how to find rare items and get real deals

A carved wooden element, representing a swan with outstretched wings, look at the place it had and how it watched over sleeping people! Price, come on, 60 euros! » In the Rennes auction room (Ille-et-Vilaine), the auctioneer Carole Jézéquel is trying, at the beginning of October, to attract the attention of potential buyers to this wooden statuette, dated from the late 19th, early 20th century. “100, 110, 150, 180 in line!” I’m going to award… No, 190 in the room, 200 against you on the Internet, 210? No ? I award! » With a sharp blow of the hammer, she closes the sale. A successful bet, the object went beyond its initial estimate of between 80 and 150 euros.

Every week, except perhaps during the holidays, dozens of auctions are organized in France. If the mechanism – several buyers compete to acquire a good that the highest bidder wins – dates back at least to Antiquity, it has experienced a new lease of life in recent years. According to the Council of Auction Houses, representing the sector, the total amount of auctions in France exceeded 5 billion euros for the first time in 2024, a figure up 8.5% compared to the previous year. Thirty-year-old Guillaume wanted to modernize the decoration of his apartment. Instead of going to a gallery where prices, sometimes exorbitant, are decided by the seller, he preferred to turn to an auction room. “The confrontation between buyers gives a better idea of ​​the real value of the property,” he explains.

A playful aspect

Whether during a session in one of the 510 auction houses in France or online on the historic eBay site, the auctions seduce with their fun aspect. New board games, based on the auction mechanism, continue to appear on the market, like the recent “For Sale”, “Les blast fourneaux” or even “QE”.

Florence Berdou, auctioneer, sees two other reasons for this renewed interest. “With Covid, many houses have adapted and now transmit sales online, live, which allows potential buyers to bid without traveling. But above all, a television show made it possible to democratize the auction rooms which some did not dare to enter.

Lots at all prices

What is she talking about? From Deal done Of course. With two episodes broadcast each afternoon on France 2, the program is entering its ninth season and can boast a good audience: from 610,000 to nearly a million and a half viewers for the most watched shows. Participants from all over France come to present an object that they wish to put up for sale. This is first appraised by an auctioneer who gives an initial estimate, then the seller finds himself facing five merchants who bid to take away the lot. Or not. It happens that the participant leaves with his object, either because he considered the price offered too low, or because none of the antique dealers made an offer.

“I learn a lot by listening to the experts tell us about the objects, especially since they are sometimes unknown or have a particular history,” says Patricia, a loyal viewer. For Renaud Rahard, the director of programs at Warner Bros France and producer ofDeal done, two key elements explain its success: “The knowledge transmitted to the public by the “juror” experts, and the suspense.” Two years ago, Baptiste, 27, brought a coffee table, recovered after the death of his aunt. He was lucky. “Estimated at 130 euros, it cost ten times more! » he laughs. Beyond the tidy sum, the young architect appreciated “getting to know better” this piece of furniture that he had always seen in the family.

According to Florence Berdou, everyone can benefit from an auction, from “the individual who walks through the door of the auction house by chance to the collector ready to put down a large sum, including art dealers”. The auction conducted at the beginning of October by her colleague Carole Jézéquel offered lots ranging from around ten euros – a slaughter of deer – to more than 12,000 euros – a flat marquetry desk.

An occasional collector with a master’s degree in art history, Rémy, a fifty-year-old Parisian, recently spotted the edition of a screen print estimated at a price much lower than that offered in specialized galleries. Seduced, he submits an offer online. “It’s a shame, the prize escaped me. But you can sometimes get good deals, he emphasizes, particularly in provincial auction houses on types of objects or works that are less interesting than in Paris, focused on contemporary art and furniture.

Good plan or trap?

Be careful though, auctions are not without risks. Be careful not to get carried away by the “fever” of the buyer and not to bid for a favorite beyond what is reasonable, or beyond the limits that you have imposed on yourself! Not forgetting that you have to add the sales costs. Set by the auctioneer, they represent between 25 and 30% of the hammer price.

If Rémy is cautious, he recognizes the advantages of the auction system. “The seller can decide on a reserve price,” he explains, “that is to say a price below which he refuses to sell his property.” There is therefore not much risk: in the worst case, the item does not find a buyer, and in the best case, the price can soar beyond what was hoped for. This is what happened to Céline, in the show Deal done. Coming from Carcassonne (Aude) with a plate bought for 50 cents in a flea market, she heard the expert estimate it at around 200 euros. At the end of a bidding war, the plate went for almost 700 euros. A great deal concluded!