FAQ

How to buy?

OneBid is a bidding platform that has been operating since 2014. The service enables you to participate online in live auctions of art, numismatics, and handicrafts. All you have to do is to open an account and register to participate in selected auctions. More information about bidding at an auction can be found here: How to bid.

We only collaborate with auction houses and art galleries. If you wish to sell your artwork then please check the list finished auctions and contact auction houses that have similar listings.

One cannot be good at everything. We focus on providing the bidding platform whilst leaving the estimates to auction houses. They have the expertise and knowledge required to give estimates, due to their vast experience in selling art.

OneBid is the first Polish bidding platform. It was established in 2014 and currently is the most dynamic portal. It has regular new developments and innovations that allow its users to purchase artwork at on-line auctions held in real time. Its development was preceded by numerous consultations with both institutions dealing in art and private collectors searching for easier and more effective ways to expand their collections. From the very beginning it has been designed as a user-friendly portal that is easy to navigate, even for first-time users who are just starting their collections. OneBid auctions provide an extensive selection of artworks, numismatics, handicrafts, design objects and publications and is updated daily by European galleries and auction houses. It is possible to set up two separate user accounts: seller and buyer.

Only institutions and companies professionally dealing in art and collectibles such as galleries of old and contemporary art, auction houses and antiquarian booksellers can set up a seller account with OneBid. Private persons cannot directly sell via the portal. However, since the portal is a meeting place for a number of professionals specializing in a variety of stock, it offers the unique opportunity to connect owners of paintings, sculptures, handicrafts and coins with entities best placed to assist them in the complicated process of pricing and selling their item. Collaboration with a gallery or an auction house gives you the opportunity to reach a greater number of potential clients and therefore attain a better sales price. Going through a professional agent ensures the security of the transaction and relieves the seller from the burden of after-sale services such as packaging, shipping and financial settlement.

To learn more about the selling process see: HOW TO SELL

For a list of sellers at OneBid see: List of auction houses

Anybody can set up a buyer account with OneBid: private persons, companies and institutions (eg. Museums and libraries). What is important to note is that you do not have to be a seasoned collector to benefit from all the opportunities that are provided by the platform. The portal has been developed with those who have just started their journey into the Polish art market in mind. An extensive library of auction catalogues, easy-to-read interfaces, easy registration process and a simple on-line bidding system will definitely help in selecting and purchasing artworks on which to found future collections.

In order to participate in auctions via OneBid, it is necessary to register and set up a user account. It is a very simple process and will take no longer than a few minutes. After clicking on the SIGN UP tab (located on the home page at the top right) a screen pops up prompting you to provide your login (email address), password and phone number. Reminders, information about auction results and messages from organizers will be sent to the email address provided. At this stage of the registration process you will be asked to accept the OneBid terms and conditions (see: Terms Conditions ).

We also recommend that you choose your optional interests at this point, to help create personalized alerts about upcoming auctions. In order to verify the contact details provided, a code will be sent to the given telephone number. Please type in the code to the window displayed on the screen. Each new account set up at OneBid has to be activated through clicking on the link sent to your email address. In the account panel (orange icon in the top right corner) there is an edit option. This is where you can enter the delivery address, invoice details and update your contact details. We advise that you complete all given fields as the organizer of an auction may reject your participation due to incomplete data. Saved information relating to a delivery address and sales confirmation in the case of a successful purchase are passed on to the relevant auction house or gallery. Before entering the bidding process, you have to register for a particular auction. The library of auction catalogues, divided into Art Auctions, Coin Auctions and Book Auctions, is available on the home page of the platform.

Once you click on the event of interest to you, a list of items will be displayed along with a button: REGISTER FOR AUCTION. If it is the first time you have registered with this organizer, you will have to wait to be approved by this auction house. Usually, if all your data have been entered correctly and there are no reservations, approval will take from a few minutes to a few hours. It is advisable to register early and not wait until the last moment. Only after the registration has been approved can you put limits and bids on chosen lots and attend the live auction. We recommend that you open the on-line bidding panel a few minutes before the start time. At the beginning, the button to bid in real time is inactive. You activate it by swiping the button to the right - until it changes colour from blue to orange.

