Christie’s | “A performance art”: The secrets of a Christie’s auctioneer

Hugh Edmeades is responsible for over £2.2 billion in sales at the world’s biggest auction house.

Here, he presents his expert advice for would-be auctioneers 

‘It’s showtime,’ declares Hugh Edmeades, Christie’s International Director of Auctioneering, who has conducted over 2,300 auctions since making his debut in August 1984 — selling over 300,000 lots for more than £2.2 billion.

‘Auctioneering is a performance art,’ Edmeades continues. ‘Our stage is our rostrum, and our only prop is our gavel.’ With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Edmeades is an expert performer, and now manages a select group of 65 men and women responsible for taking Christie’s sales across the globe. Many are graduates of his highly competitive ‘Auctioneering School,’ run every two years for Christie’s staff.

| Auctioneers must enjoy themselves, and the bidders will too |

In this video, Edmeades gives an exclusive insight into the rigorous training his potentials undertake. ‘If an actor doesn’t know his or her lines, then they cannot truly perform their part. And with auctioneers, if we don’t know our numbers and our increments then we cannot truly sell,’ he insists. 

His other nuggets of wisdom are more subtle, though no less important — from encouraging auctioneers to adopt bright accessories, to using hand gestures. Perhaps the most vital is a sense of enthusiasm. To succeed as an auctioneer, Edmeades says, requires speed and energy: ‘Auctioneers must enjoy themselves, and the bidders will too.’ 

As Edmeades approaches the 22nd anniversary of his first sale, that sense of enjoyment remains palpable — shining through a now expertly-polished performance.

JAMES BOND SPECTRE: THE AUCTION

To celebrate the release of Spectre on digital HD Blu-ray and DVD, Christie’s and EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Twentieth Century Fox present a unique opportunity to acquire memorabilia from the 24th film in the James Bond series. Highlights include an Aston Martin DB10 with a plaque signed by Daniel Craig (the only DB10 ever to be offered for sale to the public), a prototype Omega Seamaster 300 watch worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond and other spectacular props from the film.

Auction Times > Feb 18, 7:30pm, Lots 1-10 

Sale Location > 8 King Street, St. James’s, London

 

Christie’s: James Bond Spectre – the auction

This February, Christie’s is to celebrate the release of the 24th Bond film with charity auctions, live in London and online. Here highlights – including an Aston Martin DB10 and Q’s laptop — and how you can bid.

The 24th film in the James Bond series, Spectre, is to be released on Digital HD, Blue-ray™ and DVD on 9 February in the US and on 22 February in the UK. To mark the occasion, Christie’s is to present a unique opportunity to acquire memorabilia from the film — with 24 lots straight from the archives of EON Productions, as well as donations from Daniel Craig, director Sam Mendes, actor Jesper Christensen (Mr White in Spectre, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace), Bond producers Michael G.Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and artist Sam Smith, who co-wrote the official award-winning Spectre theme song. All proceeds will benefit Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), other charitable organisations, and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS).

 

 

The live auction on 18 February is led by an Aston Martin DB10, one of the series of DB10s designed and engineered by Aston Martin exclusively for James Bond, Spectre, illustrated above. Most of the DB10s were modified for use in the filming of Spectre, but two of those produced were kept back as show cars, for display purposes only, and this is one of them. The car is expected to realise between £1,000,000 and £1,500,000 and is to date the only DB10 to be released for public sale by Aston Martin and EON Productions. This is the only car that includes a special plaque signed by Daniel Craig and was displayed at the world premiere of Spectre at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Aston Martin has been associated with the James Bond franchise for over 50 years, with the DB10 model featuring in the latest Bond film, Spectre. 

Omega Seamaster 300 watch worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond. Estimate: £15,000-20,000. To be offered in Spectre — The Auction on 18 February at Christie’s in London

Additional highlights of the live sale include the Omega Seamaster 300 watch that was worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond, estimated at £15,000-20,000, while our online-only sale is to feature the laptop used by actor Ben Whishshaw as Q, estimated at £4,000-6,000, and a pair of Tom Ford ‘Snowdon’ sunglasses, worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond, estimated at £4,000-6,000.

Q (Ben Whishaw) using his laptop on set. To be offered in Spectre — The Auction, 16-23 February, online

Worn by Daniel Craig in the opening scene of Spectre, James Bond’s blue ‘JB’ Tom Ford cufflinks are to be offered in the live auction, along with the Spectre Blu-ray™, signed by Daniel Craig, estimated at £3,000-5,000. The live auction and online sale take place in the same month that Spectre is released on Digital HD, Blue-ray™ and DVD in the US (9 February) and UK (22 February).

Commenting on the sale, David Linley, Honorary Chairman, Christie’s EMERI, said: ‘As a life-long James Bond fan it gives me great pleasure for Christie’s to be part of this James Bond Spectre charity auction, celebrating the 24th film in the franchise. All proceeds of the auction will benefit Médecins Sans Frontières, other charitable organisations, and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). We are proud to continue Cubby Broccoli’s philosophy of giving something back.’

 

Spectre, is to be released on Digital HD, Blue-ray™ and DVD on 9 February in the US and on 22 February in the UK

The online-only sale is to feature 14 of the 24 lots available, with bidding open from Tuesday 16 to Tuesday 23 February at christies.com/spectreonline. The remaining 10 lots will be presented in a live auction, held at Christie’s London on 18 February. Although the live auction is invitation-only, internet and telephone bids will be open to anyone who wishes to take part in the sale.

SPECTRE © 2015 Danjaq, MGM, CPII. SPECTRE, 007 and related James Bond Trademarks, TM Danjaq. © 2016 Danjaq and MGM. All Rights Reserved.