Conditions of Sale

TERMS OF SALE: By registering to bid on any lot or any participation in an auction conducted by Vintage Accents Auctions (VAA), you the bidder or agent bidding on behalf of others, agrees to be bound by these Conditions of Sale.

CONDITION OF ITEMS & WARRANTY INFORMATION: 

Vintage Accents Auctions (VAA) makes every attempt to uphold the highest standards in the auction industry. Our goal is to consistently deliver the highest level of products and services to our customers. Our catalog descriptions represent what we have deemed appropriate to identify each object.

If you are not able to make what you consider to be a comfortable decision about an item or if you believe an item may be incorrectly described in our catalog, we suggest that you refrain from bidding on said item.

1) All items are sold “as is.” Item descriptions are the opinion of VAA and should not be construed as a guarantee of the authenticity of authorship, physical condition, size, quality, medium or material, period, culture, source, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibition, literature or historic relevance of the property or otherwise.

2) Items are examined when cataloged. Known condition issues are included in the item description. No additional information will be provided.

3) The absence of any reference to the condition of a lot does not in any way imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free of wear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

4) All items are sold for display purpose. If electrical, mechanical or other working parts are inoperable, even if working at the time of sale, VAA is not liable due to the inherent nature of the age of antiques and items.

5) Goods made from or containing materials from protected species - VAA does not accept any responsibility or liability for the sale of items containing materials from protected species or for any omissions in marketing or labeling goods as containing materials from protected species. Such materials include, but are not limited to ivory from elephants and walruses, tortoise shell, crocodile skin, whalebone, rhinoceros horn, some species of coral and certain woods. Restrictions on the importation, exportation, sale, transfer, and/or possession of goods containing materials from protected species derive from international, federal and state laws and regulations promulgated thereunder.

It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to research and satisfy the requirements of any laws and regulations that apply to the import and export of property as described in the aforementioned paragraphs. All buyers agree to comply with any and all domestic and international restrictions and licensing on the trade of protected species as a condition of the sale. The inability or delay in obtaining permits, licenses or other permissions to import or export goods containing material from protected species will not constitute a basis for rescission or cancellation of the sale or the delay of payment of purchased items in accordance with these bidder Terms and Conditions of Sale.

RETURNS

6) All sales are final. Returns will not be accepted.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

7) Bidder recognition: The auctioneer shall only accept bids from properly registered bidders who place bids live on the auction floor, by absentee bid, telephone bid, or online bid. The auctioneer shall acknowledge the top bidder as the winner. In the event of a disputed bid, the auctioneer will have sole and exclusive authority to resolve the dispute and determine the winning bidder.

8) The auctioneer has sole discretion and reserves the right to:

A. Reject or refuse to accept any bid or bidder that may be deemed inappropriate for any reason.

B. Pass/withdraw any items in the auction which do not open at a price commensurate with the items’ value.

C. Open bidding and bid up to, but not exceed the reserve on behalf of the seller.

9) Anyone 18 years of age or older and of good creditworthiness (as determined by VAA), may bid at this auction, including the auction staff.

10) Bidding on behalf of others: Unless you are registered as a buyer’s agent prior to the start of the auction and we have written authorization from your buyer naming you as his/her appointed bidder, you are responsible for all the purchases under the terms and conditions of this bidding agreement.

11) EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022: the Buyer's Premium is 25% for all internet bidders, live and absentee.

12) Reserves: Some item(s) in this auction may be offered subject to a reserve, which is a confidential, minimum price, below which the item cannot be sold. No reserve may exceed the pre-auction high estimate as stated in the item description.

13) Any dispute or litigation resulting from the sale of items in this auction will take place in the judicial system in the State of Maine.

BIDDING INFORMATION:

Bidding is an indication of your acceptance of all terms stated herein, including any changes/supplements added to the catalog or posted on our website, without exception. Acceptance of these terms and conditions constitutes a legal and binding contract and will be executed without exception. If you have any questions, please be sure to seek clarification before you bid.

