The Auction House Simulator
For iPhone and iPad · Out now on the App Store
Run your own auction house.
Going once, going twice, and then paddle 52 goes up after all. You appraise at the counter, inspect with the magnifier, put the catalogue together and take the rostrum. The room decides whether you were right.
iPhone and iPad, iOS 18 or later. No account, no ads, plays offline.
Customers at the counter, the magnifier, the catalogue, the rostrum. Week by week your house grows, from a backyard to a palace.
“This was up in Gran’s attic.” They all say that. Sometimes it’s even true. You listen, appraise and make an offer: buy the piece outright or take it on consignment. Some customers drive a hard bargain, and nobody’s patience lasts for ever.
With the magnifier you search the piece for clues. The movement number doesn’t match the case, and the mark looks restruck. An appraisal settles it, except appraisals can be wrong too. Put the lot up anyway? Sooner or later someone in the room will notice.
Pewter tankard, sewing machine, longcase clock, tin car, tiara, classic car. Over a hundred pieces from twelve departments, rare unique pieces included, every one drawn by hand. Each arrives at the counter in its own condition, with genuine signs of wear and a story. Not every story is true.
You start in a backyard, with little money and no reputation. Appraise well and stage your sales cleverly, and you move up, through five tiers to World Class: a bigger saleroom, more storage, a coffee bar, experts for new departments, and one day jewellery and classic cars. Your reputation tells you what the next tier requires. The house grows with you, for all to see.
The saleroom
Paddles go up, the telephone rings at the side. You choose the increment, warm up the room and bring the hammer down; on iPhone you feel every bid in your hand. Bidders who love a piece bid more. Sometimes the press sits in the back row, sometimes a row breaks out in row 3, sometimes the power goes and only the torch can find the paddles.
The workshop
At the workbench you lend a hand yourself: take off old varnish without rubbing through, piece broken china back together, retouch losses in the right shade, tighten loose screws without overdoing it. Felix von Brushmore, your restorer, looks over your shoulder. Get it right and the piece gains a star; botch it and it loses one.
The bank
When cash runs short, the Honest & Grabbe Bank steps in. At the counter, chief clerk Gustav Honest waits with your statement and a firm view of your situation. Three interest rates, fixed instalments, and anyone who doesn’t pay will hear about it. His partner, Mr Grabbe, is rarely seen.
Your house
The “Your house” widget shows your auction house on the Home Screen and Lock Screen, by day and in the evening. Run up to twelve houses side by side, at three difficulty levels. If you like, compete on the leaderboards and back up your houses automatically.
The competition
The old firm in town has often made your customers a firm offer already. “€520, firm,” says the customer, and looks at you. And now and then the week brings an event that calls for a decision. Sometimes it pays to say no.
Just you, the hammer and the room.
There’s a tip jar on the office cabinet. Drop something in if you like; it gives you no advantage in the game.
What has crossed the rostrum across all houses so far. Counted as the game is played.
Counted anonymously since statistics began. Game euros are play money; no real money changed hands.
The counter, the magnifier, the saleroom, the workbench, the bank and your house. On iPhone, and on iPad with more room.
Out now on the App Store
The Auction House Simulator is here, for iPhone and iPad. Open your house in a backyard and work your way up, week by week, all the way to a palace.
iPhone and iPad, iOS 18 or later.
