# Autographs & manuscripts > Selloff helps specialist houses describe letters, manuscripts and rare books in detail, reach the collectors of each author or period, and sell through live and online auctions. - URL: https://www.selloff.auction/industries/autographs-manuscripts - Language: English - Last updated: 2026-10-07 - Français: https://www.selloff.auction/fr/secteurs/autographes-manuscrits.md ## Challenges - **Long, scholarly descriptions** — A letter or manuscript needs a transcription, context and condition notes, often in two languages. Selloff lots have a title and description, an alternative title and description, and renameable fields for format, pages or date. - **Collectors of a given author or period** — Buyers follow specific authors, periods or fields. Collecting areas on client records, smart lists and campaigns sent through Mailchimp or Brevo help you announce each sale to the right people. - **Questions of authenticity** — A buyer may ask for an expert opinion before paying. Selloff puts the lot in extension and holds the consignor’s payment until the question is settled. - **A catalogue that carries the sale** — Specialist catalogues are read closely, in print and online. Selloff produces the PDF catalogue and publishes the same lots on your website. ## Built for autograph and manuscript specialists Autographs, manuscripts and rare books are sold by specialists to a small, international circle of collectors. Each lot needs careful description, and each sale has to reach the few people who collect that author, period or field. Selloff supports this work from the consignment receipt to the invoice. ## Describing letters, manuscripts and books Every lot has a title and description plus an alternative title and description, for example for a second language ([lot descriptions](https://www.selloff.auction/features/lot-descriptions.md)). Additional fields, named as you wish, hold format, number of pages, date or binding. Photos of each page or detail are attached to the lot, and the [PDF catalogue](https://www.selloff.auction/features/pdf-catalogue.md) and your website ([online catalogue publishing](https://www.selloff.auction/features/online-catalogue-publishing.md)) are produced from the same records. ## Reaching the right collectors Client records store collecting areas based on your categories. [Smart lists](https://www.selloff.auction/features/segmentation-smart-lists.md) select, for instance, every client interested in a given century or subject, and [email campaigns](https://www.selloff.auction/features/email-campaigns.md) pass that list to [Brevo](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/brevo.md) or [Mailchimp](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/mailchimp.md) for the announcement. ## Bidding and after the sale Absentee and phone bids are recorded in the auctioneer's book ([absentee & phone bids](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bid-recording.md)), bids placed on your [WordPress](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/wordpress.md) site arrive in the same book, and online bidders can follow a live sale through [Redpoint Live Auction](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/redpoint-live-auction.md). If a buyer requests an expert opinion, the lot goes into extension and the consignor's payment is held until you close it. Buyers can then pay their invoices online, for example with [Stripe](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/stripe.md). Selloff is used by specialist houses such as Artoria. ## Works with - [WordPress](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/wordpress.md): Run your auction website on WordPress with the Selloff plugin: catalogues, lot pages, client accounts and online bidding read live from Selloff. - [Brevo](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/brevo.md): Sync your subscribed clients to a Brevo list with their language, country and collecting areas, and send Selloff campaign lists to Brevo as segments. - [Mailchimp](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/mailchimp.md): Keep your Mailchimp audience in step with Selloff: subscribed clients sync with their language, country and collecting areas, and campaign lists become Mailchimp segments. - [Stripe](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/stripe.md): Let buyers pay their Selloff invoices by card through Stripe, from a payment link on the invoice, with each payment traced back to the invoice. ## Related features - [Lot descriptions](https://www.selloff.auction/features/lot-descriptions.md): Describe lots on a screen you configure, with texts, custom fields, categories and images, and generate repetitive headings and descriptions automatically. - [Segmentation & smart lists](https://www.selloff.auction/features/segmentation-smart-lists.md): Classify contacts with tags and collecting areas, then save dynamic lists that update themselves from bids, invoices, consignments and activities. - [Email campaigns](https://www.selloff.auction/features/email-campaigns.md): Build targeted campaigns from contact lists, push them as segments to Mailchimp or Brevo, and follow costs, recipients and the business they bring in. - [PDF catalogue generation](https://www.selloff.auction/features/pdf-catalogue.md): Produce a PDF catalogue straight from your lots, or export texts and images for InDesign and other layouts, with image sizes and grouping by category. - [Online catalogue publishing](https://www.selloff.auction/features/online-catalogue-publishing.md): Publish catalogues on your own website through the Selloff API and WordPress plugin, with instant updates, online bidding, client accounts and platform exports. - [Absentee & phone bids](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bid-recording.md): Record absentee, phone and OR bids in the book, check them against your bid increments, confirm them to clients by email and print the bid book for the room. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I describe lots in two languages? Yes. Each lot has a main title and description and an alternative title and description, which houses commonly use for a second language. Both versions are available to your website through the Selloff API, and field labels are translated for each language of the site. ### How can I reach collectors of a particular author or period? Record collecting areas on client records, based on your categories. Smart lists select the clients interested in a given area, and a campaign sends that list to Mailchimp or Brevo as a segment for your announcement.