TERMS & CONDITIONS

Useful Information in Short:

Online Platform: Taversham’s offers an online auction platform via our website and through our App for iOS/Android Mobile and Tablet: please go to auctions.tavershams.com or download our App to Register.

Fees: All Lots purchased will be subject to a Buyer’s Premium being an additional charge plus Value Added Tax (+VAT) at the rate imposed on the hammer price, as follows:

• Buyer’s premium 15.5% (+VAT)
• In addition, to cover the use of software provider fees for bidding online, we pass on their commission charges of 3% (+VAT)

UK Customs & Excise Duty and VAT

• Lots marked as [DP] are Duty Paid and have UK Duty at the current rate included in the Hammer price.  They will be marked as either [DP Inc. VAT] or [DP Ex. VAT] dependent on whether the Lot is inclusive or exclusive of the VAT element.  They may be stored at our Head Office (HO) Storage or in our account with London City Bond (LCB) Tilbury. 
• Lots marked as [IB] are stored ‘In Bond’ with no Duty and VAT paid, unless otherwise stated. When In Bond they can be bought, sold, and/or delivered to other British Bonded warehouses and/or collected by shippers for international Buyers.  If they are to go out of Bond to a private UK address, Duty and VAT must be paid at the prevailing rates.

Abbreviations Used:

• HO = Head Office Storage in Wrentham, Suffolk, NR34 7HB, UK.
• LCB = London City Bond, Tilbury.
• OWC/OC (Original Wooden Case/Carton): may not have been opened nor the contents inspected.
• HF (High Fill); IN (Into Neck); VTS (Very Top Shoulder).
• TS (Top Shoulder); US (Upper Shoulder); MS: (Mid Shoulder); LS (Low Shoulder).
• (SL) STL: ((Slight) Stained Label);  DSL: (Damp Stained Label);  DIS (Disintegrated).
• OT (Original Tissue); FOIL (Foil/capsule damaged); REM (tissue Remnants).
• BS (Bin Soiled); CDL (Cellar Damaged Label).
• RH&D (Receipt, Handling and Despatch).

Shipping and Delivery:

This is not included in the Hammer Price and details are set out below in 4(d) Handling, Packaging, Collection, Delivery and Shipping.

• In Bond [IB] Lots can be delivered anywhere in Britain and charges will be applied unless Buyers inform us that they want to keep their Lot(s) in bond.  For international Buyers, stock can be collected by your chosen shipper.
• For Duty Paid [DP] Lots at our Head Office Storage, Buyers can collect in person, or instruct their own courier to collect - please contact us, giving a minimum of 48 hours’ notice.  Alternatively, we can arrange a third-party courier on your behalf to deliver to British mainland, or to a shipper for international Buyers.  Additional charges will apply for delivery and professional packaging to keep your wines safe.
• For Lots indicated as ‘EU Shipped’ we will move the Lot(s) to our London Bond which will take time and incur costs for which there will be a standard shipping charge on Buyers’ invoices.

Payment:

• All purchases to be paid in full on receipt of invoice and, at latest, within seven days of the sale.
• Payment to be made by Bank Transfer (BACS) where possible or, if required, up to a maximum single transaction of £5,000 per invoice on Credit/Debit card (Visa and Mastercard are accepted). 

BUYERS MUST ENSURE THEY READ AND ACCEPT ALL TERMS & CONDITIONS OF SALE, BEFORE BIDDING

The Conditions set out below are the terms on which we contract, as auctioneers, with Sellers and, as agent acting on behalf of Sellers, with Buyers. Buyers and Sellers should read these Conditions carefully. Buyers’ attention is drawn to Clause 16 which limits our liability.

For ease of reference, the Conditions are divided into sections:

• Section A gives a background to some of the terms used in the Conditions;
• Section B is of particular relevance to Buyers;
• Section C to Sellers; and
• Section D to both Sellers and Buyers.

