Information for Consignors

If you would like to enter rugs or carpets and textiles in our auction sales, please send us photographs of the objects with their dimensions in advance, either in a letter or by e-mail. We will then check whether these objects fit into the framework of our auctions and make an initial selection. Binding reserves and estimates can only be set after personal inspection of objects. There is no charge for valuation and assessment of objects at our Wiesbaden office as long as the objects are then consigned for auction.

Valuation of collections:
For valuation of complete collections, for which a house visit is undertaken at the owner’s request, there is a flat-rate charge of 1,000 Euros (plus VAT), to which travel costs must be added. The flat-rate charge is waived if the pieces that have been valued are consigned for auction within the following six months.

Costs:
The consignor’s commission is 20 % of the hammer price for every object auctioned. In the case of larger consignments and closed collections, a reduced commission can be agreed over and above a certain overall reserve level.
A handling fee of 75 Euros is charged for every lot that remains unsold.
We charge 230 Euros for a full-page colour illustration in the catalogue and 150 Euros for a part-page illustration. An illustration in the on-line catalogue costs 20 Euros. If an object is illustrated in the printed catalogue, there is no additional charge for an illustration in the on-line catalogue.
The statutory 19% VAT is payable on all charges. Catalogue costs are payable by the consignor even if the object remains unsold.

Reserves and estimates:
The reserves and estimates are determined by our experts to the best of their knowledge and belief, in agreement with the consignor. The reserves agreed between the consignor and Rippon Boswell & Co. are treated as confidential vis-à-vis third parties. Only the estimates are published in the catalogue and/or auction list.

Insurance:
Items consigned are insured against the usual risks at the agreed reserve price once they have been taken over by Rippon Boswell. Insurance and storage costs are included in the commission. Insurance lapses on expiry of the contract.

Transport costs:
The costs for transport to Wiesbaden and, if applicable, for return transport are borne by the consignor. Transport is carried out either by parcel post or via a forwarding agent or courier service. Consignors from countries outside the EU zone must also pay any import and customs charges arising in connection with importation into Germany.

Open-market sales:
Following the auction, objects that did not receive sufficiently high bids may be sold on the open market. This open-market sale period ends eight weeks after the date of the auction. In this case, the contractually agreed reserves are binding inasfar as they were not reduced by the consignor after the auction. During this post-auction sale period, objects continue to be stored at Rippon Boswell and to be insured. The duty of insurance lapses on expiry of the open-market sale period.

Settlement:
Invoicing and payment generally take place six weeks after the date of the auction. If a buyer is in arrears with payment beyond this deadline, payment to the consignor will take place immediately we receive the sum in arrears. Payment is usually effected by means of bank transfer.