The motivation to acquire a work of art is generated by the will of one’s heart than by the mind or by the pocketbook. But for a first-time collector, bidding can get intimidating.

The services we offer here at Alturaash make bidding easier and much more accessible for lovers of art.

Registration and Verification:

1. The first step in order to participate and have access to bidding in our auctions is to get yourself registered/create an account with us at www.alturaash.org and verify your personal details (full contact details, along with a government-issued photo ID and proof of address). All bidders are asked to register with us before bidding. This is a simple, one-time process, which will enable you to bid in all our auctions in the future.
2. Once you’ve registered, your system-generated password will be sent to you at the e-mail address you provided us with. This process will result in the creation of your personal ‘My Account ’ page on our website. You will now be able to personalize your password from here and surf through the website and get in-depth auction details.
3. Existing members will still be required to request approval to bid by clicking on the ‘Register for Sale ’ button.
4. Alturaash representative will then get in touch with you via e-mail or phone to verify the details you provided. Also, to ask for any additional details (if required) for a hassle-free experience.

Please note that:

• If the registration process is not completed and authenticated before the auction, your access to bid at any of our auctions will not be approved.
• It is recommended that all bidders register with us at least 24 hours before the auction.
• You will receive a confirmation via e-mail once your bidding access is approved.
• We are an online auction house, and all bidding takes place online only. Bids can be executed on any private computer, laptop, tablet, android, or i-phone device.

Auction Estimates:

Estimates are based on an indicative market value of the lot as determined by Alturaash auction specialists. Our estimates are always listed in United States Dollars (USD).

Reserves:

The reserve price is the minimum price at which the lot shall be sold. It will remain confidential and will not be disclosed. It is always lower or equal to the lower estimated value of the artwork set by the auction house.

Buyer’s Premium & Applicable Taxes:

• 10% buyer’s premium will be added to the winning bid price.
• No taxes are applicable on purchases from anywhere in the world except for The United Arab Emirates.
• Value Added Tax (VAT) of 5% will be applicable on Alturaash’s commission on purchases from within UAE. 

BIDDING:

Online Bid:

With our online auctions, you can bid directly from the comfort of your home, office, or on the move from anywhere in the world. Once you’ve registered with us, click on ‘Bid Now ’ to start placing bids. Bidders are then required to register for the very particular sale/auction in which they wish to participate. Once this request has been processed by an Alturaash’s executive, the bidder will receive an e-mail confirmation of bidding access.

Each online auction commences at 10:30 am UAE time, on the date mentioned in the catalog in ‘Upcoming Auctions ’.

Please Note: Alturaash uses predetermined bidding increments – please refer to the terms & conditions of each sale before bidding. Also, although you can watch the auction as a guest user on our website in order to bid, you must be signed in and approved to bid by our executives.

Proxy / Maximum Bid:

Once an auction catalog goes LIVE, a Proxy or Maximum Bid can be placed on any lot by visiting the upcoming auction tab on the website, selecting the catalog of interest, and clicking on the ‘Proxy Bid ’ button placed next to the lot on which you wish to bid.

You can place a proxy bid directly on the website, either before the auction has started or during the auction. The auction software will automatically bid on your behalf till the maximum limit of your proxy bid has not reached.

Opening Bid:

Opening bid is the value at which the bidding on a lot begins. It is at times lower than the lower estimate also.

Bid Cancellation:

Once a bid has been placed, it cannot be canceled. Only an Alturaash executive or auctioneer has the right to cancel any bids in order to protect the efficacy of the bidding process. Each bid you place enters you into a binding contract with Alturaash.

Bid Increments:

Bidding increments will be calculated as shown in the bid increment table below:

Your ‘Place Bid ’ window will display the next (minimum) valid bid based on this predetermined bid increment.

Bid History:

Bid history displays the last five bids recorded for each lot in the auction. It will not be displayed once the auction has closed.

The currency of Bidding:

Bids are placed and accepted in United States Dollars (USD). Payments received in any other currency will be converted to USD as per our bank’s sheet rate on the day of the transaction.

Bid Closing Schedule:

• The auction will close pre-determined groups of lots at 20-minute time intervals for the convenience of bidders.
• The date and timings of the bid closing schedule will be displayed on the website and the auction catalog.
• A lot will finally close only when there is no bidding activity recorded in the last 5 minutes before the extended closing time.

Winning Bid:

• A winning bid is the highest qualifying bid at which the bidding on a lot has closed.
• No new bids can be placed after the close of bidding on a lot.
• The highest bid received is considered the winning bid only if this bid exceeds the reserve price.
• All winning bids shall be displayed in the auction results.

Personalized Winning Bid History:

All registered members of Alturaash can log in to their account on our website, opening: 'My Account ’. Their homepage will have a tab/link titled: ‘Winning Bids ’, which will allow you to review the lots which you have won at bidding (successful bids) and the lots in which you were an under bidder (unsuccessful bids).

Payment & Collection of your artwork:

A combined invoice will be generated and shared with you via email after you’ve successfully bid on one or more lots.

• Please note that purchases will only be shipped once all payments due have been made.
• You are legally bound to purchase the item from Alturaash if you are the winning bidder on a lot.

Customs Duty (Inward):

On certain lots that are imported against a temporary import permit, any purchaser within the GCC will be required to pay 5% customs duty plus VAT of 5%, payable at Dubai port. These lots will be marked and detailed accordingly for the information of prospective bidders.

Invoicing & Payment:

• If you are successful at securing the winning bid in the online sale at our auction, your purchase information will be updated in your online account, where you can view invoices and choose your shipping option.

• Please provide all invoicing particulars before the auction begins. If the mode of payment is not decided, you will be barred from bidding.

• For any and all clients and/or transactions from anywhere in the world invoicing and payments are processed by Alturaash Art and Artefacts DMCC: a company duly incorporated under the Government of Dubai Authority, after the sale, the buyer as invoiced is required to pay the amounts in full (including any additional charges) within 7 business days.

Bank Transfer: You may electronically transfer funds to our account. When doing so, please quote the sale details along with the lot number and invoice number as a reference. For payments made by bank transfer, all mandatory bank surcharges are to be payable by the remitter himself.

Value Added Tax (VAT):

VAT of 5% will be applied to Alturaash’s commission on purchases from within the UAE. No VAT is applicable on purchases from anywhere in the world except for UAE.

Customs Duty (Outward):

It is the buyer's responsibility to pay any kinds of duties, taxes, and/or levies applicable at the destination port of shipment.

Packing, Shipping, and Insurance:

The winning bid does not include any packing, insurance, shipping, or handling charges, if required by the buyer these services would be invoiced additionally by our respective service providers, at the preferential rates applicable for our clients. The buyers are allowed 15 days of storage after the end of the auction, subsequent to which charges for storage will apply as per our negotiated rates with our logistics provider.

If you are interested in consigning works for our upcoming auctions, get in touch with our executives at:

+971556881407 | auction@alturaashart.com