SECTION A: BACKGROUND TO TERMS USED IN THESE CONDITIONS

In the conditions set out below, some terms are used regularly that need explanation. They are as follows:

• “the Buyer” means the person with the highest bid accepted by the auctioneer.
• “the Lot” means any item deposited with us for sale at auction, and in particular, the item or items described against any lot number in any catalogue.
• “the Hammer Price” means the amount of the highest bid accepted by the auctioneer in relation to a Lot.
• ”the Buyer’s premium” means the charge payable by the Buyer as a percentage of the Hammer Price, at the rates set out in Clause 5(a) in Section B.
• ”the Reserve” means the amount below which we agree with the Seller that the Lot cannot be sold.
• “Forgery” means a Lot constituting an imitation originally conceived and executed as a whole with a fraudulent intention to deceive as to authorship, origin, age, period, culture or source where the correct description as to such matters is not reflected by the description in the catalogue and which at the date of the auction had a value materially less than it would have had if it had been in accordance with the description in the catalogue. Accordingly, no Lot shall be capable of being a Forgery by reason of any damage and/or restoration work of any kind. (For more information on Forgery, see 12(c) and Clause 16 below.)
• “The Insured Value” means the amount that Tavershams Auctioneers in its absolute discretion from time to time shall consider to be the value for which a Lot should be covered by insurance (whether or not insurance is arranged by us).
• “In Bond” means the Lot is currently held in a bonded warehouse and no UK Duty and VAT has been paid on them. When In Bond they can be bought, sold, and delivered to other Bonded warehouses or collected by international shippers. If they are to go out of Bond to a private address in Britain, Duty and VAT must be paid at the prevailing rates.  Sometimes, Duty Paid Lots can be held ‘In Bond’ and in this case no duty will be charged, and they will be marked as ‘In Bond, Duty Paid’.
• “Live Auction” is where the auction takes place at a pre-defined time and bids are taken in a live online environment.
• “Timed Auction” is where the auction is online only. Bids can be placed anytime within an advertised specified period at any point until the specific Lots has ended.

SECTION B: BUYERS

1.  Taversham's Limited Role as Agent

As Auctioneers, we act as agent for the Seller. Unless otherwise agreed sales of goods at our auctions result in contracts made between the Seller, through our agency, with the Buyer.

2.  Before the Sale

(a) Examination of goods

Prospective Buyers are strongly advised to view any goods in which they are interested before the auction takes place. Condition reports are usually available on request. We provide no guarantee to the Buyer other than in relation to Forgeries, as explained in Clause 16 of these Conditions.

(b) Catalogue descriptions

Statements by us in the catalogue or condition report, or made orally or in writing elsewhere, regarding the authorship, origin, date, age, size, medium, attribution, genuineness, provenance, condition or estimated selling price of any Lot are merely statements of opinion and are not to be relied on as statements of definitive fact. Catalogue illustrations are for guidance only and should not be relied on either to determine the tone or colour of any item or to reveal imperfections. Estimates of the selling price should not be relied on as a statement that this price is either the price at which the Lot will sell or its value for any other purpose.

Many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in perfect condition and some descriptions in the catalogue or given by way of condition report make reference to damage and/or re-conditioning. We provide this information for guidance only and the absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others.

All purchases “as is” and no returns will be accepted.

Label images online are meant to be representative of the item only – they do not depict the actual Lot for sale.

(c) Buyer’s Responsibility

Buyers are responsible for satisfying themselves concerning the condition of the goods and the matters referred to in the catalogue description. All Lots are offered for sale in the condition they are in at the time of the auction (whether or not Bidders are in attendance at the auction).

(d) Importation into a Buyer’s destination country

The Buyer’s inability to import any item into their destination country as a result of Government economic sanctions or other restrictions shall not justify cancellation or rescission of the sale or any delay in payment. Please satisfy yourself before bidding as to whether a Lot is subject to such import restrictions, or any other restrictions or taxes/duties on importation or exportation.

3. At the Sale

a) Refusal of Admission

Our sales take place online. We have full control over buyer registrations for the sale and we have the right, exercisable at our complete discretion, to refuse participation to any prospective buyer to an auction.

b) Registration Before Bidding

To bid during the auction Bidders will be required to register for a digital paddle prior to the auction. We strongly encourage new bidders to pre-register at least 48 hours prior to the auction.

Prospective buyers should be aware that we reserve the right to require buyers to undergo a credit check.

c) Bidding as Principal

When making a bid, prospective buyers will be accepting personal liability, unless it has been agreed in writing, at the time of registration, that a bidder is acting as an agent on behalf of a third party acceptable to us.

