An auction is like a rock music festival. They both start out with relatively minor performers and build steadily to the bigname acts.

The stars of a recent auction held in Richmond by Motley's Auction & Realty Group included a linen press made around 1790. As the catalog described it, the tall, elegant form was attributed to the School of Henry Ingle in Richmond. Made of mahogany with yellow pine as a secondary wood, it was listed in good condition. Its pre-sale estimated value was $23,000 to $30,000.

The floor of Motley's Auction & Realty Group (above) draws a standing-room-only crowd the night of an antique and estate auction. The face of a tall case clock (below left) up for bids. Maura Dovel (below right) raises her bidding number at the auction. As are many bidders, she is a dealer in antiques.

The linen press was the Rolling Stones of the auction. Of course, the Stones don't have to wait on stage while the other acts do their thing, as the linen press did.

That didn't dim its moment in the lights, though.

The entertainment value of auctions is undeniable, but people aren't there simply to enjoy the show. Many – if not all – of them are interested in buying a part of the show. And that's where the comparison to rock shows ends.

Auctions naturally attract dealers, who value the low prices auctions often offer. As a rule of thumb, many dealers re-sell items at double their auction prices. That's why auctions also attract collectors, who are hoping to save money by cutting the middleman dealer out of the equation.

Auction crowds are certainly diverse. Darrell Olgers, Motley's antiques and estates director, says families sometimes attend his company's auctions, and many regular customers have attended them for decades. Arthur Garthright, a Motley's employee, described auctions as "social events."

"It's very interesting work," he says. "You don't have many re-runs. It's different pieces, different people."

Monica Lloyd, who attended the Motley's auction with her husband, Kenneth, started collecting as a hobby.

"We bought an old farmhouse and bought furniture for that," she said.

Then she started buying pieces for other people. Eventually, it grew into a business. The couple opened Willow Antiques on Broad Street Road in Maidens seven years ago.

"I really enjoy it," she says. "I've kind of made another family with return customers. My customers come to me and tell me what they're looking for and their price range."

As her husband pointed out, buying what you like, whether you're a dealer or a collector, is important. "If you really like it and end up keeping it, at least you like it."

Bob Mayo, a retired dealer who ran Gallery Mayo on Grove Avenue for 37 years with his wife, Margaret, has attended Motley's auctions since the late 1950s. A specialist in American paintings, he now collects for himself as well as for friends and family. In addition to attending auctions, he also visits estate sales and buys items through private sales.

Auctioneer Mark T. Motley, president of Motley's Auction & Realty Group (above), directs the lively bidding. Cabell Metts (below left) takes over some of the auctioneering chores. Seen to the left of Metts' arm is the star of the show, a Virginia linen press from around 1790. It ultimately sold for $35,000. Kim Thomas (below right), a sales and design consultant at Motley's, holds up a clock so that the bidders can see what's on the block.

He likes coming to Motley's auctions, he said, because they offer "nice pieces at a fair price."

The linen press's moment of glory came nearly six hours into the auction. It was the 496th item out of 552 offered that day. Some people in the room, not knowing its value, gasped at the opening bids.

The auctioneer set the pace, building urgency with the rising cadence of his voice. Several staff members held phones to their ears, taking bids from individuals who weren't able to attend the auction in person.

At first, as the bidding reached a crescendo, it seemed that the winning bid would come in by phone. In the end, though, an individual in the back of the auction room placed the winning bid of $35,000. With the 15 percent buyer's premium, the total price came to $40,250. (See Advice to Bid By to find out why the winning bidder may have chosen to sit in the back.)

"It was purchased by Gates Antiques in Midlothian, bidding on behalf of a collector," Olgers said, adding that the price "pretty much represents what a collector would be willing to pay."

The auctioneer led a round of applause in the bidder's honor.

For their part, the Mayos went home with a few smaller items, including a 12-gallon stoneware jar and a two-gallon stoneware jug. Both were made in the 19th century. Mayo said they didn't come to the auction looking for them, but the pieces appealed to him, and their prices were unbeatable.

Advice to Bid By

1 Auctions give you a chance to examine items during a preview in advance of the actual sale. Take advantage of it. Bring a flashlight and open cabinets, peer up the pieces' dusty undersides, and generally treat them the way you would a used car for sale. Most auction sales are final, so this is your best chance to confirm the auction is offering something worth your time and money. 2 Armed with your auction catalog and the knowledge you gathered at the preview, you're now ready to do your research. "If you don't have the expertise, go to a dealer you trust or the auction house and get information from them," says Bob Mayo, a retired antiques dealer. Online searches can give you backgrounds on styles and their strengths and weaknesses, and – perhaps more importantly – you can get a feel for what similar pieces are selling for in the current market. Mayo also recommends spending time in a museum, studying pieces in the style you're interested in bidding on. 3 You've done your homework, and you know what the auction items (or at least the ones in which you're interested) are roughly worth. Now comes the fun part – bidding, right? Not quite yet. Seating comes first. Savvy bidders choose the back rows. "I get a better chance of being hidden from the competition," Mayo says. So show up early and grab a seat at the back of the room – and fly under the bidding radar.

Retired dealers Robert and Margaret Mayo often buy at auction for themselves and for family and friends. They ran Gallery Mayo on Grove Avenue for 37 years. 4 Finally... the bidding. Researching and mulling over a certain item can provoke tunnel vision, so keep a clear head. Most importantly, set a limit on how high you're willing to bid – and stick to it. The impulse to outbid a rival at all costs can be expensive. Even Mayo, a seasoned buyer, admits he sometimes exceeds his planned high bids. "You get bidding and you say, 'I don't want him to have it, regardless.'" 5 The purchase. Most auction sales are final, and the deal is settled up on-site. Come prepared to pay for your items and be ready to get them home that day, if necessary.