Training for auctioneers

The programme reviews the drafting of general conditions of sale, catalogue descriptions and their effect, warranties of authenticity and condition, limitation clauses and the TAO arbitration clause. Real cases of disputes show the mistakes to avoid.

Participants leave with an updated model of conditions of sale.

An accurate description protects the seller as much as the buyer. The module teaches how to write precise entries, flag restorations, use attribution terms with rigour and document estimates. It covers liability in case of error.

A workshop deals with critical proofreading of real catalogues.

Before putting a lot up for sale, the house must check provenance, the seller's identity, the absence of a BIOP alert and compliance with export rules. The module presents the standard procedure: questionnaire to the seller, research, consultation of databases, documentation.

It also covers anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing.

Online sales multiply bidders and risks: identity, solvency, proof of acceptance of conditions, delivery times, transfers of ownership. The module explains how to secure the process, with a tick box for the arbitration clause and verification procedures.

It presents the framework of platforms approved by OIMAP.

Auction houses can apply for OIMAP approval, granted in five days for €540 excluding tax, and the compliance label (€1,200 a year). Training is one of the criteria. The module details the steps and audits.

A one-year follow-up supports implementation.

The Academy's reception service answers practical questions Monday to Friday, in French, English and Spanish, and can direct each visitor to the programme, scholarship or free resource that fits their situation. A guidance counsellor also offers a thirty-minute individual meeting, by appointment, to build a realistic training pathway.

Trainees' feedback is valuable: each session gives rise to a questionnaire, and the most useful suggestions are examined each quarter by the teaching committee. Do not hesitate to write to report a difficulty, propose a subject or tell us what the training has changed in your practice.