TERMS AND CONDITIONS
TERMS OF CONSIGNMENT FOR SELLERS
1.Interpretation. In these Terms the words 'you', 'yours', etc. refer to the
Seller and if the consignment of goods to us is made by an agent we assume that the Seller has authorised the consignment
and that the consignor has the Seller's authority to contract. Similarly the words ‘we', 'us', etc. refer to
the Auctioneers.
2.Commission. Commission is charged to sellers calculated per lot, as follows:
15% up to £1,000 – 10% thereafter
Entry charge on each lot (sold or unsold) £5
Loss and damage warranty 1.5%
All the above are subject to VAT at current rates
3.Removal costs. Items for sale must be consigned to the sale room by any stated deadline and at your expense. We may be able to assist you with this process but any liability incurred to a carrier for haulage charges is solely your responsibility.
4.Loss and damage warranty (a) All goods on our premises are warranted against fire, theft or accidental damage while on our premises and sellers are charged at the rate of 1.5% of the hammer price plus VAT or our best estimate of what the hammer price would have been had the goods sold.
5.Illustrations. The cost of any illustrations is borne by you. If we consider that the Lot should be illustrated your permission will be asked first. The copyright in respect of such illustrations shall be the property of us, the auctioneers, as is the text of the catalogue.
6.Minimum bids and our discretion. Goods will normally be offered subject to a reserve agreed between us before the sale in accordance with clause 7. We may sell Lots below the reserve provided we account to you for the same sale proceeds as you would have received had the reserve been the hammer price. If you specifically give us a “discretion” we may accept a bid of up to 10% below the formal reserve.
7.Reserves.
You are entitled to place prior to the
auction a reserve on any lot consigned, being the minimum
hammer price at which that lot may be sold. Reserves must be
reasonable and we may decline to offer goods which in our
opinion would be subject to an unreasonably high reserve (in
which case goods carry the storage and Loss and Damage
Warranty charges stipulated in these Terms of Consignment).
A reserve once set cannot be changed
except with our consent.
Where a reserve has been placed only
we may bid on your behalf and only up to the reserve (if any)
and you may in no circumstances bid personally.
8.Electrical items. These are subject to detailed statutory safety controls. Where such items are accepted for sale you accept responsibility for the cost of testing by external contractors. Goods not certified as safe by an electrician (unless antiques) will not be accepted for sale. They must be removed at your expense on your being notified. We reserve the right to dispose of unsafe goods as refuse, at your expense .
9.Soft furnishings. The sale of soft furnishings is strictly regulated by statute law in the interests of fire safety. Goods found to infringe safety regulations will not be offered and must be removed at your expense. We reserve the right to dispose of unsafe goods as refuse, at your expense.
10. Descriptions. Please assist us with accurate information as to the provenance etc. of goods where this is relevant. There is strict liability for the accuracy of descriptions under modern consumer legislation and in some circumstances responsibility lies with sellers if inaccuracies occur. We will assume that you have approved the catalogue description of your lots unless informed to the contrary.
11. Unsold lots and withdrawn items If an item is unsold it may with your consent be re-offered at a future sale. Where in our opinion an item is unsaleable, you must re-collect such items from the saleroom promptly on being so informed. Otherwise, storage charged may be incurred. We reserve the right to charge for storage in these circumstances at a reasonable daily rate.
12. Withdrawn and bought in items. These are liable to incur a charge of 10% plus VAT on being bought in or withdrawn after being catalogued.
13. Conditions of Sale. You agree that all goods will be sold on our Conditions of Sale. In particular you undertake that you have the right to sell the goods either as owner or agent for the owner. You undertake to indemnify us and any buyer or third party in respect of breach of this undertaking.
14. Authority to deduct commission and expenses and retain premium and interest.
You authorise us to deduct commission
at the stated rate and all expenses incurred for your account
from the hammer price and consent to our right and retain
beneficially the premium paid by the buyer in accordance with
our Conditions of Sale and any interest earned on the sale
proceeds until the date of settlement.
You authorise us in our discretion to
negotiate a sale by private treaty not later than the close of
business on the day of the sale in the case of lots unsold at
auction, in which case the same charges will be payable as if
such lots had been sold at auction and so far as appropriate
these Terms apply.
15. Warehousing. We disclaim all liability for goods delivered to our saleroom without sufficient sale instructions and reserve the right to make minimum warehousing charge of £5 per lot per day. Unsold lots are subject to the same charges if you do not remove them within a reasonable time of notification. If not removed within one week, we reserve the right to sell them and defray charges from any net proceeds of sale or at your expense to consign them to the local authority for disposal.
