Going, Going, Gone

William Robinson, International Head of Group, World Art, Christie’s, shares the secrets to being a good auctioneer, his favourite works of arts and some tips on being a collector.

- Rama Ahuja

William Robinson heads the global activities of the Islamic, Antiquities and Tribal Art departments at Christie’s, and has been involved in the unearthing of The Bronze Lion, the only known companion piece to what is possibly the most impressive piece of Islamic bronze sculpture in existence, the Griffin of Pisa.

Please tell us a little about how you became an auctioneer? Did you always want to be one? Or was there a defining moment when you knew you had to be an auctioneer? I did not originally intend to become an auctioneer.

I wanted to be a specialist due to my love for the arts, their history and culture in general. I love theatre. When I grew up, I even pursued some amateur dramatics. This came very handy when I was holding my first auction about twenty years ago. But before I was allowed to go on the rostrum I had to undergo a thorough training process to understand the essence of auctioneering.

What are the three qualities according to you that an auctioneer must have? 

Firstly, a comprehensive understanding of the financial side of auctioneering is crucial. A reserve is set on each piece and which is the minimum amount below which the piece cannot be sold. One must coordinate the bids with due etiquette while understanding that commission bids have precedence over telephonic and online bidding. Striking the right balance between these variables and most importantly encouraging more bids out of the assembled potential buyers.