An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition exist and are described in the section about different types. The branch of economic theory dealing with auction types and participants' behavior in auctions is called auction theory.
The open ascending price auction is arguably the most common form of auction and has been used throughout history. Participants bid openly against one another, with each subsequent bid being higher than the previous bid. An auctioneer may announce prices, while bidders submit bids vocally or electronically.
Auctions are applied for trade in diverse contexts. These contexts...
2021-04-30 Leilão de Concessão dos Serviços de Saneamento em 35 Municípios do estado do Rio de Janeiro - 22.jpg
(São Paulo - SP, 30/04/2021) Leilão de Concessão dos Serviços de Saneamento em 35 Municípios do esta...
A Slave Auction.jpg
19th century engraving depicting a Slave Auction in South Carolina.
An Auction at the Hotel Drouot, Paris.jpg
An Auction at the Hôtel Drouot, Paris
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Auctioneer and assistants, Cheviot, Ohio, 2004, by Rick Dikeman
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Auction Tsukiji fishmarket.jpg
Tuna auction at the Tsukiji fishmarket, around 6:00 AM.
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The Babylonian Marriage Market
Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F004491-0002, Kirschenversteigerung an der Mosel.jpg
For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, whi...
Cattle sale.jpg
Cattle sale, Walcha, NSW
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Farm clearing sale, Woolbrook, NSW. These auctions are often held to dispose of farming eqipment and...
Delinquent property tax lien list.jpg
Pima County, Arizona delinquent property tax list for auction by the County Treasurer. It was a live...
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Double auction.
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Duo Yun Xuan Auction House, Chinatown, Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia
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Artemis? East pediment G, Parthenon, ca. 447–433 BC.
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Fish auction in Hawaii (year 2000).
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An estate agent, John Morrisby, conducting an auction of real estate in Melbourne, Victoria, Austral...
Microcosm of London Plate 006 - Auction Room, Christie's (colour).jpg
Auction Room, Christie's
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A peep at Christies' ;—or—Tally-ho, & his Nimeney-pimmeney taking the Morning Lounge / Js.Gy.ad ...
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Purchase auction/demand auction.
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Supply auction.
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Vase meiping à décor de branches fleuries. Chine, 18ème siècle. Musée Guimet, Paris, Inventory numbe...