Antiques and art at auction in Middle Tennessee
Antiques and art with a maker, a signature or a story are what an antique auction in Middle Tennessee is built for. Common Hour comes to see the pieces where they sit, tells you what belongs at auction and finds the right place for the rest. The consultation is free, so ask before you haul anything off.
Is this the right fit?
Handmade furniture, mid-century pieces, pottery with a maker's mark, old advertising and art with a name attached all belong at auction. Things you could buy new online today do not, and neither does anything with a hundred listed right now. Those things still have somewhere to go: in a full engagement we place them with the right buyers. If a painting or a chest belongs with another auction house or a specialist, we will send you there.
How it works.
Stop before you haul
Do not donate, refinish or throw out anything yet. Plain-looking things can matter more than the shiny ones: a marked crock, an old store sign, a signed print in the back hall. Send a few photos or call.
We come take a look
We walk the house, the attic and the outbuildings with you. Undersides, signatures and marks get checked, and we ask what you know about where each piece came from.
Build the plan
Everything gets sorted into three groups: pieces for auction, pieces for a specialist or another auction house, and the rest. You see the plan before you commit.
Catalogue and go to market
Each lot gets photos and a plain description, and the story goes in when you can tell it. The sale is marketed nationally and held online, in person or both. Descriptions are not warranties, so bidders inspect and verify on their own.
Close the sale
Bidders pay in full within 24 hours of the close, through the escrow agent. Lots are released after payment clears, and buyers arrange transport and labor in the published pickup window.
Disperse the rest and settle up
In a full engagement, what did not go to auction goes to vintage clothing stores, bulk buyers, scrappers, metal buyers or cleanout crews. Then we settle up with you.
Who handles what.
Common Hour handles
- A free look at the pieces where they sit
- Sorting what is auction worthy from what belongs elsewhere
- Cataloguing lots and marketing the sale nationally
- Referring pieces to other auction houses and specialists
- Placing the rest with vintage clothing stores, bulk buyers, metal buyers and cleanout crews in a full engagement
- Setting a published pickup window for buyers
You handle
- Leaving everything in place until we have looked
- Sharing what you know about makers, dates and where pieces came from, along with any old receipts or letters
- Deciding what stays with you before the catalogue goes out
- Checking with your estate attorney or the court before selling anything from an estate
How fees work.
Two numbers matter on an antique sale. Seller's commissions are set at the auctioneer's discretion and depend on what you have, where it is and what the job takes, so one signed painting and a full house are different jobs. Bidders pay a standard buyer's premium of twelve percent of the hammer price under Common Hour's auction terms, unless modified in writing, and all of it is laid out before you commit.
Commissions and fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable.
Questions about antiques and art.
What are antique auction commission rates?
There is no single rate. Seller's commissions depend on what you have, where it is and what the job takes, and they are laid out before you commit. Bidders separately pay a buyer's premium, twelve percent of the hammer price under Common Hour's auction terms unless modified in writing. Commissions and fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable.
How does an estate auction in Tennessee handle antiques?
Much like any other sale, with one extra step up front. The person in charge of the estate confirms they can sell, usually with their estate attorney or the court. Public bidding and written terms suit an estate because the sale is open for anyone to see. Tennessee probate questions belong with your attorney.
Is there an antique auction in Nashville I can attend?
Most of our sales run online now, so you can bid from Nashville or anywhere else. When a sale is held in person, its listing says where and when. Either way, the buyer arranges transport and labor, and lots go out in the published pickup window.
What belongs at an antique auction in Tennessee?
Think in three groups. Collectibles include pottery with a maker's mark, advertising signs and art with a name attached. Unique pieces include handmade furniture and heirlooms with a story. Vintage covers mid-century furniture, vintage clothing and retro kitchen pieces. If you can buy it new online today it is probably not an auction item, but ask first anyway.
Should I clean or refinish a piece before the sale?
No. Leave it as you found it and send a photo. Old finish, wear and marks are part of what bidders look for, and stripping or repairing a piece can remove them.
I need a value for the estate, not a sale. Can you help?
Common Hour does not do appraisals. A stated value for an estate comes from a qualified appraiser, and your estate attorney or the court can tell you what is required. When you are ready to sell, call us at 971-400-6420.
