How Was Your First Time?

Published by Americana Exchange /  July 2014

Yesterday was my first time—and it was great! It started at 2 p.m., when my computer screen broadcast the images and the confused sounds of an auction sale held at Drouot.

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Yesterday was my first time—and it was great!

It all started at 2 p.m., when my computer screen suddenly broadcast the images of some red-carpeted walls, and the confused sounds of an auction sale held at the biggest Parisian auction house, Drouot. Leaning over my desk, I made out several famous booksellers from Paris as they passed in front of the camera to gather round the first items of a sale—some boxes composed of various books. Here I was, live and direct! In the heart of Drouot, without leaving my living room, drinking a cup of coffee and, shall I confess it?, barefoot—welcome to online bidding, welcome to Drouotlive.com!

LOG IN

Bidding via the Internet is not exactly something new; it’s been going on for a while. But for what I had experienced from the other side of the camera so far (see the article The Book Wat At Drouot), I wasn’t totally convinced. Uneven transmission, slow recording of bids, and most of all, the lack of consideration from the auctioneers, often led the internists to frustration. But things evolve quickly nowadays, and Drouot now offers the live option to the auction houses that rent a room there. Of course, they have to pay for it, but 30 people virtually attended the sale I’m talking about, and bought 10% of the items—it seems worth it. Though a little bit sceptical, I decided to give it a try. A sale featured a book I was vaguely interested in—not enough to spend the whole afternoon at Drouot, that is—, so I logged in.

The process is simple. The day before the auction, I went through the online catalogue at Drouot.com, spotted a book, and then clicked on Visite de la salle (visit the room) as this option, available 24 hours before the sale only, gives access to some high-resolution pictures of the items exposed in the room. Of course, nothing can beat a physical check out—but along the written description of the expert, it gives a good idea of the overall condition of a book.

REGISTRATION

Afterwards, I went to Drouotlive.com, and picked up my sale in the list. On the right-hand side of the screen, a window read: Sale not started yet / Log in to register. You must register at least 24 hours before the sale, and it only takes a few minutes—they ask for your name and address, a username and your banking details. The following morning, I received an email of confirmation, and logged in a few hours later. The process seems to apply to both national and international registrations—but having registered for another sale recently, I was contacted by phone by the auction house. A charming woman asked for my bank details I had already sent. I enquired about so much care, and she confessed that Droutolive.com had given them trouble lately, as many e-bidders failed to pay for their items.

I clicked on the BID LIVE button and the first item of the sale appeared on the right of the screen (picture and description); meanwhile, a pale blue button invited me to bid and a red one kept me informed of the on-going bid. I was surprised at how reactive the system had become. The information is updated very rapidly and the blue button consequently offers a superior bid. If you wish to bid, just click. If you do, then the button turns red and informs you that you’re the best bidder. If nobody overbids you, then the button turns dark blue and reads Adjugé en votre faveur (You win—you can access an English version of the website). If somebody dares overbidding you, then the button turns red again.

You can’t chose the precise amount of your bid; you have to go with what is suggested by the website—apparently, it is based on the amount of the previous bids. An assistant responsible for online bids shouts the results as they reach, and the auctioneer takes them into consideration. This sale was hosted by the famous auction house of Cornette de Saint Cyr, and might have been particularly well organized. But it seems like Drouotlive.com has already gone a long way.

Lives sale stand sovereign, of course. Mostly as you can see the books while bidding and even “keep” them once you’ve bought them. An assistant then hands you—against a blank signed cheque, that is—your book right away. This is an irresistible feeling. I feared online bidding would spoil the joy. But I found myself excited enough to bid—more than I expected to. The screen doesn’t lower the bidding fever, after all. As a matter of fact, though interested in one item only, I kept on watching the whole sale. At the end of the day, I bought a book that looks terrific—at least on pictures. That’s the worst part about it, no more “I keep it!”. It’s up to you to pick up your book later at the auction house’s office, or to pay for shipping. And this part of the process can be real slow. But if you live abroad or in the countryside, what an incredible access to books! So, is online bidding the future of auction sales? One thing is sure, once you’ve tried, you can’t go back.

© Thibault Ehrengardt