Welcome to BCL Auction and Appraisal


BCL Auction is the largest auction company in St Louis, Central Missouri and Western Illinois. We have over 40 years of professional auction and asset appraisal experience. BCL has sold thousands of items for our clients in our restaurant supply, heavy equipment, farm equipment, heavy machinery, home goods, tools, medical equipment, store closing, inventory reduction, real estate and land plot online auctions. We make selling your items or bidding in one of our auctions simple and easy.


Contact us today to see how our proven platform of Commercial & Industrial Auctions, Certified Appraisals and Asset Recovery Services can help you!


Featured Auctions

With our 40 years of experience conducting thousands of auctions, BCL Auction has perfected the online auction process. View our current auctions to find great deals on restaurant equipment, new overstock inventory, office furnishings, a variety of commercial business assets, and more. Check out the thousands of items currently up for auction and start bidding online today »

View Current Auctions


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To learn more about BCL Auction’s services, please contact us.


Auction News

  • https://www.bclauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scooter-3.jpgBCL Is Auctioning nümi Scooters!

    numi-scooter Have you always wanted a way to zip around your neighborhood with ease? If you're just popping into the grocery store to grab a few items, why not hop on your very own nümi scooter! Regardless if you live in a rural or urban area, a nümi scooter is the perfect way to get around quickly while feeling the breeze on your face and the sun on your back. Each nümi scooter is eco-friendly and low-maintenance with a stylish design, making them perfect for college campuses, city neighborhoods, and anyone who loves fun transportation! While these little beauties run at $2,999 at retail, BCL currently has an open online auction that features several nümi Scooters. Place your bids before 8 pm CST on April 13th to ensure that you are whipping around the block in style. Before you place your bids, we would love to tell you a little bit about how awesome nümi Scooters is! nümi Scooters provide college students with an ideal mode of transportation. These motor scooters help students save precious cash as they do not run on gas. Since most college students aren't traveling much further than the campus from day to day, there is no need to waste resources on a gas-guzzling car, truck, or SUV. Even more advantageous, if you buy directly from nümi, they will ship the scooter directly to the college campus of your choice! numi-flex-400-for-sale With a passion for a clean and safe environment, nümi Scooters does their part to help support and protect healthy environmental conditions. For every scooter or electric bike sold, nümi proudly donates 2% to the Rainforest Foundation. This amazing foundation protects indigenous communities right to their ancestral lands and prevents companies and corporations from tearing down the live-saving forest. The rainforest harbors the vast majority of plants that are used to create medicines and trees that provide the planet with oxygen. nümi also only produce 100% electric bikes and scooters to keep emissions low and terminate the need for gasoline. BCL is auctioning several models of the nümi scooters, nümi Flex 400 and nümi Elite 800, Elite 820, and Elite 840. The retail price for the Flex 400 will run you $1,299.99, while the Elite 800 and 840 are priced at 2,999.00, and the Elite 820 costs $3,299.00. If you've been dreaming of your very own nümi forever, now is the time! Place your bids through our website and let us know if you have any questions! Happy bidding!

  • https://www.bclauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/estate-sale-finds.jpg5 Items to Buy from Estate Sales

    You may skip them thinking that you're not looking for vintage pieces. However, estate sales are the perfect place to pick-up everyday items at an affordable price. It is important to bring money with you to an estate sale, as you can get the best deal if you can haggle with cash. If you're thinking about finding the best bang for your buck at an estate sale, here are the items that you should keep in mind. 1. Silverware. Purchasing brand new silverware at a local department store can be extremely pricey, especially if you get all the bells and whistles like the serving spatulas, the pickle forks, and the cutlery. It is possible to find stylish, beautiful, and complete sets at a fraction of the cost of other stores, such as Bed Bath and Beyond or Macy's. Before you spend hundreds of dollars on a brand new set of silverware, scour estate sales to find a deal! 2. Big Furnishings. Big pieces of furniture such as bookshelves, credenzas, and buffet tables are more commonly made of particle board than solid wood in today's market. When you do find a piece that is made entirely of oak, maple, or mahogany, you will most likely find a price tag that might shock you. At an estate auction, it is increasingly possible to find furniture made from solid wood costing less than many pieces you'll find at IKEA. 3. Dishware. If you're looking for new dishes, estate sales are the perfect place to go! Regardless if you need something for everyday use or you would like to pick up fine china to set your dining room table, estate auctions and sales often include complete sets of dishes. Buying eight place settings from Target or Wal-Mart typically cost a couple of hundred dollars, so finding a cheaper and higher quality set you can save yourself some money. 4. Table Linens. Linens such as tablecloths and napkins are a staple of any refined table setting. When rummaging through the items at an estate sale, you can find beautiful linens for far less than the discount stores sell them. It makes more sense to purchase dining linens at an estate sale if you will only use them once or twice. Why spend department store prices for an item that will only be used a couple of times? 5. Glassware. Vintage glassware can add a colorful pop to your kitchen or dining room. When an estate is selling glasses and barware, you can often get them for as little as $1 per item. By purchasing glassware at estate sales and auctions, you can get the glasses you need for your home and have enough left in your pocketbook to fill them with your favorite libations. While you can find an array of items at an estate sale, these five are always worth your time. With such significant savings, it is almost atrocious to spend the extraordinary amounts that department stores charge. You can even find estate sales online saving you a trip! What is the best item that you have ever purchased at an estate sale? This article was inspired by huffingtonpost.com. Check out their site for more insightful information!

