In attempting to analyse this question a perspective starting point was created by the excellent conference organised by valuation & litigation consultants Drummond Read Associates at Southampton Institute early last year. entitled "Bewildered and Confused? - Internet options for the Auctioneer" , sponsored by the Antique Trade Gazette & Safe onLine. I will also briefly look at some of the excellent gateway & information sites that have assisted in the proliferation of public interest in Antiques & Collecting.

Firstly however, I interestingly mention the organisers & the main sponsor of the above event, because they will heavily feature in my personal viewpoint. This view is based on my own opinion & that expressed by others from professional auctioneering practises. Coupled with my experiences within that profession, I intend to show some of the different & diverse kinds of effect the World Wide Web has had on the market. However, these effects are quite different from the viewpoint apparently perceived & expressed by Colin Read[2] in his letter to the Gazette, when he talks about "Internet auctioneering no longer revolutionary, but mainstream." A view with which I wholeheartedly disagree, as I will later explain.

As an attempt at a chronological order of events & thinking, I will mention the delegates at the Conference who addressed it. They were of course enthusing their own company's professionalism & expressing opinion heavily slanted to their position in the perceived market idea. Service provider speakers from companies were: Sothebys.Com, Icollector, Ibidlive, Gavelnet.Com & QXL.Com.

It became apparent that some of the speakers, particularly the American delegation from Gavelnet, led by Mr. Chris Efird[3] had no idea about the UK Auction market. However, he delighted the audience with his blissful ignorance when speaking about British auctions being "hot"[4] and his idea of moving to real-time auctions to get the "big-fish"[5] with "big money"[6]. His view was that these clients wanted "instant action" and to know they had purchased immediately in real time, not wait for seven days to find out their results from "period"[7] on line auctions. Unfortunately, he told the conference that he had flown in specially to address the delegates, which was apparently a remark made to impress, but I felt it had the opposite effect.

He spoke of "24/7[8] auctions" and in jargon that was completely alien to the fine gentlemen auctioneers of the Shires[9]. His ideas went down like a damp squib and he is now back in the USA, unfortunately without a Company, having recently been drawn into liquidation.

The feelings of the majority of traditional auctioneers present appeared to view Internet Auctions with some suspicion. It was apparent that they certainly weren't going to share their hard earned commission with an Internet company. However what the positive part of the day did was to stimulate debate and interest in the whole idea. The business of the Internet as a marketing and advertising tool in other more traditional practice was the topic on delegate minds.

Not purely deemed to be a "revolutionary"auction tactic as perceived by Dotcoms & Internet Organisations. It certainly stimulated a series of letters between readers of the Antique Trade Gazette. Two contributors expressing views, Tim Stothert [10]and Myles Wynn Cato,[11]appeared to agree that the Internet would never replace shopping or bidding at live auctions.

The view of the former gentleman is expressed very well in an extremely good example that he gives. He makes the valid point in relation to photographs of items either glamorising or detracting from their actual condition. Drawing the analogy that valuers at auction rooms are always reluctant, if not hesitant, from estimating an item from a photograph. They would rather see it in the "flesh" before committing themselves. "Yet here we are," he exclaims, expecting customers to buy items only seen from photographs on the Net![12].

The latter writer furthers his agreement with that view, making the point that he is an Art dealer with a web site. He appreciated the potential that his small presence will bring his business, as an initial viewing point for his stock. However, he wouldn't expect anyone to buy anything, other than a cheap print, without seeing it & handling it in person. He further states that to attend a live auction & interact in the whole experience of it, is the true excitement, which can never be replaced. He doesn't expand on his thoughts, but he suggests that Web activities will never kill the live auction.

It is then, with some surprise to me, that the letter from Colin Read, (previously referenced) takes such a strong stand against Mr. Stothert's viewpoint. Mr. Read makes sarcastic comment relating to "his dusty views". A reference is also made to comment in The Timesby William Rees-Mogg [13]. Mr. Read alludes to Internet auctioneering no longer being revolutionary, but mainstream. Furthermore, on conceding that traditional auctions will survive, he points out that auctioneers will get their feet wet, like King Canute, if they don't adapt to this mainstream revolution, in the next ten months.