Consignors and their agents are strictly forbidden from bidding on their own property.

d) Absentee Bids

If a prospective buyer gives us instructions to bid on his behalf, we shall use reasonable efforts to do so, provided these instructions are received not later than 24 hours before the sale. If we receive absentee bids on a particular Lot for identical amounts, and at auction these bids are the highest bids for the Lot, it will be sold to the person whose bid was received first. Absentee bids are undertaken subject to other commitments at the time of the sale, and the conduct of the sale may be such that we are unable to bid as requested. Since this is undertaken as a free service to prospective buyers on the terms stated, we cannot accept liability for failure to make an absentee bid.

e) Telephone Bids

If prospective Buyers make arrangements with us not less than 24 hours before the sale, we shall use reasonable efforts to contact the bidders to enable them to participate in bidding by telephone, but in no circumstances will we be liable to either the Seller or any prospective buyer as a result of failure to do so.

f) Currency Converter

At some auctions, a currency converter will be operated, based on the rates of exchange quoted to us by XE.com at opening on the date of the auction. Bidding will however take place in sterling. The currency converter is not always reliable, and errors may occur beyond our control either in the accuracy of the Lot number displayed on the converter, or the foreign currency equivalent of sterling bids. We shall not be liable to the Buyer for any loss suffered as a result of the Buyer following the currency converter rather than the sterling bidding.

g) Video images

At some auctions there will be a video screen. Mistakes may occur in its operation, and we cannot be liable to the Buyer regarding either the correspondence of the image to the Lot being sold or the quality of the image as a reproduction of the original.

h) The Auctioneer’s Discretion

The auctioneer has the right at his absolute discretion to refuse any bid, to advance the bidding in such manner as he may decide, to divide any Lot, to combine any two or more Lots, to withdraw any lot, and, in the case of error or dispute, to put an item up for bidding again. All aforementioned action can also be taken after the fall of the hammer.

i) Bidding Increments

Bidding increments are provided pre-defined online.

j) Successful Bid

Subject to the auctioneer’s discretion, the striking of his hammer marks the acceptance of the highest bid and the conclusion of a contract for sale between the Seller and the Buyer.

k) Online Bidding 

To bid during the auction, Bidders will be required to register for a digital paddle prior to the auction. We strongly encourage new bidders to pre-register at least 48 hours prior to the auction.

Taversham’s offers an online auction platform via our website and our iOS/Android Mobile and Tablet Apps:  Please go to auctions.tavershams.com or download our App to register.

Credit card verification will be required for account set up.

By completing the bidder registration and providing your credit card details, unless alternative arrangements are agreed with Tavershams Auctioneers, the Buyer agrees to:

- Authorise Taversham’s Limited to charge the credit card given in full, including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the auction, if payment is not received against invoice.

- Confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Taversham’s Limited.

4. After the Sale

(a) Fees

In addition to the Hammer Price, the Buyer must pay a ‘Buyer’s Premium’ at a rate of 15.5% (+VAT) of the Hammer Price. In addition to cover the use of software provider fees for bidding online, we pass on their commission charges of 3% for timed auctions (+VAT).

(b) Value Added Tax (VAT) and UK Customs Duty (Duty)

Lots marked as [DP] are Duty Paid and have UK Duty at the current rate included in the Hammer price.  They may be stored at our Head Office (HO) Storage or may be stored in account with London City Bond (LCB) Tilbury. 

Duty Paid [DP] Lots will be marked as either [DP Inc. VAT] or [DP Ex. VAT] dependent on whether the Lot is inclusive or exclusive of the VAT element.  VAT may be refunded on proof of export from the UK.

Lots marked as [IB] are stored ‘In Bond’ and, unless otherwise stated, will need Duty and VAT to be paid if they leave the Bond to be delivered to a private address in the UK.

VAT is always payable on any additional fees, including the Buyer’s Premium and Auction Fees.

(c) Payment

All purchases to be paid in full on receipt of invoice and at latest within seven days of the sale.

This applies even if the Buyer wishes to export the Lot and an export licence is (or may be) required. The Buyer will not acquire title to the Lot until all amounts due have been paid, even in circumstances where we have released the Lot to the Buyer.

Payment to be made by Bank Transfer (BACS) where possible or, if required, up to a maximum single transaction of £5,000 per invoice on Credit/Debit card (Visa and Mastercard are accepted). 

Winning bidders will receive a confirmation email on their successful bids and invoices are sent out by email after the auction.

All goods sold to the Buyer will remain the property of the Seller until such time as the invoice has been paid in full.

(d) Handling, Packaging, Collection, Delivery and Shipping

After the fall of the hammer, any risk and duty shall devolve upon the Buyer from the Seller. Tavershams Auctioneers shall retain Lots sold until all amounts due have been paid in full.

