Chinese Paintings And Works Of Art

Bidding on items indicates review of and acceptance of the following: 1. All goods are sold "AS-IS", "WHERE IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS" and all sales are final. Esther's Antiquity and Art is not responsible for the correctness of lot lead lines, lot descriptions or statements of condition, and we do not represent or warrant the description, quality, size, importance, genuineness, authenticity, authorship, attribution, provenance, age, period, culture, source, origin or condition of any items and no statement made in our advertisements, in our catalogs either printed or online, at or during the auction, in the bill of sale, or otherwise or elsewhere, regardless of the degree of detail or specificity, shall be deemed such a representation or warranty. Condition information and/or statements of condition are not included in auction item descriptions. Any condition information which may be included is for information purposes only and may not be relied upon as the equivalent of a formal Condition Report. Condition Reports must be requested in writing, and will be provided in writing. We do not give verbal Condition Reports. No employee or agent is authorized to or will make any statements regarding condition. Condition Reports given in response to bidder requests are issued in good faith, but may not be construed as statements of fact or an expert opinion or a guarantee of condition and may not be relied upon in substitution of or in lieu of physical inspection. All auction items are available for bidder examination prior to the auction. Bidding on an item signifies that you have examined that item, either personally or through an authorized agent, or that you have elected not to examine that item. Any request for additional photos will be responded to when possible and images will be added to the online catalog lot description. Requests for Condition Reports and/ or photographs submitted later than 24 hours before the sale will not be responded to, and we do not provide photographs post-auction. It is the responsibility of prospective bidders to examine lots in person or through an authorized agent and decide their level of interest. Neither the auctioneer, nor the consignor, is responsible for the accuracy of any printed or verbal descriptions or any Condition Reports. All weights and measurements are approximate and not guaranteed. Buyer relies solely on his/her own expertise and judgment regarding authenticity and condition when bidding on an item. If you require absolute certainty in all areas of authenticity and/or condition and the results of your own evaluation leave uncertainty in your mind, we recommend that you not bid on the item in question. As noted above, all sales are final at the fall of the hammer, and we do not give refunds. Any claim regarding condition of a purchased lot must be made within 15 days from the auction date when purchased or within 5 days after receipt of the item by the purchaser, whichever is later in time. In the event of a dispute regarding any lot, the purchaser's sole remedy shall be rescission of the sale and restitution of the original purchase price and premium paid by such purchaser. Esther's Antiquity and Art shall have no liability for any damages, whether incidental, consequential or otherwise, arising out of or in connection with any sale to purchaser. No refunds will be made for any shipping and/or handling fees paid to a third party by the purchaser. No claims will be recognized if made by anyone other than the original purchaser. Esther's Antiquity and Art pays its consignors 30 business days after the day of sale. After that date, Esther's Antiquity and Art will not entertain any requests for refunds. 2. A buyer's premium will be added to the hammer price of each lot and is payable by the purchaser as part of the total purchase price. a. In-House: The buyer's premium per lot for "in-house" purchases in our auction (not on any internet platform) is 22% of the final bid up to and including $500,000, and 17% for the remaining balance above $500,000. In-house purchasers who pay their invoices in full in cash or approved check within seven days of the auction will pay a reduced buyer's premium of 20%. b. Internet: The buyer's premium per lot for purchases in our auction on Live Auctioneers is 27% and on Invaluable is 27%. There are no discounts to the internet buyer's premiums available for early payments or cash payments, and no exceptions can be made. 3. All in-house bidders are required to register in person and give full identification including valid driver?s license and credit card information prior to the beginning of the auction and are required to use the number issued them when identifying themselves as the successful bidder. We also reserve the right to require other auction house credit references. 