A contrary view then expressed by Malcolm Hord,[14] Chief Executive of LAPADA relating to "opinion & experience" being essential to "pricing & confidence," & asking the question- "where is that in an Internet auction?" The debate interestingly went further when a rather humorous article appeared on 8^th April, from Martin Spencer-Thomas,[15], one of those fine stalwart auctioneers of the shires from Exmouth in Devon, with over 30 years in practice. His view was couched in the question, "who needs who in this dot com revolution?" His view encompassed many topics & although, I thought, written in a light-hearted manner, was conclusive in its objective points. His ultimate conclusions were that the dot coms needed the auctioneer, more than the other way round. A view I also held at the time, in agreement with many other 'working Auctioneers' & which was shared with Martin Spencer-Thomas, when attending the conference with him. My opinion was, & still is, an echo of another colleague, David Ship, of R.Warry Auctioneers in Dorset who voiced that "Internet auction companies would only ever be shop windows for sellers, but without any price tags." I heard for myself the efforts that the dotcoms were making to look for partners in their enterprises, because they had no goods to sell themselves!

There is now, even at this moment, a lawsuit threat to the acknowledged world leader & long established American starter of ecommerce sales. This refers to a duty of care issue against Ebay.com,[16] whereby faked autographed sporting memorabilia were sold. If the findings are for the plaintiffs in the case, reverberation through ecommerce could be devastating to solely dotcom companies. It is felt in some quarters that the trade could collapse under the bureaucratic measures that would be needed to vet items in the future. There is also the danger that public perception of ecommerce attitude could affect sales in the long run.

It is now even more apparent, than it was to some of us at the beginning of last year, now over eleven months have passed & the revolution is still not here. Will it arrive in relation to the selling of quality goods, fine arts, antiques & collectables?

One prime reason for this lack of instant revolution to buy "on the net" is because clients want to feel the goods, handle, examine, and have opinions expressed to them in the majority of cases. The only goods selling in bulk over the Internet are similar day-to-day commodities from companies with guarantees of quality control, the lesser quality goods & the rubbish! There appears to be an interest in low to medium value items, but even in that field there are problems being highlighted all the time as previously reported. Reports are being continually received of "Dotcoms" not "lasting the course". Their initial bouyancy and infallibility not being matched by the ability to adequately influence the market place and I respectfully suggest there will be more casualties amoungst them too.

Consider also Sotheby's position when recently telling a Cotswold Art Dealer that he had purchased a painting Lot and confirming sale by Email. The dealer, upon that notification immediately sold the painting on.[17] He was informed a week later that it had been withdrawn by the seller, after the hammer had fallen- figuratively speaking. The dealer is of course pursuing a legal remedy for loss.

Sotheby's & others who have invested millions in the launch & maintenance of their sites are conducting specialised sales throughout the world. However, the professional view appears to be that no client is going to part with a great deal of money at an Internet auction for an item not personally seen, as previously mentioned.

Sotheby's net loss of 5.7% for the second quarter of 2000 is blamed on Internet costs of 13.9M. to run against 10.7M. in losses.[18] QXL has also been under performing & I expect that their rapidly falling share price, through lack of confidence, by the market, may soon reach an incredible all time low. These facts must be put into context when both Phillips & Christies,[19], report that conventional sale figures are up this year.

QXL appears to be having a hard time of propagating the market, when only in February, they were telling delegates at the conference that they had 56% of the EU market. I had actually asked Hugh Scully,[20] how they were going to operate a viable on line valuation service by photographs, which was also part of their Internet strategy. The question of the Insurers accepting a claim for loss against a valuation made purely on photographs was uppermost in my mind, I told him. QXL, I was informed, had agreement at Lloyd's underwriters to a maximum of £1000 cover, after which they would have to dispatch a real person to undertake a proper personal valuation visit in every case.

The full value & potential of the Internet has still to be realised in the U.K. The true effect it has had on the market of fine & allied arts, antiques & general auction goods is in really the information technology boom it has provided. This coupled with its use, as a marketing tool, the offering of goods & services as part of an existing companies business strategy, is the real impact it has had on the Antiques Trade.

Even the most unpretentious Auction House can now offer its existing services & items lotted into their sales to a potential worldwide audience. Potential bidders can view catalogues on line & sometimes the images too, assisting their decision whether to enquire, to buy, to go to, or leave a Commission bid at, the Auction Room.

The essential difference is of course that the company physically exist, the lots can be seen & personally examined. They will almost certainly have a public indemnity Insurance & a duty of care.

