Elwerkemper Grand Piano (c1820) A Viennese grand piano in a mahogany and walnut case on three turned

Buyer's Terms and Conditions

1.1    Piano Auctions Limited who act only as auctioneers and agents is called 'the Company'.

1.2    The representative of the Company conducting the auction is called 'the auctioneer'.

2.1 The auctioneer shall be solely responsible for the regulation and control of the bidding and in particular has absolute discretion to divide any lot, to combine any two or more lots, to withdraw any lots from sale, to refuse bids or cancel the sale without giving any reason or previous notice. The auctioneers may bid on behalf of the vendor for all lots subject to reserve; otherwise the vendor may bid personally. All formal or informal information concerning any lot is subject to modification by announcement from the rostrum by the auctioneer prior to any bid being accepted for the lot.

2.2 The highest bidder for a lot shall be the buyer. All lots are offered for sale without reserve unless instructions to the contrary are received by the auctioneers from the vendor prior to the commencement of the sale. The reserve shall be the minimum hammer price at which the lot may be sold.

2.3 While the Company will strive to ensure the accuracy of the description of any lot in a catalogue or of the written or oral opinion in a condition report the company does not accept responsibility or imply any warranty for the authenticity, attribution, genuineness, origin, authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot.

3.1 All bidders who are each deemed to act as principal acknowledge that before bidding they have satisfied themselves about the physical state and condition of the lot and in particular whether the lot is damaged or has been repaired or restored and that they are conversant with the buyers terms and conditions of sale.

3.2 The lot is at the sole risk of the buyer from the fall of the hammer but the legal title will not pass to the buyer until the lot has been paid for in full by bank transfer. Thereafter, the lot may be collected and removed at the buyer's risk and expense.

3.3 The buyer shall pay to the Company the hammer price of the lot plus a premium of 20% of the hammer price plus VAT on the premium and the hammer price if applicable.

3.4 The buyer shall pay by bank transfer to the Company's bank account, the buyer to bear the cost of transfer. 

4.1 If the buyer fails to pay in full for the lot by the close of the next business day after the sale the Company, in its absolute discretion, shall be entitled to:

(i) charge interest on the total amount due to the company from the date of the sale until the total amount is paid at the rate of ten percentage points above the Royal Bank of Scotland plc base rate in force during that period.

(ii) re-offer the lot, without notice to the buyer and to recover from the buyer any shortfall in the previous hammer price together with interest, charges and expenses.

(iii) exercise a lien over the lot and any other goods, then or later in the custody of the Company, until the lot has been paid for in full by the buyer.

(iv) recover from the buyer relevant transport costs and a warehouse charge of £10 per lot per day plus VAT.

4.2 Lots not collected by the buyer or not paid for in full shall continue to be at the risk of the buyer and the Company will not be responsible if they are lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.

4.3 The buyer acknowledges the Company's absolute right to use as it sees fit, any photographs and illustrations of lots consigned to the Company.

5.1 If within three months after the sale the buyer of any lot serves formal notice alleging that the lot is a deliberate forgery and returns the lot to the Company in the same condition at the time of the sale and produces evidence acceptable to the Company that the lot is a deliberate forgery then the sale of the lot will be rescinded. The Company will reimburse the buyer for the amount paid for the lot within seven days of the vendor refunding to the Company the net proceeds of the sale.

5.2 Any dispute between vendor and buyer relating to goods consigned to the Company for sale, including rescission, which cannot be settled by agreement shall be settled by an arbitrator appointed by the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The vendor and buyer shall be bound by the decision of the arbitrator including the incidence of costs

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5.3 Every person on premises used by the Company for the conduct of its business shall be deemed to be there at their own risk and shall have no claim against the Company in respect of accident, injury, damage or loss however caused.

5.4 All sales conducted by the Company are subject to English law and any litigation will be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

5.5 Online Bidding

Piano Auctions Ltd offers an online bidding service via the-saleroom.com for bidders who cannot attend the sale.

In completing the bidder registration on www.the-saleroom.com and providing your credit card details and unless alternative arrangements are agreed with Piano Auctions Ltd you:

1. Authorise Piano Auction Ltd, if they so wish, to charge the credit card given in part or full payment, including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the auction via the saleroom.com, and
2. Confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Piano Auctions Ltd through www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Piano Auctions Ltd are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment of the sale.

Please note that any lots purchased via the-saleroom.com live auction service will be subject to an additional 4.95% commission charge + VAT at the rate imposed on the hammer price.

6.  Collection

All pianos must be removed from Griffin Transport, Watford by 4:00pm on the Thursday after the sale.

Piano Auctions Ltd have carriers that guarantee to remove all pianos by this deadline. You can also get a get a quote prior to the sale so you can take account of removal costs when bidding.

If payment in full has not been received by 5.00pm on the Wednesday following the auction, then your goods will be packed and held by one of Piano Auctions Ltd carriers. It will then be held by them until your payment has cleared into Piano Auctions Ltd account and any costs incurred by the carriers have been paid.

Piano Auctions Ltd

Registered in England 4717307

Registered Office:  1 Beauchamp Court, Victors Way, Barnet, Herts, EN5 5TZ

VAT No 810213003

www.pianoauctions.co.uk