Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions of Sale

NOTICE – AVH Stamp Auction (the auctioneers) exercise all reasonable care to ensure that all statements as to cancellations, centering, colour, condition, date of issue or of postal marking, gum, margins, paper, perforation, printing, provenance, quality, sheet position, status, usage, watermarks, catalogue values. Catalogue numbers etc in lot descriptions are reliable and accurate and that each item is genuine unless the contrary is indicated. However, the statements are not intended to be and are not to be taken to be statements of fact or representations of fact in relation to the lot. They are statements of the opinion of the auctioneers and attention is particularly drawn to clause 5 of the PHILATELIC AUCTIONEERS STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS set out below. Comments and opinions concerning the characteristics mentioned above, which may be found in or on lots as notes, lists, catalogue est.s, writing up or any other means of expression, do not constitute part of lot descriptions and are not to be taken as such unless they are made or specifically verified by the auctioneers.

Clause 1

  1. Each lot is put up subject to any reserve est. imposed by the vendor.
  2. b) Subject to sub clause a) of this clause, the highest bidder for each lot shall be the purchaser thereof at the fall of the hammer.
  3. c) If any dispute arises as to the highest bidder the auctioneer shall have the absolute discretion to determine the dispute and may put up again and re-sell the lot in respect of which the dispute arises.

Clause 2

  1. The bidding and advances shall be regulated by and at the absolute discretion of the auctioneer and he shall have the right to refuse any bid or bids. NOTE. Where an agent bids, even on behalf of a disclosed client, the auctioneer nevertheless has the right at his discretion to refuse any such bid.
  2. b) The purchaser of each lot shall immediately on its sale if required by the auctioneer give to him the name and address of the purchaser and pay to the auctioneer at his discretion the whole or part of the purchase money. If the purchaser of any lot fails to comply with any such requirement, the auctioneer may put up again and re-sell the lot; if upon such resale a lower est. is obtained than was first obtained on the first sale the purchaser in default on the first sale shall make good the difference in est. and expense of resale which shall become a debt due from him.
  3. c) Where an agent purchases on behalf of an undisclosed client such agent shall be personally liable for payment of the purchase money to the auctioneer and for safe delivery of the lots to the said client.

Clause 3

  1. a) The auctioneer reserves the right to bid on behalf of clients and vendors.
  2. b) The auctioneer reserves the right before or during a sale to group together lots belonging to the same vendor, to split up and to withdraw any lot or lots at the auctioneer's absolute discretion and without giving any reason in any case (without liability to any potential purchaser).
  3. c) The auctioneer acts as agent only and therefore shall not be liable for any default of the purchaser (providing he has not handed over the goods) or vendor.

Clause 4

  1. a) Each lot shall be at the purchaser's risk from the fall of the hammer and shall be paid for in full before delivery and taken away at his expense by a purchaser in the United Kingdom within 7 days from the date of sale and by a purchaser overseas within 14 days from the date of sale or such longer time as shall be agreed in writing between the auctioneer and purchaser.
  2. b) If any purchaser fails to pay in full for any lot within the time stated in sub clause a) of this clause such lot may at any time thereafter at the auctioneer's discretion be put up for sale by auction again or sold privately. If upon such resale a lower est. is obtained than was first obtained on the first sale the purchaser in default on the first sale shall make good the difference in est. and expense of resale which shall become a debt due from him.
  3. c) Interest shall be payable by the purchaser on any overdue account at a rate of 2% compound per calendar month, for each month or part month overdue following 30 days from the date of sale. Any costs incurred by the auctioneers in pursuing debts outstanding for more than 30 days shall be fully chargeable to the buyer.
  4. d) (i) Payment is to be made in sterling pounds (£Stg/GBP). All bank charges and related costs are payable by the purchaser. Related costs include charges made to the auctioneers for processing credit or debit cards, save that (ii) no extra charge will be made to the buyer in respect of payment by credit card where the auctioneers are instructed by the buyer before the date of the auction to take payment in this way AND valid details (card number, expiry date and validation code) are furnished at the same time.

Clause 5

  1. a) Each lot is sold as (1) GENUINE unless otherwise described in the sale catalogue or by the auctioneer and (2) correctly described (see also Clause 5f). The date of any certificate forming part of the description of any lot may be included in the description.
  2. b) A purchaser shall be at liberty to reject any lot if he (i) gives the auctioneer written notice of intention to question the genuineness or, as the case may be, the accuracy of the description of the lot within 7 days (or in the case of any oversees purchaser to be in the auctioneer's hands within 10 days) from the date of sale AND (ii) proves that the lot is not genuine or was incorrectly described; AND (iii) returns to the auctioneer within 30 days from the date of sale, the lot in the same condition as it was at the time of sale; provided that the auctioneer may, at his absolute discretion, on receiving a request in writing from the purchaser, extend for a reasonable period the time for the return of the lot, to enable it to be submitted to an agreed expert or expert committee. NOTE: The onus of proving a lot to be not genuine, or incorrectly described, is on the purchaser. The inability of a recognised expert or expert committee to express a definite opinion SHALL serve to discharge the onus on the purchaser and shall be a ground for rejecting the lot concerned.
  3. c) Where a lot has been submitted for expert opinion, all costs of such an opinion shall be paid by the person who retained the item or items to which that opinion relates.
  4. d) Where the purchaser of a lot discharges the onus and acts in accordance with sub clause (b) of this clause, the auctioneer shall rescind the sale and repay to the purchaser the purchase money paid by him in respect of the lot.
  5. e) No lot shall be rejected if, subsequent to the sale, it or any certificate relating to it has been immersed in water, marked by an expert or expert committee, or treated by any other process, unless the auctioneer's permission to subject the lot to such immersion, marking or treatment, has first been obtained in writing. (Note. many continental experts now mark forged stamps; therefore it is essential for permission to be obtained from auctioneers BEFORE submitting to these experts.)
  6. f) If any lot listed under 'collections or various' or stated to comprise or contain a collection, issues, or stamps which are undescribed shall be put up for sale, not subject to rejection and shall be taken by the purchaser with all (if any) faults, lack of genuineness and errors of description and numbers of stamps in the lot and the purchaser shall have no right to reject the lot; except that, notwithstanding the provisions of this sub clause, where before a sale a person intending to bid at the sale gives notice in writing to, and satisfies the auctioneer that any such lot contains any item or items not described in the sale catalogue, and that person specifically describes that item or those items shall, as between the auctioneer and that person, be taken to form part of the description of the lot for the purposes of sub clauses (a), (b) and (d) of this clause.
  7. g) No lot illustrated in the catalogue or for which a photocopy electronic scan or other illustration has been supplied shall be rejected on the ground of centering, cancellation, margins, perforation or other characteristics clearly apparent from said illustration electronic scan or reproduction.
  8. h) Lots offered 'as is' or 'offered on their merits' may contain items that are not genuine and, therefore, may not be returned for any reason. Neither can extensions be granted on them.

Clause 6

The respective rights and obligations of the parties shall be governed and interpreted by English Law and the buyer hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.

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