A detailed description of the registration and bidding processes at OneBid are available at: How to bid

Participation in OneBid auctions is possible on personal computers, laptops and smartphones. Bidding can be done from any place in the world with internet access. For your convenience we have also developed a mobile application, operating on IOS, Android and HarmonyOS, available to download here: get application.

In order to set up an account with OneBid you will need to provide: an e-mail address, a phone number and a secure password. Other personal information required to actively bid during auctions on the platform can be entered onto the first auction form or updated in the edit profile window. This includes: name, surname, address (street, house number, flat number, postal code, city and country). Optionally, you can also provide: delivery address (it is possible to register several delivery addresses) and information required for an invoice (if you wish to receive such a document confirming your purchase). Although not all above-mentioned fields are obligatory, we recommend filling in as much information as possible. Customers details regarding shipping and purchase documents are passed to the relevant auction house or gallery. If your details are incomplete, your registration for an auction can be declined by the organizer, or they may try to contact you in order to collect the missing information. All data can be easily edited in the users panel. However, if the information is modified after winning the bidding (e.g. the delivery address is changed) you are asked to contact the auction house directly to make sure they are aware of the modification.

In order to ensure secure log in, registration and online bidding, we always use SSL data encryption. Moreover, all information recorded in our database is encrypted and the system additionally protects against disclosure to or access from unauthorized persons. Your personal information is stored in compliance with applicable GDPR provisions together with consents granted for marketing purposes. Only authorized employees of the portal have access to your data and your information is not disclosed to any third parties. Necessary contact details (including phone number, e-mail and delivery address) are also shared with the organizers of auctions in which you participate (after receiving your consent by accepting the auction terms and conditions).

Waiting time for an approval for a registration depends upon the organizers set-up. Usually, it takes from 15 minutes to a few hours (however it can take longer over weekends and holidays). We recommend registering early. If you try to register for an auction right before the start of the event, it may be the case that you will not be able to bid on lots you are interested in (especially if they appear early in the catalogue).

A deposit is a sum of money determined by the organizer, which is required to be paid before the user is allowed to bid. It is to ensure that the buyer will observe the terms and conditions of a sale and purchase agreement (i.e. pay for the lots won in the bidding process). In the case of losing a bid, the deposit is refunded to the user. In the majority of auctions available at OneBid it is not required. There can be exceptional situations though when an auction house asks for a deposit before the auction. Decision to ask for a deposit remains at the discretion of the organizer of an auction.

The terms and conditions of OneBid portal are available here. Each seller also creates their own terms and conditions which determine, among other things, the timing of payments for winning lots, shipping methods, and other detailed information relating to the sales and purchase agreement and the corresponding rights and obligations of both parties. Prior to registering for a given auction, you have to read the organizers terms and conditions and accept them. This document is displayed during the process of registration for an auction, and later is available in details about the event. The TERMS CONDITIONS tab is also available on the page of each item in the catalogue.

OneBid has a system of reminders about upcoming auctions. 24 hours before the start of the bidding for which you registered, the system will send the first reminder to an email address provided in the users account details. The second (and last) message about the upcoming auction will be sent to your phone number about 30 minutes before the start of the event. You can also add a specific seller to a "favourite" section (by clicking on the star next to the sellers name). In this case OneBid will send a text message before each auction organized by this auction house. It is also possible to add specific catalogue lots to favourites or set up an alert for them. During a live auction, right before these lots will be auctioned, an alert will be displayed notifying you that a lot marked by you will be sold next. Most of the catalogues also give an option to select a few lots for which the system will generate a text message reminding you of the upcoming lot (a few lots ahead of time).

The button with which you place your bid during a live auction can be found in the bottom right of the screen (when bidding from a computer) or under the picture of a lot (on the phone or in the application). To avoid clicking on it by mistake or accidentally, initially the button is inactive. In order to activate it, you need to drag it to the right - until the colour changes from blue to orange. For your convenience the amount needed to win the current bidding is shown. Please note! Clicking the button means that you enter into a binding sale-purchase agreement and it obliges you to pay for purchased lots.