4. The auctioneer has the sole and exclusive power and authority, without exception and without liability, to (a) resolve any disputes between bidders, (b) determine whether to pass or re-offer any lot for sale, (c) reject or challenge any bid or advance at the start of the bidding or during the bidding, and (d) otherwise regulate the bidding and its increments. The auctioneer shall further have the right to reject any opening or subsequent bid that, in the auctioneers' sole opinion and discretion, is not commensurate with the value of the lot or is not within the published bid increments. At the auctioneer's discretion, no bid of less than one-half the low estimate will be accepted from any source: phone bidding, absentee bidding, internet bidding, or live bidding in the gallery. The highest bidder as determined by the auctioneer shall be deemed the purchaser. If the auctioneer receives more than one bid of the same value, only the first acknowledged will be accepted. If any dispute arises after the sale, the sale record maintained by Esther's Antiquity and Art is conclusive. Although Esther's Antiquity and Art will endeavor to execute accurately any absentee/phone bids, including internet absentee bids, these services are offered only as a convenience to clients who are not physically present at the auction, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur in the exercise of these services. "Auctioneer" as used in these Conditions of Sale means an employee or representative of Esther's Antiquity and Art duly licensed as an auctioneer or otherwise authorized by Esther's Antiquity and Art to conduct an auction under the laws of the State of Connecticut. 5. Esther's Antiquity and Art offers the internet bidding platform tool as a convenience to our clients. (a) Approval: Approval to bid on any internet bidding platform is at the discretion of Esther's Antiquity and Art and applicants with less than three months recorded bidding history will not be approved to bid in our auction without providing credit information and photo identification together with a valid credit card. Depending on the circumstances, a deposit in the amount of 50% of the low estimate on all lots of interest may be required as a condition of approval to bid. (b) Bids, Technical Issues: Please be aware that there is no time advantage to absentee bids submitted on the internet. Also, please be advised that in some cases an absentee bid submitted on the internet before or during the auction may not be received by the auctioneer conducting the sale, or if received may not be accepted. This may occur even when the internet absentee bid was placed earlier than an equivalent absentee bid placed with the house. No bids will be accepted after the auctioneer has closed the lot. Bidders who utilize an internet platform do so at their own risk, both with respect to (a) the timing and effectiveness of their bids and (b) the consequences of mistakes in bidding or failing to bid during the live auction event. The auctioneer has final discretion over which bids to accept, as described elsewhere in this document, and live bidders in the room are often recognized first by the auctioneer. Our experience suggests that internet bidders should bid their limit, not just the start bid, in order to have the best chance of winning a lot. There are frequently delays in transmission of bids over the internet, and in some cases internet bids may be received after a lot has been sold to another bidder and will therefore not be accepted. Internet bids are not visible to the auctioneer until the lot opens for bidding at the live auction, and even then may only be visible to the internet clerk and may not be accepted by the auctioneer , who is free to accept bids from any source and in any order in the exercise of his/her discretion. Absentee bids left directly with Esther's Antiquity and Art are time stamped and in the case of multiple absentee bids are executed competitively with respect to start bids and bid increments. 6. Title to each auction lot passes upon the fall of the auctioneer's hammer, and the purchaser assumes full ownership of and responsibility therefore at the fall of the auctioneer's hammer. Thereafter the property is at the sole risk of the Buyer and neither the Seller nor Esther's Antiquity and Art shall be responsible for any loss or damage. 7. Some lots carry reserves or minimum selling prices, which is a figure set by the consignor and Esther's Antiquity and Art below which a lot will not be sold. Esther's Antiquity and Artwill execute the reserve bids on behalf of consignors. The reserve will not exceed the low estimate. Estimates are subject to change at any time prior to the offering of each lot. 8. As noted above in Section 4, absentee and telephone bids are accepted and will be executed when possible, although solely as a convenience to customers. Phone bids are accepted only on lots with a low estimate of $500 or greater, and are opened at one half the posted low estimate. Absentee bids are executed in the order received, therefore in the case of identical absentee bids on a lot, the first bid received will be recognized. Esther's Antiquity and Artwill not be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or failure to execute bids accurately. Bidders are encouraged to submit absentee and telephone bid requests 24 hours prior to the auction, and Esther's Antiquity and Art reserves the right to decline acceptance of absentee and/or phone bid requests tendered after 5pm on the day prior to the sale. Purchases will not be available to absentee buyers for pick-up during the auction unless arrangements are made prior to the sale. 9. Items may be withdrawn at any time prior to being offered at the auction. 