Live auction instructions

You can take part in our auctions in person. If you would like to bid, simply register at the reception and you will receive a bidder number upon presentation of a valid photo ID. To place a bid, make a clear hand signal to the auctioneer. You do not need to be present throughout the entire auction. We are happy to tell you the approximate time at which your lot will be called.

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If you would prefer to bid via mouse click from the comfort of your own home, please register for our live bidding at least 24 hours before the auction starts. There you can also follow the auction livestream online.
Please create a MY Karl & Faber profile and register for live bidding by clicking on “Live bidding” in the menu. We will then check your data as soon as possible and notify you of your admission by e-mail.
Please log in on the auction day with these registration data and click on “Live bidding” to see the bidding interface. Now you can bid during the auction via the bid button in the specified bidding increments.

You can also bid live online via our partner platforms Invaluable, Lot-tissimo or Drouot.
You have to be registered user and logged in at the time your lot is offered for bidding (at least 24 hours before the auction starts). Then you can bid in the specified bidding increments during the auction via the bid button. Of course, you can also place a pre-bid via the bidding platform.

If you are not able to be present at the auction, you can also bid by telephone. For this you can either fill out our bidding form, which you will find here, or you can register in advance at MY Karl & Faber and sign up for telephone bidding at least 24 hours prior to the auction via your online bidding form. To do so, check the box “bid by phone” on your bidding form. Write the telephone number you would like us to call you on during the auction in the address section. Please also write down the highest amount you would be willing to bid in case we are unable to reach you during the auction. We will confirm your bid by email as soon as possible and inform you of the approximate time at which we will call you to bid on your chosen lot.

PDF | Bidding form

You can also place an absentee bid. For this you can either fill out our bidding form, which you will find here, or you can simply register with MY Karl & Faber and send us your completed online bidding form with your maximum bid. You can also send your bidding form by post, fax, or email. We will confirm your bid by email. We can only accept bids sent at least 24 hours prior to the beginning of the auction. If you are bidding with us for the first time, you will need to provide us with a photo ID as proof of identity, otherwise we will not be able to allow you to participate in our auctions.

PDF | Bidding form

The hammer goes down after the winning bid has been called out three times. The hammer price for the lot is set the moment the gavel goes down. If the hammer price is below the reserve price, a lot is “bought in”. In this case, it has to be arranged after the auction whether the consignor agrees to the sale.
The buyer pays the hammer price plus the premium, any taxes and – when applicable – the resale rights. Please refer to the following section for more on the purchase price.

The purchase price for an artwork comprises of the hammer price plus the premium. For works of art made by living artists or by artists who died less than 70 years ago, there is also an additional resale rights charge of 1.5 %.

The VAT is calculated differently depending on whether the consignor requested the work to be subject to margin taxation or standard taxation.

Here you will find further information on the premium:

Artworks subject to standard taxation 

Artworks subject to standard taxation are marked “R” behind the catalogue number. For these works, the premium is calculated per artwork as follows:

• 27 % of a hammer price up to € 500,000
• 21 % of a hammer price above € 500,000 and up to € 1,500,000
• 16 % of a hammer price above € 1,500,000 for the amount exceeding this sum

The VAT is calculated on the hammer price, the premium and any additional costs and is disclosed separately.

Artworks subject to margin taxation 
Most works in our auctions are subject to margin taxation. This means that VAT is only charged on the premium and is not disclosed separately. This is the most common, and usually most cost effective, invoicing method, especially for private buyers.

In this case, the premium is calculated per artwork as follows:

• 32 % of a hammer price up to € 500,000
  
• 27 % of a hammer price above € 500,000 and up to € 1,500,000
  
• 22 % of a hammer price above € 1,500,000 for the amount exceeding this sum 

The invoice includes the premium, any additional costs, and the VAT, which is not disclosed separately.

Works subject to margin taxation which are marked “N” behind the catalogue number originate from a country outside the EU. In addition to the premium, these artworks are subject to an advanced import sales tax amounting to 7 % of the hammer price.

Resale rights charge 
In addition to the premium, in the case of works made by living artists or by artists who died less than 70 years ago, to compensate for the resale right then payable pursuant to § 26 UrhG, a charge of 1.5 % of the hammer price and the net premium is levied, plus the statutory VAT.

Please note our general conditions of sale and the information on payment and shipping.

A few days after the auction (or after the post-auction sale), you will receive an invoice for the works you have purchased via email.

We request that you make bank transfers to our company account:

Commerzbank Frankfurt
IBAN: DE23 7004 0041 0273 3129 01
BIC: COBADEFFXXX

As soon as your bid has been accepted, you can also pay for your purchase in person immediately. The same applies if you wish to collect your purchases in person. We offer the following payment options should you wish to pay on premises:

• Cash payments for a total sum of up to € 10,000
• EC card with PIN (not with signature)

PDF | Payment options

We are happy to organise professional, insured shipping for your art purchases, as well as secure packaging. The buyer pays the costs of packaging, shipping and insurance – these costs have to be paid in advance.

We can also organise for large or heavy objects to be transported by a professional art forwarding agency. In this case, the agency will invoice you the costs of transport directly.

We will prepare the necessary customs export documents for objects to be shipped to countries outside of the EU.