Questions & answers

Private bidding, explained.

What is the Private Market?: A register of consigned classic motor cars where verified bidders submit private offers. Bids are never published; each bidder sees only their own position in the order.
Do I need an account to view the cars?: No. Anyone can browse the register and view each lot in full. An account and identity verification are required only to place a bid.
How is identity verified?: You upload a passport or driving licence during registration. The document is checked automatically before bidding is unlocked. Verification is required once, not per car.
Can anyone see what I bid?: No. Amounts and identities are confidential to Hunt & Hammer. You are shown your standing only, for example, second place, with no totals or competing figures.
Is a bid binding?: Yes. A submitted bid is a legally binding offer to purchase at that figure if accepted, subject to the terms shown at the point of bidding.
What fees does a buyer pay?: A buyer's fee of 2.5% plus VAT is added to the accepted bid. The fee is shown alongside your figure before you submit.
When does a lot close?: Each lot shows its closing date on the register and on the lot page. Lots open with a preview period, then run as open for private bids, and are marked ending soon in the final seven days.
How do I sell a car through Hunt & Hammer?: Submit your car through the auction entry process. You choose your reserve and timing, and can photograph the car yourself or use our professional photography at £175 plus VAT, plus transport.
Who handles the sale and paperwork?: Hunt & Hammer in London. The funds are settled through Hunt & Hammer and the V5C documents are submitted to Hunt & Hammer before release.
When does the public auction platform launch?: The full public auction platform is in build. You can register for launch notification from the homepage.
How does a classic car auction differ from a private sale?: At auction the car is offered to a whole register of buyers at once with a fixed closing date, so the price is set by demand rather than negotiation. A private sale is slower and one-to-one. Hunt & Hammer sits between the two: the deadline and competition of an auction, with the discretion of a private sale.
What is the difference between confidential bids and live bidding?: In confidential bidding each buyer submits a confidential offer and nobody sees anyone else's figure. In live bidding, offers are public and buyers react to each other in real time. The Private Market is sealed; the public platform will be live.
Where can I view the cars?: Depending on where the car is, sometimes it is with the seller and sometimes it is with us. But in all cases, it is by appointment. Email admin@hunthammerauctions.com to arrange a viewing.
Can I collect or have the car delivered?: Both. Cars can be collected from London or where the seller is located, only once payment has cleared, or delivered by covered transport at cost. Tell us which you prefer when the sale is agreed.
Can I buy from outside the United Kingdom?: Yes. We regularly sell to collectors abroad and can arrange export documentation and shipping. Duties and taxes in the destination country are the buyer's responsibility.
Do you provide a history and condition report?: Each lot is described by the Hunt & Hammer team with photography and the documentation held with the car. MOT history is shown where a registration is on file, and further inspection can be arranged before the closing date.

Ready to look? View the register or consign a car. Full terms and conditions apply to selling and bidding.