  • https://www.bclauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/live-auctions-bite-the-dust.jpgGoodbye to the Auction Cry

    For those of us who have ever been to or seen a live auction, you will remember the way the auctioneer calls out the items up for bid. This method of repetition is known as the auction chant or the auction cry. When chanting, the auctioneer will call out the current bid price and the price that will outbid. In between the numbers, the bidder might use filler words such as "can I get a" or "how about", so the bidders and the auctioneer himself have time to think about what will come next. Each auctioneer has their own style, but the common goal is the same: Let the bidders know the price of the item and how they can beat it. The auction chant will continue until bidders are no longer making offers. Typically before closing, you will hear the auctioneer chant "Going once, going twice, sold!". This auction cry is now disappearing due to online opportunities. Sellers of everything from restaurant equipment to construction equipment and beyond realize they can get their material in front of more people with a two-week online auction than they can with a 2 or 3-hour live sale. As online auctions provide visibility to a larger crowd, they also increase the amount of capital that a seller can receive for the items they are selling. Regardless if you are auctioning estate items that you inherited or equipment from a business venture that you are no longer pursuing, people are more likely to get higher prices for their items when they can get the material in front of more interested buyers. While BCL Auction is happy to help clients increase their profits, we are sure sad to see the auction chant slowly disappear. What are your thoughts? Will you miss the auction cry or are you happy to see it go?

  • https://www.bclauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Top-Bidding-Tips-Feature-Image-1.jpgBest Bidding Strategy for Online Auctions

    Best Bidding Strategy for Online Auctions

    What is the point of wasting half your day bidding in an online auction if you don't win the item, right? Many people compete in these auctions every day with hopes of winning everything from government used property to estate sale items to restaurant equipment. Whether BCL Auction, e-Bay, or another online platform, we have compiled the best strategies for actually bidding to win. 1. Begin with a higher bid. Typically, people place their first bid as low as they can with hopes of getting the item at a much lower rate. This plan backfires on many occassions, as keeping the bid price low only invites more potential buyers. If you offer a larger chunk at the beginning, you will cut some of your competition. 2. Immediately match bids. When you're fast to provide a higher offer, you essentially intimidate other bidders into thinking you won't quit. This is a psychological tactic that frightens off other bidders. 3. Study your opponent's pattern. Once you know how your competitor's play, you can out maneuver their next move. Do they always bid in round numbers? Do they start small and end big? Vice versa? If you can predict their behavior, your chances of winning increase. 4. Understand when it's over. Overpaying for an item is not in your best interest. If you mark your bottom line and stick to it, you won't end up regretting the process. One foul auction win can be devastating for your funds. It's important to know when enough is enough. Online bidding is a great way to get items you need at a lower rate that market value. However, don't let the fight to win cloud your judgement. Play to win, but know when it's time to go home. What other strategies do you use when bidding online? This article was inspired by reverseauctionguide.com (http://www.reverseauctionguide.com/best-bidding-strategies/).

  • 5 Items That Don’t Auction as Well as People Hope

    Five Items That Don't Auction Well

    Items That Don't Auction Well BCL Auction has been in the industry for over forty years. We have auctioned items from estates and businesses alike, and there are always things that people believe to be big ticket items but are not worth as much as they would hope. Below are the five most common things that don't hold the value we would expect.
    1. While property prices continue to elevate, homes are the most commonly over-estimated asset a person owns. While you may have just completed a ton of renovations, it is seldom that homeowners get back all of the capital they put into rehabilitating and upgrading their homes.
    2. Children across the United States have been collecting sports cards for decades. Rare cards can be worth unsettling amounts of money. However, people forget these sports cards are only worth what someone else is willing to pay. We don't suggest banking on retiring this way.
    3. Jewelry typically has significant meaning to the individual who owns it, but it is not wise to expect to see the same return on your used or inherited jewelry. Much like cars, jewelry depreciates nearly as soon as you walk out of the jewelry store. Most people end up selling family jewelry at a substantial loss.
    4. After a death, many believe they can sell their family's antique furniture for a killing. Antiques are just not in demand as they have been in the past. More and more households prefer a modern style, and spending an arm and a leg for out-dated fashion just doesn't fit their budgets.
    5. You may have inherited fine china from an aunt or grandmother with the hopes of selling it for a large profit. Much like antique furniture, this vintage china only holds sentimental value. Daily routines have changed and maintaining an extra set of dishes is not something modern families do.
    Can you think of other items that don't hold their value like they used to? What about an item that is increasing in value? Let us know what you think! This article was inspired by cheatsheet.com. See their site for other tips!

  • https://www.bclauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/industrial-bakery-equipment-auction-BCLAuction-com-649x433-1.jpgBakery Auction Online Now!

    Have you been thinking about opening a bakery? Do you already own a bakery and want to expand or add a location? or, do you own another type of food-service or hospitality business and need commercial baking equipment?

    If any of these scenarios ring true, we have great news for you! 

    The Industrial Bakery Equipment Auction (Former Theodore Bakery) is online now! (more…)


BCL Auction Service Area

BCL Auction in St Louis offers our auction, asset recovery, asset appraisal and receivership services all over the Missouri and Illinois area. Please see the following pages for detailed auction information in your area. We service the areas below and many more!

Joliet, IL, Sauget, IL, Chicago, IL, St Louis, MO, Springfield, IL, Columbia, MO, Springfield, MO, Kansas City, MO, Jefferson City, MO, Jonesboro, AR, Fayetteville, AR, Peoria, IL, Cedar Rapids, IA, Des Moines, IA, Columbus, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Milwaukee, WI, Carbondale, IL, Lake of the Ozarks, MO, Decatur, IL, Bloomington, IL.