Selling Furniture at Auction in Melbourne vs Online
Compare selling furniture at auction in Melbourne vs online. Understand auction fees, seller commissions, payment times and which furniture suits each option.
Quick summary: Selling furniture at auction in Melbourne suits valuable, collectable or well-documented pieces, because the auction house photographs, catalogues and sells them to bidders for you. For everyday furniture, listing online usually keeps more of the sale price with you, because there is no commission to pay. This guide covers how auction selling works, what two Melbourne auction houses' published terms say, and which route fits which piece.
If you're deciding where to sell a sideboard, a dining suite or a whole house of furniture, the real questions are cost and payment time. Below is what Leonard Joel and Abbeys Auctions state in their own terms, checked in October 2026. Terms change, so confirm everything in your consignment paperwork.
How Does Selling Furniture at Auction in Melbourne Work?
The steps are similar across houses. You send photos or book a valuation, the house gives an estimate, you sign a consignment agreement, the house photographs and catalogues the lot, the sale runs, and you're paid after the buyer pays.
Leonard Joel's Auction Salon is the best example of a weekly cycle. It runs online every Thursday with over 1,000 items, and its furniture sale covers pieces from the 18th century to contemporary. Photography and cataloguing happen on Tuesday, viewing on Wednesday and bidding on Thursday. Leonard Joel offers a complimentary valuation, and you agree any reserve before the sale.
At Abbeys, a valuer must inspect and accept every item before consignment, and drop-off at its Burwood saleroom is by appointment. Its selling page offers a free appraisal from photos and says carriers can collect from your home, with transport usually deducted from proceeds.
What Does It Cost to Sell Furniture at Auction?
The buyer's premium is paid by the buyer on top of the hammer price and isn't deducted from yours. Your commission and fees are separate and come out of your proceeds.
Leonard Joel
- The Salon buyer's premium is 25% of the hammer price, including GST.
- Seller's commission is charged at a rate the company sets or advises, so ask for it in writing. Under its Conditions of Business (as at 24 September 2026), the Online Photography Fee is payable whether or not the lot sells.
- Withdrawing a lot costs 15%, 25% or 30% plus GST of the higher of the average estimate or the reserve, depending on how far preparation has progressed.
Abbeys
- Abbeys' terms list a 24% buyer's premium including GST, an $11 lotting fee per lot per auction and a $5 payment handling fee, as at 7 December 2025.
- Vendor commission is negotiated for large or high-value consignments, so you'll need to ask.
- Withdrawal costs 24% before publication and 48% after.
Neither house lists a standard seller commission in the terms and selling pages reviewed. Before you consign, ask for the commission rate, any lot or photography fee, and the withdrawal terms in writing.
A $500 example. Say a sideboard hammers for $500 at Abbeys. The buyer pays $620 with the 24% premium, but you start from $500 and subtract your negotiated commission and the published $16 in lotting and handling fees. Sold online for $500, you keep $500. Bidding could land higher or lower, so the question is whether bidders pay enough extra to cover the commission and fees.
What Happens If Your Furniture Doesn't Sell at Auction?
This is where terms differ most. At Abbeys, according to its selling page, reserves are only accepted on items over $500. A reserved lot is offered for a maximum of three auctions, and the auctioneer may cut the reserve by 20% each time. If it's still unsold, commission is charged on the initial reserve and you're asked to remove the goods at your cost. Lots without a reserve are re-offered at reduced starting prices, and a lot judged to have no commercial value can be donated or disposed of at Abbeys' cost, with no notice to you. Goods aren't returned unless that was agreed in writing at consignment.
Leonard Joel's conditions let it re-offer unsold lots at later auctions, and later rounds can run at a lower floor or with no reserve. Expenses on an unsold lot are due within five days of the auction, and lots that remain unsold may be donated to charity or disposed of unless you collect them within a day of the final sale. Salon lots that don't sell can attract post-sale offers, which you can accept or decline.
Online, an unsold piece simply stays yours to reprice.
How Long Until You Get Paid After an Auction?
Leonard Joel's Salon page says vendors receive funds seven days after the auction. Its general conditions allow up to 28 days (excluding public holidays) after it receives the buyer's payment in cleared funds. Check your agreement. Abbeys says payment is available no earlier than ten working days after the sale, and only once the buyer's payment has cleared.
