private treaty

American  

noun

1. a property sale based on terms resulting from a conference between buyer and seller.

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private treaty British  

noun

1. a sale of property for a price agreed directly between seller and buyer

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Etymology

Origin of private treaty

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

A decade later, he bought hat-trick hero Hurst's number 10 top via a private treaty when it failed to reach its £300,000 reserve at Sotheby's.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2022

He usually markets his cattle by private treaty, but prices have fallen after hitting record highs and not as many producers are turning out the smaller cattle this year.

From Washington Times • Feb. 17, 2017

The following year, Sotheby’s arranged a private treaty sale for “about $10 million,” Sotheby’s said.

From New York Times • Oct. 26, 2016

Lorenzetti's painting is valued at £5m: that was knocked down to £1.6m through a private treaty sale.

From The Guardian • Jul. 16, 2013

They informed the English parliament of this unexpected incident, and assured them that they had entered into no private treaty with the king.

From The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.I., Part E. From Charles I. to Cromwell by Hume, David