In most auctions at OneBid all lots offered by the organizer are auctioned in the order in which they are listed in the catalogue. In some cases, however, the auction house decides to auction only those lots which have earlier been selected for bidding by users. Information regarding this can be found in the auction registration form. In order to be able to bid on lots of interest to you, you should click a "Submit for bidding" button available on the page of a given lot.

It cannot be estimated how much time is needed for the bidding of a single lot. It mostly depends on the bidding style of the auctioneer. It is worth observing alerts which pop up in the bidding window to inform buyers that the opportunity to bid on a currently active lot is going to end soon. In the case of an art auction this is usually shown as a small bell icon in the bottom left of the screen. In numismatic auctions, old books auctions and in some art auctions it is a stopwatch counting: 1, 2, 3 - equivalent to the going one, going twice and sold catchphrase. It is good practice to bid efficiently and not to wait until the last moment to make an offer as your bid may be registered too late, after the bidding is closed.

Each increment depends on the internal settings of a given organizer. When bidding for lots with low starting prices the increments are usually low (e.g. EUR 10, 20 or 50) whilst in the case of more expensive lots the increment can be as much as EUR 100, 200, 500 or even EUR 1,000. It is also possible that during an auction the increment can go higher at different price ranges. For example: up to EUR 1,000 it is EUR 50, and above EUR 1,000 it increases to EUR 100. When preparing to bid you can check the increment settings of a given organizer. It should also be remembered that during an auction the bidding button will display the amount expected by the auctioneer at any given moment.

If you cannot participate in an on-line auction at a specific time, you can use the option of pre-bidding by setting your bidding limits first or by making a bid for selected lots. You should be aware of the differences between these two types of submissions. When you set up a limit, the maximum amount to which OneBid may bid on your behalf is pre-set. Limits can be modified (raised or lowered) at any time (also during bidding), since they only activate during the live bidding for a given lot.

Placing a bid works in a slightly different way. Your bid placed at a pre-bidding stage means that you are willing to purchase this lot for a declared price - exactly as it would be at the live auction. It means that the price you offer is already visible for other users before the auction starts and that the bidding will commence not from the starting price but from the level of your recorded bid. Placing a bid is equivalent to entering a sale-purchase agreement and obliges the user to pay in the case of a winning bid. Once the bid is sent it cannot be cancelled or modified. In exceptional circumstances you may try to contact the organizer and ask to have it removed. Such a request has to be received by the auction house before bidding on the first lot commences.

Five minutes after the auction has completed, each bidding user receives a summary generated by OneBid to the email address provided during registration. It consists of a list of won and lost lots, total amount to pay, contact details and the organizers wire transfer details (or other payment options). Please note! If you cannot find an email from OneBid you should first check your spam folder. Information regarding purchased lots is also available under Users Profile, in My Purchases tab.

In order to see all purchased lots in OneBid auctions you need to open the My Purchases tab in Users Profile. There you will find a chronologically organised list of auctions (from the most recent to the oldest) and lots along with the prices offered for them.

Although it is not a frequent situation, it may happen that a lot is sold within the upper amount of your limit and yet it is a different user who wins the bidding. In a situation when different users set up identical limits for the same lot, it is the date and the exact time of submission to bid that decides the winning user. During a live auction OneBid bids for you using subsequent increments - so that the lot is purchased for the lowest possible price. If there are a few users bidding, it may happen that the system will put forward an amount one increment lower than the maximum amount of a set limit. In such a case, the next increment can be put forward by another user. In order to avoid such situations, we recommend (if possible) to monitor the live bidding, affording you the opportunity to react quickly and place a higher bid.

All user information (including the delivery address) can be edited at any time in the users panel. However, it is worth remembering that once the auction is completed, the organizer receives a set of details that were registered on your account during the auction. If you wish to change the delivery address after the auction has finished, please contact the organizer before making the payment and inform them of the new address.

The type of sales document provided depends on the organizer of an auction. Most vendors can produce a receipt from a cash register, a personal invoice (for a natural person), a VAT invoice with a purchasers TIN number (most often it is a VAT on profit margin invoice). To confirm that a given entity can produce an invoice, please contact them directly prior to the auction.

