FAQs

Of course! We offer free auction valuations and advice for all your antiques, collectables, jewellery, furniture, and lots more. Simply bring your item(s) into one of our four office locations and one of our specialists will provide a free valuation with no pressure to consign. For larger items or collections, we can arrange a home valuation – just call us on 01723 507111 to book your complimentary home visit at a convenient time for you. We also offer online valuations; just send us some photos and a few details of your items here.

Once you have received a valuation from one of our specialist valuers, you are free to decide whether you wish to enter your item(s) into auction. If you’d like to go ahead, we’ll talk you through estimated prices, details on fees, and sales strategy. Our clear terms ensure there are no surprises.

If you are unable to bring your items to us (either in person or in the post) then we can arrange to have them collected from you and brought to the salerooms. Our dedicated fleet or vans can accommodate collections of any size, and all items are handled with the utmost care by our team of experienced drivers and porters.

The week before the auction, you will receive via email a Pre-sale Advice, listing the lot exactly as it has been catalogued and with its estimate. If there are any problems or changes you wish to make, this is the time to notify us - we’ll of course be happy to discuss any queries you may have so that you feel completely comfortable ahead of the sale.

After the sale, we will send you a Post-sale Advice, listing your lots and how much they sold for. Proceeds will be sent in the following two weeks via your preferred method of either BACS or cheque. Please note, payments made by cheque incur an administration fee of £1+VAT - payments made via BACS will not incur this charge.

If any items are unsold, we may suggest adding them to our Make an Offer platform for direct purchase offers, or submitting them into the next sale we recommend. We’ll discuss these options with you and provide advice on the best course for successfully selling your items, so you feel secure in your decision.

We don’t charge for valuations, so you can request an appraisal of your items without worrying about associated costs. If you choose not to consign you can simply walk away with nothing to pay.

Because we sell on behalf of a vendor, buyer and seller premiums are our primary source of income, covering costs for the running of the business.

We’re proud to offer competitive and transparent commission rates for all our customers. Our vendor fees and commission rates may very dependent on the kinds of items we’re selling for you. For example, selling firearms incurs additional costs that need to be considered when we receive the consignment. Our valuers will outline all details of commission and fees when you receive your valuation, meaning you can make an informed decision on whether you’d like to sell.

Buyers commission and fees are also subject to variation dependent on the type of item you’re purchasing, whether VAT applies and other contributing factors. You can find full details of commission rates and fees outlined on each lot listing in our collection, meaning there’s no surprises when it comes to paying for your items.

We actively promote our sales via our website, social media, email communications and online advertisements. Our professional photographers ensure that items are photographed to the highest standard, whilst our marketing and PPC experts ensure that advertising is professionally designed and targeted to the right audience for each sale.

Alongside our marketing efforts, our PR team weaves stories and exciting content to be pushed out to our large network of local, national and international publications. We regularly feature stories with the BBC, Antiques Trade Gazette and a plethora of local and national newspapers.

We also regularly advertise in both local and national print newspapers and magazines, including The Yorkshire Post and the Antiques Trade Gazette. This allows us to ensure that your items receive an audience of both online and offline buyers, giving them the best chance to sell for the highest possible price.

We print catalogues for all our sales which are available at no cost from our salerooms. We also publish professionally bound and illustrated catalogues for our Fine Art and Country House sales, which are also available at our salerooms and are sent to a mailing list of several thousand clients. Furthermore, all of our catalogues are available fully-illustrated on our website and on the-saleroom.com, an international auction platform that gives every lot a worldwide audience. We have regular clients across the globe, and our in-house packing, postage and delivery service means we can deliver items to just about anywhere!

The chances are, yes! We have an experienced, personable and dedicated team of specialist valuers across 26 departments, meaning there is almost nothing we cannot sell. We are a Registered Firearms Dealer, licenced to sell both antique and modern guns; we regularly deal with CITES and are experienced in the sale of restricted items such as those containing ivory or rosewood; we have large indoor storage facilities for motor vehicles; and our fleet of removals vans mean we can collect and deliver items of all sizes anywhere in the UK – whatever the item, the likelihood is we’ll sell it.

Bidding at David Duggleby couldn’t be easier. Upon arrival, approach our friendly staff at the front desk. Let them know which auction you'd like to participate in—you can register for multiple auctions! Provide your details and email address, and they will issue you a bidding paddle. This paddle is valid only for the auction you've registered for, so remember to obtain a new number for future auctions. Then, simply find a seat and wait for the event to start.

As the auction begins, each lot is presented with a number and description, and displayed on a large TV screen for easy viewing. To place a bid, just raise your paddle. Over time, as you become more adept at the process, subtle gestures like a nod or even an eyebrow raise can also signal a bid. If you win a bid, you may settle payment immediately or wait until the auction ends. While some items may be taken right after purchase, we ask that you collect larger pieces, such as furniture, only after the sale concludes.

Yes! There are multiple ways to bid on lots when you can't make the sale.

When leaving an advanced bid, you should indicate the maximum amount you would be willing to pay at auction (excluding buyer’s premium and VAT). Our system will bid on your behalf ahead of and during the auction. This does not mean that the amount you leave is the amount you will necessarily have to pay. For instance, if you leave a commission bid of £200 on a lot, and the highest bid on the day for that lot is £100, then you will win that lot for £110, plus commission.

Advanced bids can be left in person using a bidding form (available at the front desk), over the phone or through our website.

When using our website you will need to register an online account with us before you are able to start leaving advanced bids or bidding in the live auction. Make sure you register with plenty of time before the auction starts so we are able to carry out the necessary security checks to activate your account.

Most of our auctions take place at our Saleroom in Scarborough, but if you can’t make it in person our virtual auction room, DD Live, allows you to view the auction and bid live as the sale commences.

Joining the auction online is easy, just visit our auctions page, find the sale you’re looking for and click the button to join the auction on DD Live. You can even set up an SMS auction alert via the catalogue page, to notify you 15 minutes before the auction begins - so you never miss a thing.

Any time you bid you are acknowledging that you have sufficient funds to complete the purchase should your bid be successful. Make sure you read our Terms of Sale before you go ahead and start bidding, so you're fully aware of how the process works.

All successful bidders will receive an invoice with an online payment link via email once the auction has ended, outlining the winning bid amount, commission and any VAT applicable. You can make your payment online or pay at the front desk of our Vine Street Salerooms. We do ask that all lots are paid for within 5 working days of the sale to avoid potential further charges.

Payment can be made by cash, debit card, BACS transfer or cheque. Please note we are unable to accept credit cards as a method of payment.

Yes! We offer a comprehensive packing, postage and delivery service. To receive a delivery quote, find your lot on our website, and enter your postcode for a delivery quote. After the sale, you will receive a complete delivery quote to your registered address. For international delivery, please call us on 01723 507111 for a personalised quote.

We have a dedicated in-house postage and packing department, ensuring your fragile or precious items are delivered with the utmost protection and care. We also have a fleet of vans, which allow us to deliver larger items and furniture nationwide. There is no item too large for us to deliver! If you would prefer to arrange your own courier or collection, we can pack your items ready for collection for a small fee.

In certain circumstances, you may need the item storing for a while following the sale, for example if you are moving house. We have a dedicated Storage Facility in Scarborough, where we can store your items for as long as you need before we deliver them to you.