Most of you have hit upon the reasons I basically have quit participating in auctions. As far as I'm concerned auction houses are just a rip off any more.
This "buyers premium" gouging was started many years ago by the big houses such as Christies, Park Bernet etc. Now Barney's corner auction company is doing it. You would think that they would have lowered the percentage charged to sellers with this charge to the buyers but it still runs between 10 and 20%.
Greed pure and simple.
Jim

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