When you sell directly, the buyer pays at pickup. Wait for the money to show in your account before the furniture leaves.
Which Furniture Suits Auction?
Pieces with a maker, age or provenance. Auction houses draw collectors and designers, so labelled mid-century, antique and designer pieces fit best. Our guides to identifying Australian mid-century furniture and vintage versus secondhand value show what to look for, and our furniture valuation guide explains how to get a piece assessed.
Pieces in clean, sound condition. Abbeys says items must be clean and in good condition. Lots at both houses are sold as is, and the Salon doesn't provide condition reports.
Pieces you clearly own. Under both houses' terms, you warrant that you own the piece and that it's free from claims, including a claim by a spouse. Clearing an estate? Our deceased estate guide covers the paperwork side.
Auction vs Listing Online: Side by Side
| Melbourne auction house | Listing online on Zirkly | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Valuable, collectable or documented pieces | Everyday and mid-range furniture, sets and single pieces |
| Seller costs | Commission and fees from the hammer price, plus lot or photography fees | Free to list, no seller commission |
| Who does the work | House photographs, catalogues and runs the sale; you deliver or book collection | You photograph, list, answer buyers and arrange handover |
| Price | Set by bidding, with a reserve if agreed | You set the price and can change it |
| Payment | After the buyer pays, days to weeks later | Directly from the buyer at handover |
| If unsold | Re-offered at lower estimates; may be donated or disposed of | Stays yours to reprice or relist |
| What the buyer pays | Hammer price plus a premium | Your price; buyer collects, or you arrange delivery |
How to Decide Which Route to Use
- Get a free opinion first. Both houses appraise from photos, so send anything signed, labelled, antique or mid-century first.
- Decide before you consign. Withdrawal fees apply once a lot is in the process, so choose your route first.
- Price the rest realistically. Our pricing guide helps, and browsing second hand furniture in Malvern shows what comparable pieces are asking locally.
- Split a whole house. Send the few valuable pieces to auction and list the rest online. For bulky items, our guide to furniture delivery options covers how pieces reach buyers.
Once you know which pieces are going to auction, list the rest on Zirkly. It's free to list, you can create a listing from a few photos with AI assistance, and buyers collect from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much commission do Melbourne auction houses charge to sell furniture?
Neither Leonard Joel nor Abbeys lists a standard seller commission in the terms and selling pages reviewed in October 2026. Leonard Joel charges it at a rate it sets or advises, and Abbeys negotiates it for large or high-value consignments. Buyer's premiums are published: 25% at the Leonard Joel Salon and 24% at Abbeys, both including GST.
Do I pay anything if my furniture doesn't sell at auction?
You may. Leonard Joel's photography fee is payable whether or not a lot sells, and expenses on unsold lots are due within five days. Abbeys charges a lotting fee per lot per auction, and commission can apply to the initial reserve if a reserved lot stays unsold after three auctions.
How long does it take to get paid after selling furniture at auction?
It depends on the house and the terms in your agreement. Leonard Joel's Salon page says seven days after the auction, while its general conditions allow up to 28 days after it receives the buyer's payment. Abbeys says no earlier than ten working days after the sale.
Can I set a reserve price on my furniture at auction?
Yes, but the rules differ. Abbeys only accepts reserves on items over $500 and agrees them in writing. Leonard Joel agrees a reserve with you before the sale, and lots with a low estimate under $200 don't get one unless it agrees.
What kind of furniture suits an auction?
Pieces with an identifiable maker, age or provenance, in clean and sound condition. A free appraisal from photos is the quickest check.
Is it better to sell furniture at auction or online?
It depends on the piece. Auction suits valuable or collectable furniture where bidders may pay more. For everyday furniture, listing online avoids commission and fees.
Can I try an auction house and then sell online if it doesn't sell?
Possibly, but check the terms first. Unsold lots can be re-offered, donated or disposed of, goods may not be returned unless agreed in writing, and withdrawal fees can apply.
Do auction houses accept damaged or dirty furniture?
Generally not. Abbeys says items must be clean and in good condition, and lots at both houses are sold as is. A free appraisal will tell you whether your piece suits their sales.
Erica
Zirkly Team
Erica covers interior styling, furniture trends and the vintage pieces worth knowing about, helping Melbourne buyers and sellers make secondhand furniture feel like a deliberate choice rather than a compromise.