OneBid does not issue its own certificates of authenticity. Most galleries and auction houses produce such documents for sold items. Usually, they contain a description and a picture of the item and a seal and signature of the vendor. It is not obligatory though. In order to confirm that a purchased lot will have a certificate of authenticity, please contact the organizer of the auction prior to the auction.

Unsold lots from archived auctions will have no bids, only information about the starting price. Once you open the lots page, you will find a green button at the bottom right: ORDER. Once you click on it, the organizer of an auction will receive an inquiry about the availability of this item. Usually, if the item has not been returned to the owner yet, the user can expect a reply within 1-2 office days. If the item is still available for sale, you will receive an answer with its current price and shipping costs.

Depending on the organizers terms, the offer is valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours. This is the time you have to accept it and decide on a purchase. If you register your decision to purchase the item, the organizer will then receive a notification along with your contact details as they are recorded in the users panel. You will receive an email with the vendors details (including payment options). Please note! The post auction sale price can by higher than the starting price from the auction.

Each vendor individually determines the time they give the buyer to settle the payment for a lot. This information is available in the terms and conditions of the auction in the registration window and on each items page. Since there are considerable differences between the policies of various vendors, we recommend you read the terms and conditions carefully prior to an auction.

Information about available payment options can be found in the summary of the auction sent out by email after the bidding for the last item in the catalogue has been completed. Most often it is a wire transfer to the organizers bank account. When making the transfer please use the reference given in the summary. Auction houses and galleries which have a physical location often give the option for payment at the venue (by card or in cash) on collection. Some vendors also accept other forms of payments (e.g. PAYPAL). To confirm if your preferred payment method is accepted, please contact the organizer prior to the auction.

Payment in foreign currencies will depend upon the organizer’s discretion. If the vendor accepts payments in foreign currencies this information can be found in a summary sent by email after the end of the auction and in the user’s panel. To make sure that your payment in foreign currency will be accepted, and in order to agree upon the exchange rates to be used, please contact the organizer prior to the auction.

Save for some exceptional cases (e.g. some charity auctions), most organizers charge a standard auction fee. The amount depends upon the internal policy of the vendor but in art auctions it usually amounts to 20% of the hammer price. For example, if the winning bid is EUR 1,000, the purchaser will pay EUR 1,200. By some catalogue items you will find information about droit de suite - an extra fee of 1% to 5% of the hammer price. It means that the auction fee will be increased by this percentage. Information regarding auction fees determined by the organizer can be found in the auction terms and conditions. In some cases there will also be an additional charge of 8% VAT for items imported from outside of the EU. Information about this will be included in the catalogue description of the item.

Droit de suite is a royalty added to the price of an item in the case of a professional resale of the artwork: i.e. when it was acquired from an agent and not directly from an artist. It results from a non-waivable proprietary copyright and will be passed on to the artist or their inheritors by the organizer. Droit de suite is added only if the transaction amount is higher than EUR 100 and is 5%, 3%, 2% or 1% of the sale amount, depending on its final price. If a given item undergoes these regulations, information about it can be found in the description on the items page. In a summary sent out after the completion of the auction, the information about this royalty is included in an additional fees column.

Each vendor individually determines the time for collection of items. Information about it can be found in the terms and conditions of the auction available in the registration window for a given catalogue and on the specific items pages. If you cannot collect your items within a set period of time, please contact the vendor to agree upon a date. Most vendors reserve the right to charge fees for storage.

The majority of vendors selling on OneBid arrange shipping of sold items - using their own carriers or shipping with registered courier companies. For auction houses which have a physical location it is usually possible to collect in person. It is the recommended option as it eliminates the risk of having the parcel damaged in transit. The staff of auction houses and galleries have expertise in preparing the collectibles for shipping. However, it should be kept in mind that artworks (in particular glass and ceramics) are delicate and fragile objects where even the most diligent of preparation and packaging cannot guarantee that the item will not get damaged on its way to you. Should you choose shipping by a courier, the organizer is not held liable for any damage caused by the courier company. Shipping estimates are usually given in the summary of the auction which is sent by email after the event has finished. In the case of exceptionally expensive or fragile items it is recommended to contact the vendor directly to confirm the final cost of the shipment.