The Buyer will be responsible for insurance of the Lot(s) and should make their own arrangements if required.  All packing, handling and delivery are at the Buyer’s risk.

• For In Bond [IB] Lots, these are stored at London City Bond who will deliver with their professional in-house logistics anywhere in Britain.  Additional charges will be made for packaging and handling including RH&D (Receipt, Handling & Despatch).  Alternatively, Buyers can choose to keep their Lot(s) in bond, to open or transfer to their own bonded account, in which case please let us know immediately on purchase.  For international Buyers, we can release stock for collection by your chosen shipper and can make recommendations if required.
• For Duty Paid [DP] Lots described as in Storage at our Head Office [HO]:                 
• Buyers can collect in person, or instruct their own courier to collect, in which case we will charge for professional packaging to keep them safe during transit, unless otherwise instructed.  Please contact us, giving a minimum of 48 hours’ notice, and ensure we have received payment so we can release the Lot(s) on your behalf.
• Alternatively, we can arrange a third-party courier to deliver on your behalf to British mainland, or to a shipper for international Buyers.  For this there is an additional charge on our invoice for professional packaging and delivery for keep your wines safe.
• For Lots held outside the UK, indicated as ‘EU Shipped’, unless otherwise instructed by the Buyer, we will instruct third-party couriers and shippers to move the Lot(s) to our London Bond which will take time and incur costs. A standard shipping charge will be made on the Buyers’ invoices relevant to these Lot(s).  We will contact the Buyer when the Lot(s) are available and ready for delivery.  If the Buyer then wishes to transfer in bond or collect themselves from our Head Office, please contact us.

Tavershams Auctioneers accepts absolutely no responsibility for any damages, breakages, or loss (see Clauses 15 Extent of our Liability, and Clause 16 Refund in the case of Forgery).

(e) Remedies for non-payment or failure to collect purchases

If the Buyer fails to make payment within seven days, we shall be entitled to exercise one or more of the following rights or remedies:

• to charge interest at a rate equal to 5% above Bank of England base rate per month, or part month (compound interest) on the full amount due to the extent it remains unpaid for more than seven days after the date of the auction.
• to set off against any amounts which may be owed in any other transaction the outstanding amount remaining unpaid by the Buyer.
• to exercise a lien on any of the Buyer’s property which may be in our possession for any purpose and, following fourteen days’ notice to the Buyer of the amount outstanding and remaining unpaid, arrange the sale of such property and apply the proceeds in discharge of the amount outstanding to us.
• to reject at any future auction any bids made by the Buyer or on his behalf or obtain a deposit from the Buyer before accepting any bids.

If the Buyer fails to make payment within thirty-four days, we shall in addition be entitled:

• to issue proceedings on behalf of the Seller against the Buyer to recover the full amount due, together with the costs of such proceedings on a full indemnity basis and with interest, charged at 5% per annum above the Bank of England rate.
• to cancel the sale of the Lot or any other item sold to the Buyer at the same or any other auction.
• to arrange a resale of the Lot, publicly or privately, and if this results in a lower price being obtained, claim the balance from the Buyer together with any costs incurred in connection with the Buyer’s failure to make payment.

(f) Failure to collect

Where purchases are not collected within seven days after the sale, whether or not payment has been made, storage will be at the Buyer’s expense.  Taversham’s Ltd will only release the items purchased after payment has been made in full for storage and any other costs incurred, together with payment of all other amounts due to us.

(g) Export and Permits

It is the Buyer’s sole responsibility to identify, obtain, and purchase any necessary export, import, or other permit for the Lot(s). We will not be obliged to refund any interest or other expenses incurred by the Buyer where payment is made by the Buyer even if an export licence is required. Unless otherwise agreed by us in writing, the fact that the Buyer wishes to apply for an export licence does not affect his obligation to make payment within seven days nor our right to charge interest on late payment.

SECTION C: SELLERS

5. Tavershams Limited’s Role as Agent

Our sales at public auction are undertaken as agent, on behalf of the Seller. The contract for the sale of the Lot will be between the Seller and the Buyer.

6. Commission

We shall charge the Seller commission at a rate agreed between the Seller and Tavershams Auctioneers. VAT at the prevailing rate will be charged on the commission.

7. Expenses

Taversham’s Limited will charge the Seller for expenses over and above its agreed commission as appropriate and in particular:

(a) All costs involved if a collection is required.

