500Nitro

Usually buying directly for a client, on their instructions in exchange for a fee, so not to resell retail.

But ..you are right, buying anything at auction is a problem because the prices become common knowledge.

However it doesn't affect some things

Last month, at an auction at Sotheby's in London, a rare Nasrid "ear dagger" from fifteenth century Spain sold for Au3.7 million ($6million). It was reportedly bought by the Doha Museum of Islamic Art. The weapon, named for the two circular "ears" on its handle, fetched the top price during London's Islamic Art Week. Yet six months earlier, the dagger was sold for a far more modest price of e1/4210,000 ($290,000) at Czerny's auction house in Italy.

Nice profit in 6 months $5,710,000! Especially when it was said to be a FAKE!