In pictures: The Auction House Dubai in Al Quoz

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  “An auction is the only way you can get more money for your items; it’s about negotiating up,” says Morgan, a Dubai resident of 14 years. “Everything else in this country is negotiating down – the classified websites, for example.”

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  The Auction House Dubai is the country’s first low-budget, general-sale auction, providing a fun opportunity for people who can’t afford to bid for a vintage Rolex watch or a piece of fine art.

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  Morgan and his team do home appraisals and will not accept anything that is “Ikea, Dragon Mart or that sort of ilk”.

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  They accept virtually all indoor and outdoor furniture in “good or very good condition”. They also take pieces of art, mirrors, decorative pots, electrical goods, lamps, rugs, chandeliers and other ­miscellaneous items.

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  The auction staff recommend reserve and guide prices, but the final figure is decided by the owner. “We give advice and recommendations,” says Morgan. “We try to keep the guide price low so more people bid. There’s no point setting a very high guide price that will deter anyone from bidding. It’s the same with the reserve — people need to be ­realistic.”

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  Everyone attending an auction must put down a deposit in exchange for their numbered paddle. It’s Dh750 to enter the auction of items less than Dh1,000, and Dh1,500 to enter the sale of lots for more than Dh1,000. The money is returned in full at the end of the auction if no bids are won.

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  The 10,000-square-foot auction warehouse in Al Quoz is split into two. Items in one half go under the hammer on Friday; the rest goes up for sale on Saturday. These are again split into two auctions: one for pieces with guide prices lower than Dh1,000 and one for the more expensive pieces. Any items that don’t sell on the first day are put into the following day’s sale.

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  If again they fail to sell, the owner has three choices: remove the item from the auction house; lower the reserve and pay Dh100 to keep it in the next week’s auction; or pay Dh100 to keep in the next auction and keep the reserve the same. The purpose of the Dh100 fee is to stop people from abandoning unwanted furniture indefinitely.

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  Of the 382 lots in the less-than-Dh1,000 auction, most pieces were sold for less than their guide price. A handful of lots went unsold because the winning bid didn’t meet the reserve price or the items didn’t attract any bids.

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  All auction experts recommend setting a budget before going to the sale.

The Auction House Dubai, run by expatriate Francis Morgan, holds four sales every weekend with guide prices ranging from about Dh50 to Dh20,000. The 10,000-square-foot auction warehouse in Al Quoz attracts attendees generally looking to furnish their homes for a cheaper price. All photos by Rebecca Rees for The National.