Information

Technical information for bidders

You can bid on Virág Judit Gallery’s auctions the following ways:

  1. Through the online auction platform of Virág Judit Gallery
  2. In person
  3. By a written absentee bid
  4. By phone

1. Participation in online auctions - Terms and Conditions

If you do not wish to attend the auction in person, you can now follow the auction live via the online auction platform of Virág Judit Gallery.

You can participate in our online auctions following the pre-registration.

During registration you must provide your personal information, username and password.
The information you provide will be treated confidentially in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

How to register?

  • On Virág Judit Gallery’s website, click the Live Auction button.
  • The online auction platform appears.
  • Click the Register button in the upper right corner.
  • Enter your personal information, e-mail address, and password.
  • You will receive confirmation of successful registration by e-mail.
  • After registration, enter your e-mail address and password to reach the online auction platform by clicking the Login button.

WE WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU THAT WE CLOSE ONLINE BIDDING REGISTRATION 24 HOURS BEFORE EACH SALE. PLEASE REGISTER ON TIME!

How to bid on the online auction platform?

  • The online auction platform shows the photo of each lot, their current price and the next bid in the order of the sale.
  • You can bid by clicking the Bidding button below the selected lot. You will also see the full amount payable multiplied by the buyer’s premium.
  • If you have submitted the highest bid, the system indicates with a green button that yours is the winning bid. However, the moment you are overbid, the system indicates with a red button. You then have the option to continue bidding.
  • Before hammering the lot, the system sends you one last audible alert.
  • On the left side of the screen you can follow the bidding process, i.e. whether further bids come from the room or online.
  • On the right side of the screen you see the auctioneer.

2. In person

All bidders are requested to use their paddle when bidding in order to helpmake the auction process more effective. The use of numbered paddles will help the auctioneer to identify one’s bid. In case one’s bid has been accepted, please ascertain that your paddle number has been registered.
In case of any problems, please notify the auctioneer immediately.

3. By an absentee bid

Bids can be made in person, through the commercial agent, by phone, by email and trough the online auction platform.

The following rules shall apply:

The Commercial agent will make every effort to secure the item at the lowest price to the absentee bidder. In case two absentee bids of the same price indication are submitted for one auction lot, the one submitted first will take precedence. Please always indicate your price limit where you would stop bidding for the item if you participated in per-son at the auction. Absentee bids submitted without a price limit indicated will not be accepted.
If during the auction the same amount is received from a bidder in the room as the maximum amount specified within the absentee bid form for the very same lot, the absentee bid enjoys priority.

We can accept an absentee bid submitted though the online system no later than 24 hours before the start of the auction.

You can cancel your online absentee bid 24 hours before the auction date.

4. By phone

You can submit a telephone absentee bid via telephone, email or in person.

The purchase price shall be settled in cash, by credit card.

In case of wiring please indicate the amount in HUF in order to avoid EXchange rate differences.

NAME: Mű-Terem Galeria Kft.
ADDRESS: Falk Miksa u. 30., 1055 Budapest, Hungary
IBAN: HU17 10300002-20116523-00003285
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 20116523-00003285
BANK ACCOUNT: 10300002
SWIFT: MKKBHUHB
BANK: Magyar Külkereskedelmi Bank Rt. – Hungarian Foreign
Trade Bank Ltd.
BANK ADDRESS: Váci u. 38., 1056 Budapest, Hungary

Buyers can take possession of purchased items at the auction venue on the day of the auction or in the Mű-Terem Gallery (30. Falk Miksa utca, Budapest between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p. m. on workdays.)

Other informations

What kind of paintings or other objects do you deal with?

Virág Judit Gallery deals with high quality 19th and 20th century Hungarian paintings and with secessionist Zsolnay ceramics.

How can I find selling prices?

The hammer prices are available in the 'current auction' section, starting the day after the auction and are downloadable from this website. Upon request, we also send the list of results by fax or mail.

Where is the auction saleroom located and where are the exhibitions on display?

The auctions are held in the Budapest Convention Centre (see map in the contact section). The auction exhibitions are on display at Virág Judit Gallery's premises and generally open 10 days prior to the auction date. Exhibitions are also held periodically at the Virág Judit Gallery in Falk Miksa street.

How do I get information about your auctions and exhibitions?

We always publish the dates of auctions and exhibitions on our website. If you would like to receive personal notification about our events, please phone or mail us.

What are your opening times?

Opening times: (apart from the auction season): Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The auction exhibitions are open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

About bidding and participation

What is the best way to learn about a lot that interests me?

The auction catalogues contain all available information about the lots. The best way to learn about an item is to visit the pre-auction viewings. If you are unable to attend the exhibition, you can also request a condition report and if you wish, we also send you additional photographs of framed paintings.

How can I participate in the auction, what is the process of bidding?

If you wish to bid in person, please take time to complete bidder registration at the entrance of the Budapest Convention Centre. You will get a bidding paddle, with which you can bid during the auction. The venue of the auction is the Patria room. You can signal your bidding intention by raising your bidding paddle. The photo of the current lot as well as the current amount (in HUF, EUR and USD) are available on the screen above the stage.

