Bidding Instructions - Ways to Bid

Updated: September 6, 2026

Auctions are a practical way to acquire Western Americana when you understand the process before you bid. Before placing any bid:

• Read the current Conditions of Sale.
• Preview the lots (online and/or in person when preview is offered) and decide what the item is worth to you.
• Confirm when and where the auction takes place.
• Understand that fees such as buyer’s premium, tax, and shipping/handling are governed by the Conditions of Sale and the specific auction or lot listing—not by older blog summaries.

Registration

Registration for the auction is required. Western Trading Post generally requires basic contact information and a payment method on file. After you are approved for a sale, you receive a bidder number and can bid in the channels offered for that auction. App download, account creation, and register-to-bid steps are here: How to Download the Western Trading Post Auction App, Log In, and Register to Bid.

Questions and preview

Ask questions and preview lots before you bid. Auction representatives are available by telephone and email during published business hours prior to the sale. Live preview, when offered, follows Western Trading Post’s posted hours and ends when the auction begins; online preview is available once an auction is posted.

Descriptions and photographs are prepared carefully, but condition and attribution involve judgment. Condition is the bidder’s responsibility to assess before bidding. Any return rights are only those in the current Conditions of Sale.

Bid increments

During live bidding, increments are ultimately at the discretion of the auctioneer. Online increments are preset for each auction when it is posted and can differ by sale. Always use the increments shown in the auction you are bidding in—do not treat a historical schedule as current.

Ways to place bids

In-person live bidding

Traditional floor bidding: register on site, then bid by raising your hand or bidder card. Make sure the auctioneer acknowledges your bid.

Absentee bidding directly with Western Trading Post

After you register and receive a bidder number, you may leave absentee bids by phone, in person before the auction, or by email before the auction. An absentee max bid is an instruction for Western Trading Post to bid on your behalf up to that amount, competitively against other bidders, aiming to secure the lot at the lowest amount necessary up to your maximum.

Ties and execution details during live calling follow auction-room practice; if you need a special execution instruction (for example, jumping immediately to your maximum), tell Western Trading Post when you leave the bid.

Absentee / pre-bidding online

Western Trading Post offers online absentee and pre-bidding on its website and, for some sales, other platforms. Register or log in, then bid the next increment or leave a max bid. A max bid is executed by the system only as needed to keep you winning up to your maximum (subject to that auction’s rules, including any reserve).

Online simulcast live bidding

Interactive live online bidding may be available on Western Trading Post’s site and other platforms used for a sale. Registration for a platform usually covers both pre-bidding and live bidding on that platform for that auction. Internet delay is possible; many bidders leave a max absentee bid and then watch live to raise if needed.

Telephone bidding

Phone bidding is offered as a convenience. Register and receive a bidder number first, and notify Western Trading Post of your intent to phone-bid before the auction (advance notice preferred, often a day or more) so a representative can be scheduled. Call 520-426-7702 to arrange.

Timed auction bidding

In a timed auction, lots are open for a stated period. The system prioritizes earlier identical bids and can execute max bids automatically up to your maximum. Closing rules—including any anti-snipe extension—are set for that timed auction. Check the auction listing for the extension behavior that applies; do not rely on an older fixed minute count from this article.

More on formats: Timed vs live auction.

Shipping

If you win a lot and need shipment, shipping, handling, and insurance are generally the winning bidder’s responsibility under the Conditions of Sale. Western Trading Post can assist with shipping for many items after funds clear. Handling/packaging charges and postage vary by lot—see the catalog/lot listing and the current Conditions of Sale rather than any fixed dollar amount published in older guides.

App and current auctions

Get the Western Trading Post Auction app for Android or Apple devices.

View current auctions.