16. Settlement. After
sale settlement of the net sum due to you normally takes place
within 28 days of the sale (by crossed cheque to the seller)
unless the buyer has not paid for the goods. In this case, no
settlement will then be made but we will take your
instructions in the light of our Conditions of Sale. You
authorise any sums owned by you to us on other transactions to
be deducted from the sale proceeds.
The rights of disposal referred to in clause 8 and 9 are subject to the provisions of The Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977, Schedule 1, a copy of which is available for inspection on request
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1. Introduction. The
following informative notes are intended to assist Buyers,
particularly those inexperienced or new to our salerooms. All
sales are conducted on our printed Conditions of Sale which
are readily available for inspection and normally accompany
catalogues. Our staff will be happy to help you if there is
anything you do not fully understand.
2. Agency. As
auctioneers we usually contract as agents for the seller whose
identity, for reasons of confidentiality, is not normally
disclosed. Accordingly if you buy your primary contract is
with the seller.
3. Estimates. Estimates are designed to help buyers gauge what
sort of sum might be involved for the purchase of a particular
lot. The lower estimate may represent the reserve price and
certainly will not be below it. Estimates do not include the
Buyer’s Premium or VAT (where chargeable). Estimates are
prepared some time before the sale and may be altered by
announcement before the sale. They are in no sense definitive.
4. Buyer's Premium. The Conditions of Sale oblige buyers to pay a buyer's premium at 20.57 % on the
hammer price of each lot purchased. VAT is included in this
premium (see below).
5. VAT. (v) indicates
that VAT is payable by the purchaser at the standard rate
(presently 17.5%) on the hammer price as well as being an
element in the buyer's premium. This imposition of VAT is
likely to be because the seller is registered for VAT within
the European Union and is not operating the Dealers Margin
Scheme or because VAT is due at 17.5% on importation into the
UK. The double symbol (**) indicates that the lot has been
imported from outside the European Union and the present
position is that these lots are liable to a reduced rate of
VAT (5%) on the gross lot price (i.e. both the hammer price
and the buyer's premium). Lots which appear without either of
the above symbols indicate that no VAT is payable on the
hammer price. This is because such lots are sold using the
Auctioneers' Margin Scheme and it should be noted that the VAT
included within the Premium is not recoverable as input tax.
6. Condition of Lots. Please note carefully the exclusion of liability for
the condition of lots contained in the Conditions of Sale.
Intending buyers have ample opportunity form inspection of
goods and neither the seller nor we as the auctioneers accept
any responsibility for their condition. In particular,
mechanical objects of any age are not guaranteed to be in
working order. However, in specified circumstances lots
mis-described because they are ‘deliberate forgeries’ may be
returned and repayment made. There is a 2 week limit. (The
expression ‘deliberate forgery’ is defined in our Conditions
of Sale).
7. Condition Reports. We may be able to assist buyers unable to view by
posting or faxing a condition report, but these reports are
based solely on our own opinion and are for guidance only and
no responsibility is accepted for their accuracy. Intending
buyers are strongly encouraged to view. (Please see our
Conditions of Sale).
9. Export of goods. Buyers intending to export goods should ascertain
(a) whether an export licence is required and (b) whether
there is any specific prohibition on importing goods of that
character because, e.g. they may contain prohibited materials
such as ivory. Ask us if you need help.
10. Bidding. Bidders
may be required to register before the sale commences and lots
will be invoiced to the name and address on the registration
form. Some form of identification may be required if you are
unknown to us. Please enquire in advance about our
arrangements for telephone bidding.
11. Commission bidding. Commission bids may be left with the auctioneers
indicating the maximum amount to be bid excluding buyers'
premium. They will be executed as cheaply as possible having
regard to the reserve (if any) and competing bids. If two
buyers submit identical commission bids the auctioneers may
prefer the first bid received. Please enquire in advance about
our arrangements for the leaving of commission bids by
telephone or FAX.
12. Methods of Payment. As a general rule any cheques tendered will need
to be cleared before removal of the goods is permitted. Please
discuss with our Office in advance of the sale if other
methods of payment are envisaged (except cash).
13. Collection and storage. Please note what the Conditions of Sale state
about collection and storage. It is important that goods are
paid for and collected promptly. Any delay may involve the
buyer in paying storage charges.
EXPLANATION OF PICTURE CATALOGUING TERMS
Any statement as to authorship, attribution, origin, date, age, provenance and condition is a statement of opinion and is not to be taken as a statement of representation of fact. The Auctioneers reserve the right, in forming their opinion, to consult and rely upon any expert or authority considered by them to be reliable.
The forename(s) and surname of the artist: In our opinion a work by the artist.
The initials of the forename(s) and the surname of the artist: In our opinion a work of the period of the artist which may be wholly, or in part his work.