(b) Professional photography charges for Auction Catalogue.

(c) A Lotting Fee which also covers inspections, condition reports, in-house photography, and warehouse charges.

(d) A Non-Sale Fee will be charged when a Lot is unsold at an auction to cover Lotting Fee and storage charges until the next auction.

(e) If it is decided the Lot(s) be returned to the Seller, all costs incurred relating to Non-Sale of Lot including storage, handling, packing, and shipping etc.

Taversham’s Auctioneers will on request provide advance estimates of such expenditure if required. The Seller should be aware that we will not have control of the level of such third-party charging and the Seller is advised, if concerned, to make their own direct advance enquiries.

8a. Inclusion under Taversham’s Limited Insurance Policy

(a) Unless we agree otherwise, the Lot will automatically be included as consigned or entrusted goods under Taversham’s Limited Policy for the amount that we from time to time consider to be its appropriate value.

(b) We shall charge the Seller a fee for the inclusion of the Lot under our policy at the rate of 1.5% of the Hammer Price and a minimum of £5 per Lot. If we arrange transport, we may charge the Seller an additional fee based on the value of the Lot and the particular circumstances of required transport to maintain the benefit of the inclusion of the Lot under Taversham’s Limited Policy during such transport. Although we shall suggest carriers if specifically requested, we cannot accept any liability in this respect.

(c) The Lot will retain the benefit of inclusion under Taversham’s Limited Policy until the expiry of seven days after the sale. If the Lot has not been sold, it will be at the Seller’s risk after that time.

8b. Owner’s Insurance

If the Seller specifically instructs us not to insure the Lot, it will remain at the Seller’s risk at all times until the Buyer has made payment in full. The Seller will indemnify us and our employees and agents, and the Buyer (where applicable) against any claim made against us or them in respect of the Lot, however that claim may arise. The Seller will also reimburse us and them on demand for any expenses we or they may incur as a result of such a claim, even if we or they are found to have been negligent and even where such reimbursement is required of a payment made without any legal liability being proved. The Seller must notify the Seller’s insurers of the terms of this clause.

9. The Seller’s Undertakings regarding the Lot

This Clause sets out the basis on which we shall handle the Lot, and which will govern the Seller’s relationship with the Buyer. If that basis proves incorrect in any way, either we or the Buyer may take legal action against the Seller.

We shall handle the Lot, and the Buyer will purchase, on the basis of the Seller’s undertakings that:

(a) the Seller is the sole owner of the Lot with an unrestricted right to transfer title to the Buyer free from all third-party rights or claims;

(b) the Seller has complied with all requirements, legal or otherwise relating to any export or import of the Lot and has notified us in writing a minimum of two weeks prior to the date of Auction of any failure by third parties to comply with such requirements in the past; and

(c) the Seller has notified us in writing a minimum of two weeks prior to the date of Auction of any material alterations to the Lot of which the Seller is aware and of any concerns expressed by third parties in relation to the ownership, condition, or provenance of the Lot.

If any of (a), (b) and (c) above is incorrect, the Seller will indemnify us and/or the Buyer in full on demand against all claims, costs or expenses incurred by us or the Buyer as a result, whether arising in relation to the Lot or the proceeds of sale.

10. Sale Arrangements

(a) We shall have complete discretion as to the way the Lot is described and illustrated in the catalogue or any condition report; the place and manner of sale; the decision as to which persons should be admitted to the auction, and as to which bids should be accepted; whether expert advice should be sought, and the combination or division of goods for sale.

(b) Any estimate given, orally or in writing, is a matter of opinion only and is not an assurance in relation to the price the Lot will eventually fetch.

(c) The Seller may not withdraw the Lot from sale without our consent. However, we reserve the right to withdraw the Lot from sale at any time if (i) we have any doubt as to its provenance or authenticity or as to the accuracy of the statements made in clause 9 (a), (b) or (c) above; or (ii) there is any breach of these Conditions of Business; or (iii) we believe it would be improper to include the Lot in the sale.

(d) If either we or the Seller withdraw the Lot, we shall charge the Seller a fee equal to 20% of the Reserve or, if no Reserve has been agreed at that time, 20% of the Insured Value, together with any applicable VAT, insurance, and other expenses.

