Absentee Bids, continued
I will share a personal, most unfortunate experience with an absentee bid. I am sorry to say this actually occurred and has negatively affected my trust with certain auction houses.
I placed an absentee with an auction house in France for a vase as described in the prior scenario. However, this time, I had the opportunity to watch the live auction online. The lot where I had placed the absentee bid was auctioned and sold for several hundred dollars less than my absentee bid. I was quite pleased! That is, until I received the “facture” or “bordereau” from the auction house. The invoice was 100 Euros less than the absentee bid I placed! I contacted the auction house attempting to address the situation, but, I did not receive a response. Unaware of any other recourse I paid the invoice.
After that experience I no longer submit absentee bids if the bid amount is shared with the auction house. A lesson learned…