The surname only of the artist: In our opinion a work of the school or by one of the followers of the artist or in his style and of uncertain date.
'English School', 'Italian School': etc: In our opinion a work executed at a later date that the style may suggest.
'Signed': Has a signature which in our opinion is a recognised signature.
'Dated': Is so dated and in our opinion was executed at that date.
The term 'bears' a signature and/or date and/or an inscription: Means that in our opinion the artist's name and/or date and/or inscription have been added by another hand.
Measurements: Height precedes width.
CONDITIONS OF SALE Ewbank Auctioneers carries on business with bidders,
buyers and all those present in the auction room prior to or
in connection with a sale on the following General Conditions
and on such other terms, conditions and notices as may be
referred to herein.
1. Definitions
In these Conditions:
"auctioneer" means the firm of Ewbank
Auctioneers or its authorised auctioneer, as appropriate;
"deliberate forgery" means an
imitation made with the intention of deceiving as to
authorship, origin, date, age, period, culture or source but
which is unequivocally described in the catalogue as being the
work of a particular creator and which at the date of the sale
had a value materially less than it would have had if it had
been in accordance with the description;
"hammer price" means the level of
bidding reached (at or above any reserve) when the auctioneer
brings down the hammer;
"terms of consignment" means the
stipulated terms and rates of commission on which Ewbank
Auctioneers accepts instructions from sellers or their agents;
"total amount due" means the hammer
price in respect of the lot sold together with any premium,
Value Added Tax chargeable and any additional charges payable
by a defaulting buyer under these Conditions;
"sale proceeds" means the net amount
due to the seller, being the hammer price of the lot sold less
commission at the stated rate, Value Added Tax chargeable and
any other amounts due to us by the seller in whatever capacity
and however arising;
"You", "Your", etc. refer to the buyer
as identified in Condition 2.
The singular includes the plural and
vice versa as appropriate.
2. Bidding Procedures and the Buyer
Bidders are required to register their particulars before bidding and to satisfy any security arrangements before entering the auction room to view or bid;
the maker of the highest bid accepted by the auctioneer conducting the sale shall be the buyer at the hammer price and any dispute about a bid shall be settled at the auctioneer's absolute discretion by reoffering the Lot during the course of the auction or otherwise. The auctioneer shall act reasonably in exercising this discretion.
Bidders shall be deemed to act as principals.
Once made, no bid may be withdrawn.
Our right to bid on behalf of the seller is expressly reserved up to the amount of any reserve and the right to refuse any bid is also reserved.
3. Increments
Bidding increments shall be at the auctioneer’s sole discretion.
4. The Purchase Price
The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon of 20.57%, [or incremental] which shall include VAT on the premium at the rate imposed by law.
5. Value Added Tax
Value Added Tax on the hammer price is imposed by law on all items affixed with a 'v' or double asterisk. Value Added Tax is charged at the appropriate rate prevailing by law at the date of sale and is payable by buyers of relevant Lots. (Please refer to "Information for Buyers" for a brief explanation of the VAT position).
6. Payment
Immediately a Lot is sold you will:
give to us, if requested, proof of identity, and
pay to us the total amount due in cash or in such other way as is agreed by us.
Any payments by you to us may be applied by us towards any sums owing from you to us on any account whatever without regard to any directions of you or your agent, whether express or implied.
7. Title and Collection of Purchases
The ownership of any Lots purchased shall not pass to you until you have made payment in full to us of the total amount due.
You shall at your own risk and expense take away any lots that you have purchased and paid for not later than 3 working days following the day of the auction or upon the clearance of any cheque used for payment after which you shall be responsible for any removal, storage and Loss and Damage Warranty charges.
No purchase can be claimed or removed until it has been paid for.
8. Remedies for Non-Payment or Failure to Collect Purchases
If any Lot is not paid for in full and taken away in accordance with these Conditions or if there is any other breach of these Conditions, we, as agent for the seller and on our own behalf, shall at our absolute discretion and without prejudice to any other rights we may have, be entitled to exercise one or more of the following rights and remedies:
to proceed against you for damages for breach of contract;
to rescind the sale of that Lot and/or any other Lots sold by us to you;
to resell the Lot (by auction or private treaty) in which case you shall be responsible for any resulting deficiency in the total amount due (after crediting any part payment and adding any resale costs). Any surplus so arising shall belong to the seller;
to remove, store and insure the Lot at your expense and, in the case of storage, either at our premises or elsewhere;
to charge interest at a rate not exceeding 1.5% per month on the total amount due to the extent it remains unpaid for more than 3 working days after the sale; to
retain that or any other Lot sold to you until you pay the
total amount due; to reject or ignore bids from you or your
agent at future auctions or to impose conditions before any
such bids shall be accepted; to apply any proceeds of sale of
other Lots due or in future becoming due to you towards the
settlement of the total amount due and to exercise a lien
(that is a right to retain possession of) any of your property
in our possession for any purpose until the debt due is
satisfied. We shall, as agent for the seller and on our own
behalf pursue these rights and remedies only so far as is
reasonable to make appropriate recovery in respect of breach
of these conditions
9. Third Party Liability All members of the public on our premises are
there at their own risk and must note the lay-out of the
accommodation and security arrangements. Accordingly neither
the auctioneer nor our employees or agents shall incur
liability for death or personal injury (except as required by
law by reason of our negligence) or similarly for the safety
of the property of persons visiting prior to or at a sale.