10. Payments accepted are cash, approved checks, money orders, cashier's checks, credit cards and wire transfers. We do not accept debit cards or Paypal. Credit card payments are accepted only up to $2000, unless the purchaser is present in the gallery and the card is swiped. Split payments (more than one form of payment on a single invoice) are not accepted. Domestic invoices over $2000 must be paid by cash, check or wire transfer. International invoices over $2000 must be paid by wire transfer. Valid credit card information may be required to register to bid, and a deposit may be taken toward any balance due resulting from successful bids. First time buyers must establish bank credit before the auction in order to have "approved check" status. References from other auctioneers may also be required or may satisfy the credit reference requirement. Purchases paid for with non-approved personal/business checks or international bank checks/money orders may not be released until seven days from receipt of payment or until payment clears. Wire transfers are accepted with a $25.00 additional wire transfer fee added to the invoice price. PLEASE NOTE THAT ESTHER'S ANTIQUITY AND ARTTERMS AND CONDITIONS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD ISSUERS IN CONNECTION WITH PURCHASES BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD. BY BIDDING AT OUR AUCTION YOU SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE AWARENESS OF AND AGREEMENT WITH THIS PROVISION OF OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Payment is due within seven (7) days after the sale. If a buyer fails to make payment within ten (10) days after the sale, the buyer's premium increases by 3% and the account will be delinquent. Any buyer credit card on record will be charged the invoice total plus the additional 3% late fee. If no credit card is available, or if a credit card number supplied is invalid or a credit card charge is rejected, Esther's Antiquity and Art shall be entitled to do any or all of the following, in its sole discretion: a. After 15 Days - Void any or all purchases covered by the invoice and sell the item(s) to an underbidder or other bona fide buyer without liability to the delinquent buyer and without releasing said buyer from responsibility to pay for any remaining purchases or losses/damages incurred due to nonpayment. b. After 30 Days - File a Civil Complaint against the buyer to recover any balance due plus court fees, interest, storage fees, administrative costs, and any other applicable financial hardship caused to Esther's Antiquity and Art and/or the consignor or pursue other collection avenues to recover any and all losses. c. After 45 Days - Re-offer the items for sale, either publicly or privately, and collect any remaining balance owed after such sale from the original buyer, including, but not limited to, the total balance remaining, court fees, interest, storage fees, administrative costs (including those related to re-selling the item(s) and any other related fees). d. Charge interest at a rate of 1% per month throughout the entire frame of non-payment. e. Reject further bidding or consignments by the buyer at any and all future auctions. 11. All purchases are subject to 6.35% Connecticut state sales tax unless the purchaser possesses a Connecticut sales tax exemption number, and provides Esther's Antiquity and Art with a valid, fully completed resale certificate. Valid exemption numbers from other states are accepted if accompanied by a fully completed resale certificate and a business card or letterhead. 12. ALL BUYERS ARE ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ARRANGING AND PAYING FOR ALL PACKING AND SHIPPING OF PURCHASED ITEMS. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ESTHER'S ANTIQUITY AND ARTFOR PACKING OR SHIPPING QUOTES OR ASSISTANCE, AS WE DO NOT MAINTAIN AN IN-HOUSE SHIPPING DEPARTMENT - ALL SHIPPING IS OUTSOURCED. Please consider any and all shipping costs before you place an absentee bid or bid live. The value of any item may have no bearing on the cost to ship it and shipping costs will not affect your contractual obligations undertaken by registering to bid. While we do not maintain an in-house pack/ship department, as a courtesy and convenience to our customers we have listed below several shippers you may contact to provide packing/shipping estimates, arrange pickup of your items from Woodbury Auction, and arrange for packing/shipping to your location. A release statement with the name and contact information of your shipper must be emailed or enclosed with your payment to Esther's Antiquity and Art before any merchandise can be released. If for any reason a sold lot cannot be delivered to the purchaser in the same condition as at the time of sale, or should any sold lot be stolen, lost or damaged prior to delivery/pick-up from our location, we shall not be liable for any amount in excess of that paid by the purchaser. We are not responsible for the acts or omissions of carriers or packers of sold lots, whether or not recommended by us. Handling of purchased lots by us is at the entire risk of the Purchaser and we will have no liability for any loss or damage to such items, regardless of the reason or cause.