The way that a conventional Auction rooms use the Internet is fundamentally different to a purely dotcom organisation. No longer do dealers in search of bargains travel miles alone, along winding country lanes to the isolated village hall on the green to find their treasures. When arriving today, they find the car park already full because the provincial auctioneer is "On the Net". If he is really a modern entrepreneur, he will already have his own site. More likely he will use a gateway site like Thesaurus[21], now Invaluable[22] to circulate his lots as well. Other gateway sites like Auctionnews.co.uk. give listings of events all over the world.

An interesting development of course, with the advent of the Internet is the increased awareness of items being offered at auction everywhere. Collector's, dealers & just about any other interested party are able to find a possible sale of the items they are seeking. This fact coupled with Week-end viewing, which assists the general working public, is enabling auctioneers to sell direct to them or the final buyer or the interior decorator. The middle- man[23] & "the runner" [24] are now being slowly cut out of the equation.

This also has had the effect, in recent years, to suppress the unwelcome & abysmal practice activities of the so-called "Ring"[25]. This is an unlawful agreement by dealers to suppress the bidding in open auction by agreeing not to bid against each other & share a profit by conducting their own auction later.

It is a practice that is only likely to exist where there is a weak-minded auctioneer, although it is still thought to exist in some particular city auctions for particular goods. Dealers & others, who participate in these practises, not only break the law, clearly legislated against by Parliament but become the leeches of the antique world & also give it a bad name.

It is not cavalier to indulge in these practises, like some game or "Lovejoy"[26] character & those that proliferate stories of 'Ring' practise give themselves no credibility whatsoever. Fortunately, as already mentioned, it is my opinion that these so called 'paragons of virtue'[27] will be stamped out of business, purely because of heightened awareness of goods in auction through their increased circulation by electronic technology & the added generated competition to acquire them. This is another specific effect I conclude that Website activities have had on the antiques trade, by reaching a far greater audience, it is no longer the closed shop [28]activity of many years ago.

Finally, I would like to focus upon the better points of Internet activity that have had a profound effect on the Trade. This is the setting up of "Gateway"[29] & portal sites not only by the business community, large & small, but also by Institutions, Universities, Colleges & Libraries etc. to assist with knowledge & information for collectors & researchers alike. In this way business & trade is certainly stimulated in all quarters of the market & indeed in all parts of the UK.

I believe by proper planning, pricing differences, within the auction Trade, will eventually be equalised nation-wide. The Antiques Trade Gazette is the first site I would like to mention, for not only keeping the Trade & Public informed through their newspaper, but for their website too & by producing an excellent guide to the Internet called Internet Directorywhich is free to readers of their journal. Some of these sites I now proffer as splendid examples, sites like the Getty Institute[30] with unlimited free access to all categories of diverse information for research & comparison purposes. Certainly in the tradition of long established in house & on site antiques auctioneers, like Christies.co.uk [31].

The American idea of "flash"[32] advert sites & "hyperlinks"[33] to buy goods & services are not conducive, in my opinion, to the sale of Fine Art or indeed Antiques at any level. However, sites like iCollector.com[34] has a surprising free database search capability for market price comparison. Sadly, of late the company is experiencing marketing problems.

The next area worthy of mention is trade organisations like LAPADA, & Associations of Art & Antique Dealers, professional organisations with public liabilities & principal-led trading. Associations like NAVA, the National Association of Valuers & Auctioneers, with codes of ethics & professional practice amongst its members. Provincial auctioneers with personnel of high integrity like Alan M. Smith, FRICS, FAAV of Thomas.Wm.Gaze.co.uk [35] in East Anglia, whose partners & staff of professionals maintain high standards of accountability.

Continuing as enduring businesses, grasping & using modern technologies to formulate local, national & International business strategies. Smaller auctioneers, like Martinspencerthomas.co.uk in Devon. Valuers sites containing interesting articles, specific information, interactive quizzes,gateways to professionals of integrity like antiquevaluers.co.uk[36], hyperlinks to UK Regional Valuers.

The revolution is not here, as perceived by Colin Read, but in a very British way, it appears to be progressing quite nicely. The World Wide Web, in these Isles is assisting even the smallest competitor to stand in the International & World-wide market place, shoulder to shoulder, with the "Big Boys". More & more people within Antiques & Fine Arts are not only using the Web as a business tool or as an extension of International advertising to support their marketing strategy, but are also contributing to the initial idea that the internet is an Information highway to share with everyone "logged on & surfing"[37]!