Bidding

Yes. On the day of the sale, we will have a link to the live video feed for the sale available from our homepage, auction calendar, and auction catalog pages. If you create an account and register for a sale, you can also bid in the sale live in real time.

Bidding live online just got easier! Create an account with us here, register for the sale then return to toomeyco.com on the day of sale to watch and bid live during the auction.

Please note that you do need to register for each auction that you would like to participate in. With a Toomey & Co. account you can bid live during any sale as well as leave (and adjust) absentee or phone bids in advance of the sale and view condition reports for your lots of interest.

Absentee

Absentee bids—also referred to as left, order or commission bids—allow you to place a maximum bid amount on individual lots. During the sale, Toomey & Co. will bid on your behalf up to that amount, making every attempt to secure the lot at the most competitive price.

Why absentee bid? Absentee bidding allows you to participate in the auction up to a set amount, even if you are unavailable on the day of sale.

Phone

When bidding by phone, Toomey & Co. will call you during the sale just before your specified lots are to be auctioned. This enables you to bid live, with a Toomey & Co. phone representative acting as liaison between you and the auctioneer. When phone bidding, you are bidding in real time as if you were in the auction room. Because it is live, you do not have to reveal, or determine, your maximum bid until you are bidding.

Why phone bid? If you are unable to attend the auction, this method allows you to bid most competitively and with the most control over your activity. You can go head-to-head with other bidders as if you were present in the room.

Online and Mobile Bidding

On the day of the sale you can bid live during any auction from your desktop computer or mobile device! Bidding live online allows you to participate in real time no matter where you are physically located. Plus, by bidding live, you do not have to reveal, or determine, your maximum bid until you are bidding.

In addition, Toomey & Co. auctions are posted to third party sites such as LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable and Artsy. These sites will administer registration, process, and execute all bids and your bids will be electronically transferred to Toomey & Co. during the sale. Please note there is an additional fee for using a third party for bidding.

Why bid online or mobile? Online and mobile bidding allows you to follow the auction in real time and to bid live at your discretion during the sale or to submit absentee bids in advance.

Bid in person

You can come to the live auction on the day of sale: it is free and open to everyone. Registration takes a matter of minutes and all you need is photo identification and a credit card. You will receive a paddle and can then bid on any lot in the sale by simply raising your paddle when the lot opens. Auctions take place at our gallery, located at 1440 W. Hubbard St. Chicago, IL 60642.

Why bid live? Being at the auction also gives you the most control in bidding and the most knowledge about any competitors.

To register for phone or absentee bidding, you must create a user account. You can do this here, by selecting the user icon on the top menu, or you will be prompted to create an account if you choose to register for any of our auctions and don’t yet have one. You will be asked to provide an address, billing details, and credit card information; all of these details will be transmitted confidentially into our secure database. Once an account is created, you can leave bids on individual items, request phone lines, view condition reports, and bid live in real time from over the internet from your desktop computer or mobile device. 

Alternatively, you can contact our bid department at bid@toomeyco.com or 708 383 5234. Or if you are old school, download a faxable bid form and fax it to 708 383 4828.

You can submit bids directly via the item page for any lot in our upcoming auctions! Just click the bid button to the right of the item image to leave a pre-bid in advance of the auction or select the link to request a phone line. If you have not yet logged in, registered for a sale, or created an account, you will be prompted to do this first. On the day of sale, you can leave bids or click the Watch and View Live buttons to participate live on any lot. 

Yes. After each left bid, or phone bid request made via our website, you will received a confirmation for each lot. If you contact the Toomey & Co. Bid Department directly by email or phone, you will also receive a bid confirmation detailing the lots you wish to bid on.

It is important that you review all bid details—whether it be the bid confirmation emails, or viewing the details on your account page when you are logged in to our website—as it is your opportunity to review all critical information to ensure it is correct. This will also serve as the official bid form for your records. This step is quick and easy, though very important, so review the bid information thoroughly and reply accordingly.

The activity on the day of sale will set the pace, but generally we expect an auction will move at a rate of 60–70 lots per hour. Our auctions typically start at 10 am or 11 am central time with lot 100. On the day of sale, you can follow the auction live at toomeyco.com or call the gallery at 708 383 5234 to check in.