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Ask anyone with a tax write-off: The silent auctions at the most begowned, jewel-encrusted philanthropic throw-downs contain splendiferous bargains.
Those in the know snipe the deals on donated luxury goods, but all too often the world-weary crowds, paying $10,000 or more per table for soggy salmon meunière to support their pet cause, let them slip by bid-less. For seasoned gala goers, it’s just another designer handbag; another case of Burgundy; another weekend in Antibes. Who cares that it’s being offered at a starting bid that equates to a 40% to 70% discount?
Then, during the doldrums of 2020, everything quietly changed.
Unable to put on the live fund-raising events that once filled the Pierre Hotel, the Parrish Art Museum and the Metropolitan Club, charities went virtual. Now, a few weeks prior to the live event, online bidding opens to anyone with a computer — no tiaras or multi-thousand-dollar ticket necessary.
“During the pandemic, online events allowed charities to expand their networks,” said Andres de la Roche (below), a Washington, DC, resident who works as a branding and communications designer, largely for nonprofits — giving him insider previews of this opportunity to bid like one of the big fish. “That kind of stayed, because charities realized they could make more money.”
De la Roche became addicted to the access. “I started keeping track of these online events because I wanted good deals,” he said. “Not only that, I was giving money to these great causes.”
“You can search ‘silent auction,’ but you’ll find an over whelming amount of events. They’re small. They’re large. There are PTA events, bake sales and huge events like cancer balls. So what I’m doing is curating everything.”Andres de la Roche, branding and communications designer for nonprofits
Last year, a sly bid allowed him to attend the final leg of the Tour de France — with one of the teams.
“They gave us the whole VIP treatment. We got to ride in the team cars. We were with the owner of the team — and we only paid like $1,000, because no one else bid,” he said, noting that he’s snagged deals on stays in Aspen, St. Barts, the Maldives, Napa and a trio of Paris’ prime pads — the Plaza Athénée, George V and Royal Monceau. “Our friends are always like, ‘How do you find these things? Let me know the secret.’ ”
De la Roche now keeps track of more than 2,000 charities worldwide, curating hundreds of events for a club he launched: the Auction Curators. It categorizes and filters luxury travel experiences from New York to Australia, benefiting diverse nonprofits you’d otherwise need to be deeply in the know to know about.
“There’s thousands of them,” he said. “You can search ‘silent auction,’ but you’ll find an over whelming amount of events. They’re small. They’re large. There are PTA events, bake sales and huge events like cancer balls. So what I’m doing is curating everything.”
He’s not alone. The largest online philanthropic website, Charitybuzz, also allows outsiders to hunt down bargains. It does not specialize in travel, hosting auctions from jewelry and fashion to sports memorabilia. Meanwhile, auction leviathan Sotheby’s has moved into the travel space. In September, it announced a partnership with Marriott’s Luxury Group (which includes brands like the Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts) to create itineraries inspired by fashion, jewelry, watches, wines and spirits.
Experiences are also up for grabs.
Earlier this year, Palm Beach, Fla., resident Claudia Bornia snagged tickets to a Miami Heat game benefiting the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County. “My husband is a big Heat fan,” she said. “And we try to go every year, but the tickets are very expensive.”
Still, despite growing awareness, many charities still struggle to pique the interest of fat-catcontributors. De la Roche pointed to an auction last year: an invitation from the king of Bhutan to stay for 10 nights at Six Senses and Amankora with a starting price of $5,000. “No one bid on it and thecharity didn’t make any money,” he said. “I can’t even imagine how much a trip like that would cost.”
Want to score a deal on five-star family getaways while do-gooding? Here are three sample auctions.
A ski holiday in Deer Valley
Crystal Charity Ball, closed Dec 7.
Since 1952, this Texas philanthropic event has raised funds to for children’s charities in Dallas County. You can make a contribution by bidding on a skiing holiday in Utah as a part of their Saturdaygala. On offer is a two-night stay at the Montage Deer Valley in a resort-view king room. The starting bid? Just $500. The supposed market value’s $1,500 — but, believe us, you’d struggle to book a weekend during ski season even at that price. Can’t ski? No problem. Two tickets to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans are up for grabs. Starting bid: a measly $5,600.
A sexy stay in Riviera Nayarit
American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf, closing Dec. 16
This annual event pairs golf with epicurean delights in one of Mexico’s swankiest seaside destinations. The event runs today through Sunday at the Jack Nicklaus courses Bahia and Pacifico and features an online charity auction. You’ll have until the 16th to bid for a two-night stay for two at the One&Only Mandarina. The starting bid is $1,800, a roughly $500 discount.
A family frolic in Italy
International School of Monaco’s Gala, closing Dec 10.
This trip lets you pack up eight of your nearest and dearest and haul them to the heart of Langhe wine country in Piedmont for a seven-night stay in a luxury villa.
The massive more-than-10,000-square-foot country home boasts views of the rolling hills and is tricked out with an indoor swimming pool, a steam bath, a Jacuzzi, a fitness room, an outdoor kitchen and a snooker table. The villa is even filled with “gastronomic delicacies and world-class wines” (Alba, white truffle capital of the world, is 12 miles down the road). The starting bid? Roughly $4,100. Who cares that your kid doesn’t go to school in Monaco?
