A Guide to the Top Auction Houses in Adelaide
Some items are just too expensive if you buy them brand-new. Furniture, machinery, equipment, and even paintings sometimes go way beyond our budget.
When we wanted some new chairs but couldn’t find one that fits our budget, we came across an auction ad, and that’s how we got into bidding!
After joining auctions for years, we’ve listed some of the best auction houses we’ve been to and the ones we are yet to try but are highly recommended by our peers!
Furniture Auction Houses in Adelaide
With the rising prices of houses, worrying about the expensive price of brand-new furniture is just something most of us don’t want anymore. To avoid that, check out these auction houses that offer pre-loved furniture!
The Auction Rooms
Location: 22 Hindmarsh Ave, Welland, South Australia 5007
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
The Auction Room specialises in estate clearance, downsizes, and domestic clearance, so they have heaps of furniture waiting for you to check out and purchase.
The best part about this house is they hold regular auctions every second Thursday of the month, giving you more chances to attend their auctions and find something you’d like.
Moreover, there’s a high chance you’ll get an item for a bargain price, so just keep attending their auctions and checking out their catalogue.
We once got a chestnut drawer at a much lower price than we expected, so if you’re patient, you might get good furniture too.
They post their catalogue on the Wednesday before the auction, so it’s best to check it first before joining the auction the next day.
| Pro Tip: If you’re looking for cheap furniture, browse their catalogue because they have a lot of items that are at a bargain price. |
Small & Whitfield
Location: 1 Unley Rd, Parkside, SA 5063
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Small & Whitfield has been in the auctioning industry for over 38 years, so it’s not surprising when you hear South Australians recommend them. In fact, we came across the auction house because of a friend who bought a chair from them.
The house specialises in Victorian-style antique furniture, so it’s a great place to drop by if you’re looking to build a Victorian home. They also have fine art, jewellery, and collectables.
As for selling items with them, it usually takes months before your item is presented in an auction since they have a large stock. We suggest coming to them if you’re not in a rush.
| Pro Tip: Always check out the description of their items and visit for inspections to ensure that the descriptions are accurate. |
Machinery and Equipment Auction Houses in Adelaide
Got a business that needs some machinery? Here are the top auction houses that you can visit to get them!
Kearns Auctions
Location: 2A Burwood Ave, Nailsworth, SA 5083
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Established in 1930, Kearns Auctions is one of the most trusted auction houses in South Australia for both buyers and sellers.
They offer a wide range of products, but they specialise in office and domestic equipment, mobile and static machinery, boats, and vehicles.
Their upcoming auctions include bank notes, trinkets, bits and bobs. They have speakers, turntables, amplifiers, clocks, bait feeder and bait runner reels, electrotherapy machines, and more, so if you’re interested, you can register for their auction.
They have quite a large following in Adelaide, so the competition is almost always tight. As such, some items can be expensive.
| Pro Tip: Make use of their online bidding system to avoid the hassles involved in physical auctions. |
Evans Clarke National
Location: 616 Torrens Rd, Woodville North, SA 5012
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
With their extensive catalogue and almost 30 years of experience, it would be surprising not to see Evans Clarke National on this list.
Although we’ve only bought wines from them, we’ve heard many praises from clients who bought machinery from them, so we have quite a background in their machinery and tools catalogue.
They have a wide range of products listed, including adjustable height platform trolleys, dishwashers, forklifts, vans, aircon, carpet cleaner, saw, drills, and more, so those looking for second-hand machinery will have a field day here.
Most of the people we know who bought machinery from them have assured us that the product descriptions are quite accurate, so they got what they expected during delivery. However, we still advise buyers to do thorough research before placing a bid.
| Pro Tip: Browse their catalogue online and make a list of the things you’re interested in before coming to the warehouse to save some time. Their warehouse is 8,000 square metres, so it will be hard if you don’t have a list. |
Mason Gray Strange Auctioneers and Valuers
Location: 370 Torrens Rd, Kilkenny, SA 5009
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Mason Gray Strange Auctioneers and Valuers specialises in heavy machinery and equipment and is one of the auction houses that’s highly endorsed by the local government.
Their upcoming auctions include trucks and motor vehicles, mill drills, air compressors, tractors, mining spare parts, pumps, industrial plants, and more.
The best part about this auction house is they usually have items that are at a price lower than we expected, so scoring a bargain is not that hard.
The staff at the site are helpful and friendly, so you get a lot of guidance. You can also place your bid online, making their auctions more convenient and accessible to everyone.
| Pro Tip: Make sure that you’re ready to pick up the item you purchased as soon as the day ends because they’re very strict with prompt pick-up. |
Art Auction Houses in Adelaide
A painting on the wall just adds character to the house, so we totally get why many buy them.
Here are some auction houses in Adelaide that offer high-quality paintings.
du Plessis Auction
Location: 1 London Rd, Mile End, SA 503
Operating Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
du Plessis Auction has been conducting auctions since the mid-60s and has built a reputation for auctioning high-class items for art enthusiasts.
The house specialises in fine arts but also offers antiques, wines and vehicles, so you should be able to find an item that will catch your attention.
Perhaps it’s the long years of experience, but the staff are very well-versed with each of the pieces that they have, so walking around the gallery and looking around felt fulfilling.
If you have some art items that you want to sell, try considering them as your middlemen. They have an extensive collection throughout Australia, so they can present your item to a much larger audience.
| Pro Tip: Don’t purchase the catalogue at the reception desk. They already have a catalogue in each auction room, and they’ll be sufficient while you inspect their items. |
Scammells
Location: Unit 18/2-20 Magill Rd, Norwood, SA 5067
Operating Hours: Monday: 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Friday: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
It’s so hard to find auctioneers who offer full-service auction rooms these days. Luckily, we came across Scammells in Norwood.
From appraisal, packaging, transport, and research to auction, the house provides everything for its clients. Transacting with them is just so convenient, whether you’re a buyer or a seller, so many Adelaideans choose them.
On top of that, they ship interstate, so even avid fans of auctions from outside South Australia leave bids.
As for the sellers, the house sells quite a lot a week because of their reach, more than 1,000 usually. Thus, if your item gets accepted, you have a high chance of getting it sold.
| Pro Tip: Download the Scammells app to make bidding more convenient. Also, create some alarms on the app to help you win. |
Elder Fine Art
Location: 106 Melbourne St, North Adelaide, SA 5006
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Elders Fine Art is for those who want a fun yet competitive bidding experience. They have some of the most knowledgeable and humorous auctioneers in the state, so auctions are always filled with enthusiasm from the crowd.
They also have quite a large following in the state, so the auctions can get quite competitive. Just be patient, though, because you have a lot of chances to win.
The house focuses on paintings and antiques, with some of them being imported from different parts of the world. Their pieces usually range from $500 to $50,000, with an extensive range of art styles and artists.
| Pro Tip: If you’re a big fan of local artists like Albert Namatjira, Kevin Charles Hart, and Bernard Hesling, this is the perfect place for you. |
