Auctions are a great way to start or add to a collection, furnish a home, purchase a special wedding gift, or own a unique piece of history. And whether they are traditional auctions or online auctions, they can be exciting entertainment, too. But for the many people who are intimidated by auction fears, getting started is half the battle. Leslie Hindman, the Chicago auctioneer and host of two HGTV shows, At the Auction and Appraisal Fair, now shares her inspiring advice on smart buying and selling in Adventures at the Auction. As one of America's best-known auctioneers, Leslie Hindman provides not only what auction-goers need to know, but also reassurance and practical information. She arms readers with the ten most common auction myths, the five most common auction blunders, and the five most important criteria for determining value, along with simple auction basics and hundreds of tips on strategy. She covers buying and selling from beginning to end, with ideas that will inform the seasoned buyer as well as the novice. Then, to inspire readers with the possibilities, she identifies twelve popular categories where bargains still exist, from books to silver to timepieces. Along the way, she entertains with anecdotes from her own twenty-five-year career as an auctioneer. Best of all, for those who want to attend auctions only at home, Hindman includes "On the Internet" sections throughout the book, describing the joys and pitfalls of buying and selling online. As a bonus, she offers glossaries of terms for both traditional and online auctions, a list of Internet acronyms, a directory of auction houses, and a color section that shows, step by step, item by item, what to look for when checking out a potential purchase. Whether you want to go to an auction or log onto eBay, Leslie Hindman's Adventures at the Auction is an invaluable companion. From the Hardcover edition.