Latest Updates | Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Last updated: 11 November 2020
In accordance with the latest government advice and the requirements of the national lockdown, our salerooms will be closed to the public from 5 November - 2 December 2020. We will continue to hold auctions (both Live Online and Timed Online) and our Valuations team are on hand for any advice you may need. Please see below for further details, and please do not hesitate to contact us, if you have any additional queries.
Auction Calendar and Viewing
Please note our sale of Fine Jewellery, Silver, Watches & Objects of Vertu (originally planned for Wednesday 25 November has been re-scheduled to Tuesday 8 December. For details on all forthcoming auctions, click here: Upcoming Auctions.
During lockdown (5 November - 2 December), viewing in person is not permitted but there are a variety of other ways that you can view the auctions:
1)The Online Auction page gives you access to:
- Detailed catalogue descriptions
- High res images of individual lots and in the majority of cases many additional detail images
- Condition reports: many of the lots already have condition reports to view on the website (see text in italics at the end of the description). If you cannot see a condition report on the website, please click the “Ask a question” button to request one.
- A page turning version of the printed catalogue
- A downloadable pdf of the printed catalogue
2) Our Remote Viewing Service allows you to view specified lots via your smartphone from the comfort of your own home at a time convenient to you. Find out more.
3) The Dreweatts 360 Virtual Auction Tour provides a virtual tour of the galleries at Donnington Priory, allowing you to walk through each room, browsing and interacting with the lots as you go, just as if you were there in person. This service will be available for the following auctions:
- 24 November: Old Master, British and European Art | Available from 14 November
Bidding at Auction
Our salerooms will be closed to the public but there are a variety of ways you can take part from the comfort of your own home:
1) Live Online Auctions: These are online auctions with an auctioneer taking to the rostrum on the day of the auction. You can bid online, request a telephone bid or leave a commission (absentee) bid.
2) Timed Online Auctions: These are purely online auctions ie there is no auctioneer. Bidding in online only ie is not possible to bid by telephone or leave a commission bid direct with Dreweatts. The auctions are generally open for a period of 2-3 weeks with lots closing sequentially at 30 second intervals on the final day. Bids can be left at any time via your online bidding account during the 2-3 week period or you can bid live on the final day. Find out more.
For further details click here: A Guide to Bidding at Auction with Dreweatts.
Valuation Services
We will not be holding Valuation Days at our salerooms in November, but our Valuations Team is still on hand to offer any advice. There are a variety of ways you can get a valuation. For individual items or small collections:
For larger collections, to discuss a home visit or any other valuation services, please contact our Valuations Team on 44 (0) 1635 553 553 | valuations@dreweatts.com. For further details on all our Valuation Services, click here.
Online Payment Facility
Payments for sales should be made online or by bank transfer.
Collections
Collections will be available Monday to Friday (9am-5pm) by appointment only and in strict accordance with government Covid-19 regulations.
- To book a collection, please contact: +44 (0) 1635 553 553 | collections@dreweatts.com.
- For further information and details of shippers currently operating under Covid-19 restrictions, please click here.
- Please do not arrange to collect items without having paid online or by bank transfer beforehand.
Payments to Vendors
Payments to vendors for recent auctions will be made as normal as per our Terms and Conditions. For any payment related enquiries, please contact: clientaccounting@dreweatts.com
Measures You Can Take
Our priority is to protect our customers and employees. If you do have an appointment at our salerooms, visitors are required to wear a face covering.
We respectfully ask that you do not enter our premises in Newbury or London and ask that you stay at home if you and members of your household have Coronavirus symptoms, including:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
If you are attending our salerooms in Newbury or London, we ask that you pay attention to your own personal hygiene. As per the government and NHS advice, we ask that you:
- from 8 August, wear a face covering when visiting our salerooms. Visitors are required by law to put their face covering on before entering the premises.
- stay at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from anyone you do not live with (or anyone not in your support bubble)
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- always wash your hands when you arrive at our salerooms
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
- only travel on public transport if you need to
NHS Test and Trace
To improve the trace process, please would clients visiting Dreweatts use the NHS COVID-19 app. The NHS COVID-19 app offers a QR code check-in capability and uses bluetooth technology to track time and distance between smartphone devices. Unique location QR codes are now displayed at each of the entrances to Donnington Priory. Please can all visitors scan the relevant QR code (via the app) when you enter the building.
If you are unable to use the NHS COVID-19 app, please speak to a member of staff and they will take down your contact details should you need to be contacted.