What are the standard increments?

The auctioneer will increase bidding in the following regular amounts (usually by 10 %):
100 000 HUF - 200 000 HUF by 10 000 HUF
200 000 HUF - 500 000 HUF by 20 000 HUF
500 000 HUF - 1 000 000 HUF by 50 000 HUF
1 000 000 HUF - 2 000 000 HUF by 100 000 HUF
2 000 000 HUF - 5 000 000 HUF by 200 000 HUF
5 000 000 HUF - 10 000 000 HUF by 500 000 HUF
10 000 000 HUF - 20 000 000 HUF by 1 000 000 HUF
20 000 000 HUF - 50 000 000 HUF by 2 000 000 HUF
50 000 000 HUF - 100 000 000 HUF by 5 000 000 HUF
100 000 000 HUF - 200 000 000 HUF by 10 000 000 HUF
above 200 000 000 HUF by 20 000 000 HUF

What happens, if I am the successful bidder?

When a lot is sold at the auction, a document about the purchase will be bought to you for your signature. This document will be registered with the cashier and then returned to you, together with the certificate (and a small gift). If you are a VIP cardholder, you do not have to do anything more. If you are a new customer, you will have to pay a 23% deposit at the venue. We also accept credit cards (VISA, Mastercard) as guarantee.

How can I bid if I can't come to the auction in person?

If you cannot or do not wish to participate in person, you can leave an absentee bid or bid by telephone. In both cases, you have to fill the absentee bid form that is downloadable here (In case of telephone bidding you do not have to indicate the maximal hammer price, however, if you are not sure that you will be available during the auction, you can opt for stating the maximal hammer price. It means that if you are not available when your chosen item is on, the phone bidding colleague will execute your bid up to your limit for that item)

When and how will I know whether I was the successful bidder?

We notify all absentee bidders on the day after the auction.

What is the process of phone bidding?

At the beginning of the auction a member of our staff will call you to check whether the line functions properly. If you need the amount of current bid in EUR or USD, please tell our staff member at this point. Afterwards, you will be called prior to your chosen item(s) and you can participate live. Please note, that the prices indicated in the catalogue are starting prices (minimal prices) and we cannot accept bids under this amount. When leaving an absentee or phone bid, you are required to pay a deposit of 23% of the item's starting price. In the case of unsuccessful bidding, this amount will be reimbursed without any deductions. In case of successful bidding the amount of deposit will be taken into account. We also accept a credit card as a guarantee for your absentee bid (we will need your card number, expiry date and CVV code).
This is only for guarantee purposes and we won't withdraw money from your account without consulting you.

Can I modify my phone or absentee bid prior to the auction?

Yes. You can modify or cancel your bid up to 24 hours before the auction.

When will the auctioneer offer my lot for sale?

The auctions commence at 6 p.m. and the usual speed of the auctioneer is 60-100 lots per hour.

How can I learn about the conditions of sale?

The full text of conditions is available in the relevant section on this page, but generally there is a 23% buyer's premium above the hammer price.

How do I pay for my purchase?

Payment methods include cash, credit card (Visa and Mastercard), wire transfer (At the auction's venue we can accept only cash deposits)
The necessary account information for wire transfer:
Name: Mű-Terem Galéria Kft.
Address: Falk Miksa u. 30.
Bank: Hungarian Foreign Trade Bank Ltd. (MKB Rt.)
Account number: 10300002-20116523-00003285
IBAN: HU 17 10300002 20116523 00003285
SWIFT: MKKBHUHB

If you wish to wire the money, please indicate the amount in HUF (if it is possible at your bank) or tell your bank to wire the corresponding amount in your currency. The exchange rates listed in our catalogue are only for information purposes and the current daily exchange rates will be used on the day of your payment's arrival. In case of wiring, please make sure, that your payment arrives to Virág Judit Gallery's account not later than 10 days after the auction.

When and where can I collect property I have purchased?

If you pay the full purchase price at the auction venue, you can collect your property immediately. After the auction the lots are delivered to Virág Judit Gallery (Falk Miksa u. 30).

What shall I do, if I intend to export my property?

If you wish to take your property out of the country, you will need an export permit. Virág Judit Gallery arranges the necessary permit free of charge for you, but please indicate when you will need a permit on the absentee bid form or inform us no more than 1 week after the auction. Please note that it will take approximately 1-2 months to get the permits.

What does it mean when an item is marked as protected?

The items marked PROTECTED in the catalogue cannot be taken out of the country. Should it happen that your chosen item becomes protected prior to the auction, we will inform you of this. All non-protected items are exportable.

How much does it cost to package and deliver a painting to a foreign country?

It depends on the wrapped weight of the painting and on the destination. We can recommend several transport companies and you can choose the most suitable option.

How can I order the auction catalogues and books?

You can order them by telephone or e-mail. One catalogue costs 4 000 HUF + postage