Many vendors provide shipping to other countries. It is not a rule though. In order to be sure that the organizer will be able to ship to a foreign country please contact them directly prior to the auction. In the case of objects with high value or older than 50 years some additional documents confirming the value and provenance may be required. In exceptional circumstances the buyer may need to solicit an official permit to export. Some auction houses and galleries assist in preparing the documents required - often for a fee.

Items purchased at public auctions cannot be returned as a binding sale-purchase agreement is entered into once bidding is completed. Many auction houses and galleries offer public viewings of lots before auctions. Where doubt remains, it is recommended to request additional pictures of an item or ask for a more detailed description. The only exceptions to this are in situations where the purchased item has faults which were not described in the catalogue and were not visible on the photo or when the description is not true to the fact. Before you start bidding, please read the terms and conditions of the auction and think carefully about your decision to submit a bid.

Sellers accounts on OneBid can only be set up by verified companies (galleries, auction houses, antiquarian book sellers) professionally dealing in art and collectibles. Before you decide to purchase an item, please also familiarize yourself with a given vendors profile and history of operations. OneBid additionally highlights galleries and auction houses affiliated to the Polish Society of Antiquaries and Art Dealers.

OneBid marks auctions organized by entities whose founders are members of the Polish Society of Antiquaries and Art Dealers. It is the oldest and largest organization that brings together the owners of companies operating in the Polish art market: auction houses, galleries and antiquarian book sellers. The members of the Society adhere to the principles of professional ethics, working towards the development of a secure and transparent art market in Poland. Information about membership to the Polish Society of Antiquaries and Art Dealers of a particular vendor is reassuring for collectors making purchases from them.

OneBid announces auction results with a fee for the organizer already added. To see a hammer price without any additional charges please untick the PRICE INCLUDING AUCTION FEE option displayed on a given items page. Auction results are public. Apart from the hammer price, you can also see the starting price as well as an increment in percentage terms.

Many collectors make a decision about purchases based on the ratings history of a given artist. OneBid gives you an extensive database of auction results free of charge. It is a fundamental resource to any person interested in the Polish art market. In order to check all works of a particular artist auctioned in the past and to view their works in upcoming auctions, please click on the ARTISTS tab at a top of the homepage. It will open an alphabetical list of artists as well as a search window. Once you type in the name of the artist you want to check, you will receive a complete list of their works along with information about the vendor, the date of sale together with the sales price.

Some organizers (especially those who have a physical location) arrange pre-auction viewings during which you can see all catalogue items. Even if you do not find information about viewings for a gallery, it is worth contacting the vendor to check. A lot of entities can organize a viewing of selected items by prior arrangement.

On each catalogue item page there is a tab: ABOUT THE SELLER. Once you click it, all contact details of the organizer of an auction will be displayed. There is also an option: SEND A MESSAGE TO THE SELLER. It is a convenient form of contact with a short response time.

Once you open the subpage of a given artist (see: How can I follow the results of an artist of interest to me on OneBid?) next to their name you will find the ADD TO FAVOURITES button. This option is very useful to those collectors who search for the works of their favourite artists but do not have time to go through the numerous auction catalogues available on the platform. Once you add an artist to favourites, each time their work shows up at an auction you will receive an automatic email alerting you to the fact.

Each catalogue item has its own page where there are pictures and a description. Next to the description you can find a small star. By clicking on this icon, you will add the item to your favourites. During a live auction this will result in an additional sound alert being generated to remind the user that the item of interest is about to be auctioned. The history of all items added to favourites can be browsed in the users panel.

OneBid was created for all collectors and lovers of art including first-time buyers. Your tastes and aesthetics are what is most important when deciding on a purchase (however these can evolve over time). To purchase an artwork because it has been recommended as an investment but does not trigger an emotional response from you or is not aesthetically pleasing to you is not considered to be a good approach. Especially if the price is substantial. It is important to enjoy a painting, sculpture or print so that you want to have it around. Please bear in mind that investing in art requires expertise and is not without risk. Quite often, any potential gain will only be realised in the very long term.

