tend to eventually sell everything we take on consignment.