Musical instrument auctions: violins, guitars and pianos, searched at once
A good violin or a vintage guitar can end up in a general auction described only as "old violin, case included" by a valuer with no instrument expertise, while a handful of dedicated instrument sales get all the specialist attention. Maker, condition and provenance make an enormous difference to value here, and general listings rarely capture any of it.
Why instrument lots get missed
An antique violin, a vintage electric guitar, a brass cornet, or an upright piano is just as likely to surface in a general house-clearance auction as in a dedicated instrument sale, listed with a vague description and no maker identified. Checking every platform every day to catch these is unrealistic for one person.
One search across every platform
Auction Bid Assistant's free browser extension searches the-saleroom, EasyLive, Bidspotter, Invaluable, NumisBids, iCollector and LiveAuctionWorld simultaneously, alongside eBay. A search for "antique violin," "vintage guitar," a maker's name, or "brass instrument" returns matching lots across all of them, with images, estimates, current bids where shown, and sale countdowns, sorted by platform in tabs.
Real results for "antique violin": 100 lots found in one search, from cased violins to bows and instrument accessories across multiple platforms.
It works by searching from inside your own browser, the same as opening and searching each site yourself, just done in seconds. Nothing is stored on our servers, permissions are minimal, and the extension never places a bid on your behalf.
Alerts: for a market where the good ones move fast
A genuinely good instrument doesn't stay unsold for long once collectors notice it, so save a search (an instrument type, maker, or "antique violin" generally) and get emailed the moment a new lot matches it, across all covered platforms including eBay, rather than relying on remembering to check each one.
Want to try before installing?
The same search box works on this website with no install at all for eBay, iCollector, LiveAuctionWorld and Featured Auction catalogues, a quick way to see matching instrument lots before adding the rest of the platforms via the extension.
Built for how instrument buyers actually work
Save any lot with one click from search results, export your shortlist as a printable PDF or CSV before a sale, and on the day itself the optional live bridge feeds the auctioneer's asking price into the free bid calculator, so your maximum (with buyer's premium and VAT included) is always in front of you.
Browse instrument types
Looking for something more specific? These narrower instrument searches cover the most collected sub-categories.
Vintage electric guitar auction search → Antique upright piano auction search → Antique brass cornet & trumpet auction search → Antique banjo auction search →
Common questions
Can I search musical instrument auctions across multiple platforms at once?
Yes, the free extension searches the-saleroom, EasyLive, Bidspotter, Invaluable, NumisBids, iCollector and LiveAuctionWorld simultaneously, alongside eBay, from one search box.
Does it work for guitars and pianos too, not just violins?
Yes, any keyword works, so guitars, pianos, brass, woodwind and other instruments all search the same way across all covered platforms.
Can I get alerted the moment a new instrument lot is listed?
Yes, save a search and get an email the moment a new lot matches it, across all covered platforms including eBay.
Is the extension safe?
It requests minimal permissions, cannot read your browsing history, only reads publicly visible auction listings, and never modifies pages or places bids. No account, no personal data.