11. Conduct of Sale

(a) The Lot will be sold subject to the Reserve, which cannot be above the low estimate as stated unless the Reserve is agreed to in a currency other than pounds sterling and the exchange rates fluctuate between the time the Reserve is agreed and the day of the sale. In this case, unless we agree otherwise, the Reserve shall be an amount equal to the pound sterling equivalent based on the closing exchange rate on the business day immediately preceding the sale. We shall in no circumstances be liable if bids are not received at the level of the Reserve. We shall however be entitled to sell the Lot below the Reserve. If we do so, we shall be obliged to account to the Seller as if the Hammer Price was equal to the Reserve.

(b) The Seller may not bid for the Lot nor employ any person to do so on the Seller’s behalf, although we shall have the right to bid on the Seller’s behalf up to the amount of the Reserve.

12. After the Sale

(a) Accounting

After the sale, we shall require payment in full by the Buyer, including payment of the Buyer’s Premium within seven days. Provided this has occurred, we shall remit to the Seller an amount equal to the Hammer Price, less all charges due from the Seller, 34 days after the date of the sale, unless we have received notice that the Lot is a Forgery (as defined in Section A of these Conditions). In the event of late payment by the Buyer (more than 34 days after the sale) we shall make such remittance to the Seller within seven days of that payment by the Buyer. If for any reason we make payment to the Seller of the amount due before payment by the Buyer, we shall acquire complete ownership of and title in the Lot, save only that in the event that we are obliged to accept the Lot back from the Buyer on the basis that it is a Forgery, the Seller will refund to us the proceeds of sale paid to the Seller.

Payment will be made in pounds sterling unless the Seller instructs otherwise in writing. If the Seller requires payment other than in sterling, we shall charge the Seller for any currency costs incurred. Sale proceeds will be calculated at the rate of exchange quoted to us by our Foreign Exchange (FX) company prevailing on the day of the pay-out 34 days after the date of the auction.

(b) Non-Payment by the Buyer

If the Buyer fails to pay the full amount due within 34 days after the date of sale, we shall be entitled to agree special terms on the Seller’s behalf for payment, storage, and insurance, and to take any steps we consider necessary to collect the amount due from the Buyer. However, we shall not be obliged either to remit the price due to the Seller ourselves, nor to take any legal proceedings on the Seller’s behalf. We shall discuss with the Seller the appropriate course of action to be taken to recover the purchase price from the Buyer.

(c) Forgeries

If within three months of the date of the auction the Buyer satisfies us that the Lot is a Forgery (as defined in Clause 1 of these Conditions of Business), then (i) if the Buyer at that time has not yet paid the full amount due, we shall have the right to cancel the sale and/or (ii) if we have at that time paid the Seller the whole or part of the full amount due to the Seller, then the Seller must refund to us, on demand, the total amount paid. In the latter case we shall exercise a lien over any property of the Seller under our control as security for the amount due.

(d) Unsold Lot

If any Lot is unsold, or is not included in a sale, or is withdrawn from sale for any reason, it must be collected from us within 30 days after we send the Seller a notice requiring the Seller to collect it. If any such Lot remains uncollected for a period exceeding 30 days, a storage charge of £1 per item per day will apply and an additional charge will be made for insurance. The Seller will not be entitled to collect the Lot until all outstanding charges are met.

If any such Lot is not collected within 90 days after the date of the sale or the date of the notice referred to above (whichever occurs first), it may be disposed of by us as we see fit, which may involve its removal to a third party warehouse at the Seller’s expense and its sale by public auction on such terms as we consider appropriate, including those relating to estimates and reserves. We shall then account to the Seller for the proceeds of sale, having deducted all amounts due.

If any Lot is bought in or otherwise unsold by auction, we are authorised as the exclusive agent for the Seller for a period of two months following the auction to sell such Lot privately for a price that will result in a payment to the Seller of not less than the net amount – i.e. after deduction of all charges due from the Seller – to which the Seller would have been entitled had the Lot been sold at a price equal to the Reserve, or for such lesser amount as we and the Seller shall agree. In such event the Seller’s obligations to us with respect to such a Lot are the same as if it had been sold at auction

13. Photographs and Illustrations

We shall have the right (on a non-exclusive basis) to photograph, video or otherwise produce an image of the Lot. All rights in such an image will belong to us, and we shall have the right to use it in whatever way we see fit.

14. VAT and UK Customs

The Seller will give all relevant information about his VAT status and that of the Lot, as well as the Lot’s Customs Duty status to ensure that the correct information is printed in the catalogues. Once printed, the information cannot be changed. If we incur any unforeseen cost or expense as a result of the information being incorrect, the Seller will reimburse to us on demand the full amount incurred.

