Gibson's Auctions

About Gibson's Auctions

Gibson's is a multi-department auction house in Melbourne, with its saleroom on High Street in Armadale. It covers furniture and decorative arts, Australian, Indigenous and international art, Australian history, Chinese and Asian art, fine jewellery and watches, and luxury goods. It also arranges private sales of significant value.

The house is best known for its single-owner auctions. Each live auction comes with a print and digital catalogue and a staged saleroom display.

History

Gibson's was founded by Jennifer Gibson in 2018 with a team of experienced industry professionals. Since then it has grown quickly into a major name in the Australian auction market and has built a strong reputation for presenting single-owner collections. Recent collections offered include those of Paul Guest OAM KC and Peter de Campo.

What Gibson's sells

The specialist departments are listed below.

• Important and single-owner collections
• Australian and international art
• International decorative arts
• Fine furniture and 20th century design
• Chinese and Asian works of art
• Fine jewellery and watches
• Luxury
• Australian maritime and exploration

The sales calendar has several formats. The Seasonal Auction Series is a set of multi-vendor sales of 500 to 1,000 lots, covering fine furniture, paintings, decorative arts, ceramics and porcelain, sculpture, silver, Asian art, rugs and carpets, and lighting. Twice a year, Interiors and Private Collections auctions bring together three to five smaller collections. Themed sales include The Design Sale, Prints and Multiples, Luxury, and a Summer Art Online sale.

Selling at Gibson's

Sellers can request a free, no-obligation estimate or valuation appointment with a specialist. The standard vendor commission is 17.5% plus GST. This covers insurance, storage, cataloguing, research, photography and marketing. Commission is charged only on items that sell, and a small lot handling fee may apply.

Buying and bidding

The conditions of sale set a buyer's premium of 25% of the hammer price, including GST where applicable. The house's timed online auction page quotes 22% plus GST. Winning bids placed online carry a surcharge on top of the premium.

• In the saleroom: bid with a paddle.
• Online through gibsonsauctions.com.au or the Gibson's app: 2% surcharge on the hammer price.
• Online through Invaluable: 5% surcharge on the hammer price.
• Absentee and telephone bids, arranged with the team before the sale.

Timed online auctions close lot by lot at one-minute intervals, and a late bid extends the closing time. Payment is due within 48 hours, and purchases must be collected within 72 hours, by booking a collection time.

Bidders in timed online sales must create an account and register, and a credit card is needed for verification. First-time bidders stay pending until a staff member approves them, but they can place bids in the meantime. Those bids are actioned automatically once they are approved. Gibson's also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android for browsing catalogues and bidding.

Location and viewing

Gibson's saleroom is at 885-889 High Street, Armadale, Victoria. Live auctions are displayed in the saleroom before each sale, and visitors are welcome to view or attend. The auction calendar lists upcoming sales and their dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the buyer's premium at Gibson's?

The conditions of sale set it at 25% of the hammer price, including GST where applicable. Online bids carry a further 2% surcharge on Gibson's own platform or 5% on Invaluable.

What commission does Gibson's charge sellers?

The standard vendor commission is 17.5% plus GST. It covers insurance, storage, cataloguing, photography and marketing, and it is charged only when an item sells.

When was Gibson's founded?

Gibson's was founded in Melbourne in 2018 by Jennifer Gibson. It has since become known for its single-owner collection auctions.