When is a sale by auction considered complete?

A sale by auction is considered complete when the auctioneer announces its conclusion, typically marked by the fall of the hammer. This signifies that the highest bid has been accepted and the item is sold to the winning bidder. The act of the auctioneer dropping the hammer is a traditional method that represents the finality of the auction process, making it a clear indication that the transaction is finalized.

The completion of the auction does not solely depend on the end of the auction period, which may involve additional bids or ongoing activity that doesn't conclude the sale until the auctioneer's announcement is made. Additionally, while auctioning all items may seem like a natural endpoint, the individual sale of items is finalized only at the announcement by the auctioneer for each specific item. The completion of a sale requires the authoritative declaration by the auctioneer, making this response the definitive moment in the auction process.