At the Auction: A 10-Minute Viewing Checklist Before You Bid

Auction day rewards preparation more than confidence. A catalogue description can tell you what an object is called, but a short viewing is where you test its condition, completeness, scale and evidence of change. Ten focused minutes will not turn you into an expert on every lot, but it can stop an attractive estimate from becoming an expensive repair project.

Use this checklist for antique furniture and larger decorative pieces. Work carefully, ask permission before opening anything, and never force a drawer, hinge, door or moving part.

Before you leave home

Write down the lot numbers you genuinely want to inspect. For each one, note:

The catalogue description and every qualifier, such as "attributed to", "in the manner of", "with alterations" or "restored".
The overall dimensions, including height, width, depth and any listed removable sections.
Your maximum all-in budget, including buyer's premium, tax, transport, packing, insurance and likely first repairs.
The questions you need answered before you bid.

Read the condition report if one is available, but treat it as a starting point rather than a substitute for viewing. Auction terminology varies, and a short report may not describe every scuff, replacement or structural weakness.

Bring a phone or camera, a small tape measure, a notebook and a torch. Ask the auction house whether photography, measuring, opening drawers or using a torch is permitted. Do not bring tools for probing, scraping or testing finishes.

Minute 1: Confirm the object and its proportions

Start with the lot number and compare the physical object with the catalogue photographs. Check that you are looking at the correct piece and that all the pictured components are present.

Walk around it rather than judging only the front. Look at the silhouette, stance and proportions. A cabinet that looks convincing from the front may have an unusually shallow depth, a replacement base or a later top. Compare the object with the listed dimensions; a discrepancy can indicate a changed component, an error in the catalogue or a sectional piece that needs special transport.

Take a full record photograph if allowed. Include the lot number in a separate image so your notes cannot be confused later.

Minutes 2–3: Inspect the back, underside and joins

The back and underside often explain more than the polished front. Look for:

A backboard that matches the age and construction of the carcass.
Old screw holes, filled holes, cut rails or fresh timber at the feet and corners.
Gaps that are structural rather than seasonal movement.
Glue lines, corner blocks, brackets or metal plates that suggest a repair.
A modern panel, unusually clean timber or a different wood species in one section.
Evidence that the piece has been cut down, rebuilt or adapted for another use.

Do not turn heavy furniture over or lift it without staff assistance. Use a torch and your phone camera to look beneath accessible edges. A later repair is not automatically a reason to reject a piece; the important questions are whether it is sound, honestly described and reflected in your budget.

Minutes 4–5: Test drawers, doors and moving parts gently

Open only what moves freely. Support a drawer with both hands and stop if it catches, racks or feels loose. Check whether drawers sit squarely, whether their fronts align, and whether the runners look original or replaced.

For doors and flaps, look for:

Hinges that are loose, mismatched or newly fitted.
A door that drops, rubs or does not meet its frame.
Locks with missing keys, replaced escutcheons or signs of forced entry.
Interior shelves, trays or fittings that are missing.
A writing surface, lining or backing cloth that has been replaced.

A working lock does not prove originality, and a stiff drawer does not prove serious damage. Record what you can see, then ask the auction house for clarification rather than applying force.

Minutes 6–7: Read the surface without being seduced by shine

Inspect the surface in angled light. Look for a coherent relationship between wear, use and construction:

Wear on handles, edges and writing areas should make sense for the object's function.
Veneer blisters, lifting edges, splits and open joints need to be distinguished from harmless surface marks.
A very uniform glossy finish may conceal later refinishing.
Dark staining around handles, feet or edges may be old wear, dirt, polish residue or deliberate distressing.
Paint layers, gilding and decoration may have been refreshed or overpainted.

Avoid deciding age from colour alone. A bright surface may have been cleaned or refinished, while a dark surface may be heavily polished or artificially aged. Photograph details and compare them with protected areas, the underside and the back.

Minute 8: Look for replacements, alterations and missing parts

Make a quick component list: top, cornice, doors, drawers, feet, handles, locks, shelves, mirror plates, casters and removable fittings. Mark each item as:

Present and consistent: it appears to belong with the piece.
Present but uncertain: it may be later, repaired or replaced.
Missing or altered: it affects use, appearance, value or transport.

Pay special attention to matching. A pair of handles can look identical from a distance but differ in casting, wear or screw placement. Feet may be replaced as a set, or only one may be new. A single replacement is not necessarily fatal, but it should change how you describe and price the object.

Minute 9: Check stability, smell and practical risks

Stand back and observe whether the piece sits squarely. With permission, apply only light hand pressure at a safe point; never rock a fragile object or test a chair by sitting in it. Look for movement at joints, leaning carcasses, loose veneer and fresh breaks.

Note smells that may indicate damp storage, smoke, strong cleaning products or active pest treatment. Small flight holes are not proof of live infestation, but fresh dust beneath holes deserves a question. Ask whether the auction house has disclosed any treatment, storage issue or restriction on collection.

Measure doorways, stair turns, lift dimensions and vehicle access before bidding on large furniture. A bargain that cannot leave the building safely is not a bargain.

Minute 10: Turn observations into a bidding decision

Before leaving the lot, write three short lines:

What is confirmed? Record construction, materials, dimensions and complete components you actually observed.
What is uncertain? List attribution, date, repairs, replacements, working parts and anything hidden from view.
What is my walk-away price? Reduce your maximum bid for expected restoration, transport risk and unresolved uncertainty.

Ask the auction house specific questions: Is the piece structurally stable? Are all drawers, keys, shelves and fittings present? Has it been restored, re-finished, treated for pests or altered in size? Can they provide additional underside or interior photographs? Get important answers in writing where possible.

Do not let a low estimate make you skip this step. Estimates are not guarantees, and competition can push the final price beyond the range you first saw. If the description uses cautious language and you cannot resolve the uncertainty, treat that uncertainty as part of the cost.

A simple auction note template

Use one page per lot:

Lot number and catalogue title
Overall dimensions and transport measurements
Confirmed materials and construction
Repairs, replacements and missing parts
Surface and finish observations
Movement, stability and pest questions
Condition-report answers
Estimated first repairs and delivery cost
Maximum all-in spend
Final decision: bid, bid only below a lower limit, or pass

Final rule: leave room for uncertainty

The purpose of a viewing is not to prove that an object is genuine, original or valuable in ten minutes. It is to identify the risks you can see, the questions you still need answered and the price at which those risks stop making sense.

A disciplined pass is a successful auction decision. There will always be another lot; there may not be another chance to avoid paying for a repair, replacement or transport problem you could have spotted before bidding.