14) Online Bidders: Must follow the registration steps required by the applicable bidding platform and are subject to both the terms and conditions of the online bidding company AND VAA’s Conditions of Sale. We will use reasonable efforts to carry out online bids and do not accept liability for equipment failure, inability to access the internet or software malfunctions related to the execution of online bids.

PAYMENT:

15) Successful live bidders are expected to pay in full for all purchases immediately following the auction. Buyers must pay the entire amount including the hammer price, buyer’s premium, all applicable taxes and other charges.

16) Successful bidders will be notified of their purchases by email within one business day of the auction. Payment is due on receipt. Payment for packing and shipping is a separate charge covered under the “Shipping” section.

17) All payments must be in US Dollars. Payments must be made through the Liveauctioneers. If you have not contacted Vintage Accents Auctions to arrange payment within 3 days of the time that invoice is sent, we will charge the credit card you used to register for the auction for the amount of your invoice.

18) No items will leave VAA until payment is made in full.

19) VAA reserves the right to hold all merchandise until payments clear our bank.

20) In the event payment in full is not received within 15 days from the date of the auction, any outstanding amounts will be charged to the credit card on file.

A. If payment is not received 30 days from the sale, there will be a 1.5% per month surcharge added to the total invoice, and;

B. If no credit card is available or if payment has not been received within 30 days, VAA will pursue alternate collection avenues in order to collect the balance due plus any storage, administrative, collection, attorney and/or court fees.

C. After 30 days from the day of the sale, storage fees will be charged at $50 per item, per month.

D. After 30 days, the warranty no longer applies.

E. If payment in full is not received 45 days from the sale, all ownership rights to any items on a bidder’s invoice are forfeited and the bidder will be responsible for any outstanding amounts including, but not limited to storage and collection fees.

F. Additionally, VAA may report the buyer’s name to other auction houses and online platforms regarding creditworthiness and restrict the buyer from future bidding at VAA and our associated online platforms.

SALES TAX:

21) Online purchases from Vintage Accents Auctions may be subject to sales tax. As a result of recent and ongoing legislation, most U.S. states now require businesses to collect and remit sales tax on online purchases made from their states. Regardless of where sellers are located, they are required to charge tax on internet orders if your state mandates it.  Each state has different requirements and thresholds on what is taxed and how much. Sales tax will not apply to purchases made by bidders with valid tax exemption certificates. If you have a valid tax exemption certificate, upload it to your Liveauctioneer account to ensure your purchases are not subject to tax.

SHIPPING / PICK-UP / STORAGE FEES:

22) On completion of payment VAA will help coordinate shipping. Please contact VAA with any questions.

23) If either someone else other than the buyer, or a shipper other than one represented on the invoice, will be picking up auction items, the buyer must inform us in advance so we may release the items.

24) Shipments will be insured for the full purchase price unless other coverage is requested by the buyer. Any damage or delivery issues (regardless of any assistance offered by VAA) are between the buyer and the shipper. Items with gesso surfaces, frames, mirrors, furniture, etc. that exhibit loss/detachment due to normal handling (no obvious signs of neglect or abuse) are exempt from damage claims.

25) VAA will not alter any catalog descriptions or declare less than the full purchase price on any international customs paper- work. All international customs documents and costs are the responsibility of the buyer.

26) All items must be picked up from our auction facility within 30 days of the sale unless prior arrangements have been made. For items unclaimed after 30 days:

A. Items left at VAA for more than 30 days will be subject to a storage fee of $50 per item, per month to be paid prior to collection of items.

B. Items left at VAA over 45 days after the date of sale may, at the sole discretion of VAA, be re-sold on buyer’s behalf. The above costs of storage, plus any other costs directly related to the items and an auctioneer’s commission of 30% will be subtracted from the proceeds.

C. Items unsold or unclaimed by 180 days from the date of this agreement will become the sole property of VAA and may be sold or otherwise disposed of without reporting or liability of any sort to the buyer.

27) The inability to choose an acceptable shipping option is NOT a reason for non-payment of an item’s full purchase price.

28) Attention online bidders: Any items won during auction will not be available for pick-up until the second business day after the auction. Please call ahead!

29) Anyone planning to pick up items from VAA, should call 24 hours in advance to make arrangements.