SECTION D: CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO BOTH BUYERS AND SELLERS

15. Extent of Our Liability

(a) We have an obligation to refund the Buyer in the circumstances set out in Clause 16 below. However, neither the Seller nor we, nor any of our employees or agents, are responsible for the correctness of any statement as to the authorship, origin, date, age, attribution, genuineness, or provenance of any Lot nor for any other errors of description or for any faults or defects in any Lot. Neither the Seller, ourselves, our employees, or agents, give any guarantee in respect of any Lot. Any warranty of any kind whatsoever is excluded by this Clause.

(b) No Lot shall be removed from the place of sale until the sale has been concluded and payment has been made by the Buyer. Tavershams Auctioneers will not undertake any risk as regards any lot, nor any liability whatever as to preservation or delivery thereof. Tavershams Auctioneers shall not be personally liable if any lot shall, without their knowledge, be destroyed or missing at the date of the auction.

(c) Without prejudice to Clause 16(a) and 16(b), any claim against Taversham's Limited or the Seller by a Buyer is limited to the Purchase Price with regard to that Lot. Neither Taversham's Limited nor the Seller shall under any circumstances be liable for any consequential losses.

16. Refund in the Case of Forgery

A sale will be cancelled and the amount paid refunded to the Buyer, if a Lot (other than a miscellaneous item not described in the catalogue) sold by us proves to have been a Forgery. We shall not be obliged to refund any amounts if either:

(a) the catalogue description or saleroom notice at the auction date corresponded to the generally accepted opinion of scholars or experts at that time, or fairly indicated that there was a conflict of opinions, or

(b) it can be demonstrated that the Lot is a Forgery only by means of either a scientific process not generally accepted for use until after publication of the catalogue or a process which at the date of the auction was unreasonably expensive or impracticable or likely to have caused damage to the Lot.

Furthermore, the Buyer should note that this refund can be obtained only if the following conditions are met:

• the Buyer must notify us in writing, within three months of the auction date, that in his view the Lot concerned is a forgery;
• the Buyer must then return the item to us within fourteen days, in the same condition as at the auction date; and
• as soon as possible following return of the Lot, the Buyer must produce evidence satisfactory to us that the Lot is a Forgery and that he is able to transfer good title to us, free from any third-party claims. In no circumstances shall we be required to pay the Buyer any more than the amount paid by him for the Lot concerned and the Buyer shall have no claim for interest.

The benefit of this guarantee is not capable of being transferred and is solely for the benefit of the person to whom the original invoice was made out by us in respect of the Lot when sold and who, since the sale, has remained the owner of the Lot without disposing of any interest in it to any third party.

We shall be entitled to rely on any scientific or other process to establish that the Lot is not a Forgery, whether or not such process was used or in use at the date of the auction.

17. Copyright

The copyright in all images, illustrations and written material relating to a Lot is and shall remain at all times our property and shall not be used by the Buyer nor anyone else without our prior written consent. Where the Seller provides the text, photographs and illustrations for publication, the Seller warrants that use is authorised by the copyright owner and indemnifies Taversham's Limited against claims and costs arising from wrongful use.

18. Notices

Any notice given by Taversham's Limited under these Conditions is to be in writing and, if given by post, will be taken to have been received by the addressee on the second working day after posting or, if the addressee is overseas, on the fifth working day after posting.

19. Severability

If any part of these Conditions is found by any court to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that part may be discounted, and the rest of the Conditions shall continue to be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

20. Law and Jurisdiction

These Conditions are subject to English law, which shall apply to their construction as well as to their effect. For our benefit, the Seller and the Buyer submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

21. Data Protection

In connection with the management and operation of Taversham's Limited business, and the marketing and supply of services, or as required by law, we may ask clients to provide personal information about themselves to fulfil the services’ clients have requested, such as disclosing their information to third-party couriers or shippers, or obtain information about clients from third parties such as credit information. If clients provide Taversham's Limited with information that is defined by law as “sensitive”, they agree that we may use it for the above purposes only. Taversham's Limited will not use or process sensitive information for any other purpose without the client’s express consent.

If you want further information, or to make corrections to your information, or would prefer not to receive details of future events, please contact: +44(0)20 39 232323 or email info@tavershams.com.

These Terms & Conditions were last updated on 9 January 2024 and supersede all previous versions.