10. Commission Bids Whilst prospective buyers are strongly
advised to attend the auction and are always responsible for
any decision to bid for a particular Lot and shall be assumed
to have carefully inspected and satisfied themselves as to its
condition we will if so instructed clearly and in writing
execute bids on their behalf. Neither the auctioneer nor our
employees or agents shall be responsible for any failure to do
so save where such failure is unreasonable. Where two or more
commission bids at the same level are recorded we reserve the
right in our absolute discretion to prefer the first bid so
made.
11. Warranty of Title and Availability The seller warrants to the
auctioneer and you that the seller is the true owner of the
property consigned or is properly authorised by the true owner
to consign it for sale and is able to transfer good and
marketable title to the property free from any third party
claims.
12. Agency The auctioneer normally acts as agent only and
disclaims any responsibility for default by sellers or buyers.
13. Terms of Sale
The seller acknowledges that Lots are
sold subject to the stipulations of these Conditions in their
entirety and on the Terms of Consignment as notified to the
consignor at the time of the entry of the Lot.
Whilst we seek to describe Lots
accurately, it may be impractical for us to carry out
exhaustive due diligence on each lot. Prospective buyers are
given ample opportunities to view and inspect before any sale
and they (and any independent experts on their behalf) must
satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of any description
applied to a lot. Prospective buyers also bid on the
understanding that, inevitably, representations or statements
by us as to authorship, genuineness, origin, date, age,
provenance, condition or estimated selling price involve
matters of opinion. We undertake that any such opinion shall
be honestly and reasonably held and accept liability for
opinions given negligently or fraudulently. Subject to the
foregoing neither we the auctioneer nor our employees or
agents nor the seller accept liability for the correctness of
such opinions and all conditions and warranties, whether
relating to description, condition or quality of lots,
express, implied or statutory, are hereby excluded. This
Condition is subject to the next following Condition
concerning deliberate forgeries and applies save as provided
for in paragraph 6 “information to buyers”.
14.
Private treaty sales made under these Conditions are deemed to be sales by auction for purposes of consumer legislation.
15. Forgeries Notwithstanding the preceding Condition, any Lot which proves to be a deliberate forgery (as defined) may be returned to us by you within 21 days of the auction provided it is in the same condition
as when bought, and is accompanied by particulars identifying
it from the relevant catalogue description and a written
statement of defects. If we are satisfied from the evidence
presented that the Lot is a deliberate forgery we shall refund
the money paid by you for the Lot including any buyer's
premium provided that (1) if the catalogue description
reflected the accepted view of scholars and experts as at the
date of sale or (2) you personally are not able to transfer a
good and marketable title to us, you shall have no rights
under this condition.
The right of return provided by this Condition is additional to any right or remedy provided by law or by these Conditions of Sale.
GENERAL
16. We
shall have the right at our discretion, to refuse admission to
our premises or attendance at our auctions by any person.
17. (1)
any right to compensation for losses liabilities and expenses
incurred in respect of and as a result of any breach of these
Conditions and any exclusions provided by them shall be
available to the seller and/or the auctioneer as appropriate.
(2). Such rights and exclusions shall extend to and be deemed to be for the
benefit of employees and agents of the seller and/or the auctioneer who
may themselves enforce them.
18.
Any notice to any buyer, seller, bidder or viewer may be given by first class mail or Swiftmail in which case it shall be deemed to have been received by the addressee 48 hours after posting.
19. Special terms may be used in
catalogue descriptions of particular classes of items in which
case the descriptions must be interpreted in accordance with
any glossary appearing at the commencement of the catalogue.
20.
Any indulgence extended to bidders buyers or sellers by us notwithstanding the strict terms of these Conditions or of the Terms of Consignment shall affect the position at the relevant time only and in respect of that particular concession only; in all other respects these Conditions shall be construed as having full force and effect.
21. English law applies to the interpretation of these Conditions. |
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