Getting Started!
If you are like most people, you may not know if you want to sell until you know what your property is worth.

It begins with a phone call, letter or email to one of our specialists. Our knowledgeable and approachable staff will help guide you through the process of valuing and selling your valuables whether it is one item or an entire estate.

Auction Estimates
An auction estimate is a range of value placed on an object under consideration for sale. We provide these estimates as a complimentary service to assist you in your decision to sell. These estimates reflect current auction prices for similar or like objects (e.g. $1,000-1,500)

You may contact one of our specialists to arrange a confidential appointment or to send photographs via mail or email. To ensure a response that is as accurate as possible, please complete our Auction Estimate Request Form.

Consignment
Once you have made the decision to sell, our specialists will schedule your items for a specific sale, provide you with a receipt for your objects, review our terms and conditions of sale with you, and outline the commission structure. Our commission fees are based on the hammer price of each lot:

We highly recommend illustrating your lot. Rates for illustration vary depending on the value of the item and the auction for which it is scheduled to sell. For our semi-annual catalogue sales, a charge of $50.00 for black and white and $125.00 for colour illustrations is applicable. All lots are illustrated on our website for a flat fee of $10.00. For the Sotheby's in association with Ritchies sale of Important Canadian Art, the flat rate is $250.00 per lot.

A few weeks before your items are sold, we will mail you a complimentary copy of the catalogue and a "Pre-Sale Advise" confirming your lot and estimates.

Discovery Sales
Discovery Auctions are informal auctions held several times a month. They offer a great venue for modestly valued items that may comprise part of a larger estate or household. While no catalogue is produced for these sales, descriptive lists are available on the first day of preview. As well, our staff is always on hand to advise buyers on items they are interested in. Our commission rate for these sales is a flat rate of 25%. Please contact Ritchies prior to the delivery of any Discovery Auction consignments.

Payment to Consignors
Payment is made 30 business days after the date of sale. Our detailed statements of your account show the price of each item sold as well as the commission paid.