MBS Virtual Auction
One of the most exciting components of the Movable Book Society conventions is the silent auction, featuring untold numbers of great pop-up and movable books. This year, in the face of an unprecedented number of donations AND rising conference costs, we wanted to offer a PRE-conference auction. (And rest assured: there will still be September silent auctions that will cater to both in-person and virtual attendees.) Think of this first auction as a chance to defray the costs of our keynote speaker’s flight from Germany, or the added audio-visual costs of running a virtual conference. It’s also an opportunity for The Movable Book Society to assist in placing carefully-collected books into the hands of new collectors.
Accordingly, here’s all you need to know about:
The 2023 Pre-Conference Movable Book Society Virtual Auction
The auction…featuring 50 wonderful and collectible pop-up and movable books and ephemera…is now open for preview (but not bidding). The 8 days of previews will provide ample time to leisurely view each item, check your wallets, purses, and bank accounts, and register for the auction. The auction will open for bidding at noon EDT on Thursday, June 29 and run through noon EDT on Sunday, July 2.
To access the site during either the preview or open auction, go to: https://app.galabid.com/
The auction is being run by GalaBid, a highly-rated and secure site that has been used by major corporations (including Ronald McDonald House Charities and Hilton Hotels). The platform itself is entirely free for the MBS to use, but you may be asked for a small contribution with a successful bid…entirely optional.
You’ll need to register for the MBS Virtual Auction on site. Required information includes your complete name, valid email address, password, and phone number. The first time you bid you’ll be asked for credit card information. You can choose to bid anonymously (your name will not be listed as the high bidder), otherwise, your name will appear next to your bid. Following the auction’s close, you’ll receive an email with your winning bids and amount due and a link to submit payment. ALL funds raised will go directly to the Movable Book Society to support the 2023 Cleveland conference.
To Register via browser
Visit: galabid.com/
Click on the ‘Register‘ button
Enter your details and click ‘Register’
You will then receive a text to your mobile phone with a verification link. Either enter the verification code into your device, or simply click the link in the SMS to login. You are now ready to bid.
As with the live auctions at the MBS conferences, the bid you submit is the bid listed. We’ve all become use to eBay-style “proxy bidding” where you name a maximum bid and the site will act as a proxy, upping your bid as other bids arrive. NOT HERE: if you bid $200 for an item starting at $2, a $200 bid is shown and the auction continues from that point.
All bids include FREE shipping in the United States. PLEASE NOTE: We welcome bids from other countries and will apply $5 per winning item to shipping, but you will receive a second invoice from the Movable Book Society to make up the difference between the invoice you receive from the auction and actual postage costs. Please do not bid unless you are willing to accept full international shipping fees.
If you have specific questions about any item or the auction in general, please contact Larry Rakow at wonderlandbooks100@gmail.