[Archive]

Posted By: Kevin Cummings

In order to avoid the perceived impropriety, neither auction house employees nor consignors should be able to bid on their own items.

That having been said, I don't think there is any way to enforce the rule since an employee can engage a friend to bid on his/her behalf and a consignor (or the house for that matter) can engage a friend to shill bid the item up.

As flawed as the ebay process is, at least in an open auction in that venue you know who has beaten you out for the goods and who contributed to the final selling price.