A good starting place would be to browse through auction catalogues, which you can find on the OneBid platform. It will help you decide which artists you like and which techniques and subjects are most interesting to you. After this we recommend you follow the auction results for a selection of artists that you like. To this end the database of archived auctions available on OneBid will be useful. It will give you an idea of the prices their works have sold for - whether prices are stable or fluctuating - and how much it is worth spending on a work that attracts your attention (by comparing the size, technique used and the date of origin with works already sold). It is also advisable for you to read biographical notes about the artists (published on OneBid or the webpages of the organizers of auctions) which include information about their education, achievements and exhibitions held. Even though it cannot be taken for granted, it can be assumed that works by academicians recognized in competitions and who have held solo and collective exhibitions will remain in the Polish art market for a long time. On the other hand, it is hard to predict how the careers of novice painters, sculptors, graphic artists, and art students will unfold - even if their artwork is currently highly priced. Nothing will replace direct contact with art, so we invite you to follow information about shows and exhibitions presenting works of your favourite artists. Seeing an artwork in a gallery gives you the opportunity to explore the details of the piece and experience its impact on viewers (the perception of its scale and colours, the emotions it evokes, etc). Whenever possible please have a talk with the artist and learn more about their inspirations and work. Gallery staff - art dealers and curators - are also there to inform you and give advice about investing in art. All these activities will help develop an appreciation of art and will ensure your purchases are based on knowledge and experience.

How to sell?

A Sellers account on One Bid can only be set up by companies and institutions which professionally deal in art and collectibles: modern art galleries, old art galleries, auction houses, and antiquarian book sellers. Before the registration request is approved, our staff verify each application individually, checking in particular if the entitys business profile is compliant with the objectives of the platform, their experience in sales, their recognition in the Polish art market and their reputability. To join the Sellers community on OneBid please use the contact form.

Natural persons cannot set up a Seller Account on OneBid. There is a large group of galleries and auction houses on the platform which are open to cooperation with new artists, support the sale of artworks and promote Polish artists. Please familiarize yourselves with their business profiles and items they sell so that you can choose those entities that are successful in dealing in new and current art. Before you contact the gallery, please prepare a concise portfolio (eg. as a PDF file) including a biographical note and a selection of works (pictures with descriptions and information like: title, date, technique, measurements) that represents the scope of your artistic activities. Most auction houses prefer e-mails as a form of contact. It is important to not get discouraged by a few negative responses or to develop a distrust of buyers over your first works put on sale by auction houses where you have no sales or no sales at starting price. Creating your brand and achieving high prices is a long-term process - if it is to be a reliable one.

OneBid hosts auction catalogues of many auction houses, galleries and antiquarian book sellers - all of them dealing in various artworks and craft works. It is important to find entities that specialize in sales of objects that are of the same type as the item you own. Collaboration with specialists in a given field will help you reach a greater number of possible buyers and achieve a higher final sales price. Please start with getting in touch with the gallery - send them an email with photos of an item and the maximum information about the item. If the gallery is interested, they will ask to have the item delivered to them in order for it to be authenticated by experts.

At this stage you may be asked what your financial expectations are. You should consider the suggestions of the specialists carefully as they quite often have a lot of experience in selling these types of objects. Once the object has been approved for auction, you will sign an agreement with the agent (gallery / auction house). In most cases it is a commissioned sales agreement which specifies: the starting price, the margin earned by the agent (auction house), the settlement period with the seller and the mutual obligations of the various parties together with the date and name of the auction. It is quite rare for the gallery to put forward a purchase offer for the item themselves.

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In Poland artworks are evaluated by certified specialists with a long history and vast experience in the field. In the case of auction houses and galleries the preliminary evaluation is usually linked to the decision to approve an object for auction. However, some entities offer evaluations or can help direct you to a specialist. It is a paid service and the price usually depends on the value of the object being evaluated. If you wish to have your item evaluated, please contact the auction house or a gallery directly.