The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with the buyer's premium at a rate of 21% of the hammer price + VAT. (d) All conditions, notices, descriptions, statements and other matters in the catalogue and elsewhere concerning any lot are subject to any statements modifying or affecting the same made by the Auctioneer from the rostrum prior to any bid being accepted for the lot. Where there is no reserve price (but not otherwise) the seller has the right to bid either personally or by any one person (who may be the Auctioneer). (c) Each lot is put up for sale subject to any reserve price placed by the vendor. If during the auction the Auctioneer considers that a dispute has arisen, he has absolute discretion to settle it or to re-offer the lot. The Auctioneer may at his sole discretion determine the advance of the bidding or refuse a bid. (b) The highest bidder shall be the buyer.

He may bid on behalf of the vendor for all goods which are being offered subject to reserve or at the Auctioneers discretion. (a) The Auctioneer has absolute discretion to divide any lot, to combine any two or more lots or to withdraw any lot from the auction, to refuse bids, regulate bidding or cancel the sale without in any case giving any reason or without previous notice. (c) All statements whether printed in the catalogue or made orally as to any of the matters set out in (b) above are statements of opinion only and are not to be taken as being or implying any warranties or representation of fact by the Auctioneers unless they have been instructed by the vendor to so certify. (b) The Auctioneers do not accept responsibility for the authenticity, attribution, date, condition or quality of any lot unless they have been instructed in writing by the vendor to so certify. Whilst the Auctioneer makes every effort to ensure accuracy and the description of any lot: (a) Each lot is as set out in the catalogue or as divided or combined with any other lot or lots, is sold by the vendor with all faults, imperfections and errors of description.

A Close Run Thing by Allan Mallinson