Information for Buyers and Sellers

Photographs of all items can be viewed on this website.

The prices indicated in the catalogue are only intended as a guide to potential buyers; they are estimates, not reserves.

The Auction will commence promptly at 11am on Saturday 8th October. The lots can be viewed on the morning of the sale from 9.30am. Care has been taken with the description of items, but the organisers cannot be responsible for the accuracy of any unauthenticated information received from sellers as to age, provenance, etc. Buyers should satisfy themselves of the condition of any lot before bidding for it.

Persons intending to bid at the auction can download and print a copy of the catalogue to bring with them. They will be issued with a bidder's number on entry to the premises. No one will be allowed to bid without a bidder's number.

If you are not able to attend in person, absentee bids will be accepted up to 30th September 2011. You can use the online bidding form or you can send the information by email, or by post, to the address below, but no responsibility can be accepted for postal delays or indecipherable handwriting, so please take care that your contact details are clear. You need to state the maximum you would pay for an item, and this information will be kept in strict confidence by the auctioneer. If your bid is higher than the highest bid made at the sale, then the amount you pay will be just one increment higher, and will therefore not necessarily reach the maximum limit you have set.

It is regretted that telephone bidding cannot be accepted.

Lots purchased at the sale can be taken away on the day of the auction after payment by cheque or cash, but NOT UNTIL AFTER THE END OF THE SALE. We regret that credit or debit cards cannot be accepted. All lots are removed at the buyer's risk and expense. Ownership to goods will not however pass to the purchaser until payment has been received in full (ie after cheques have been cleared). There is no buyer's premium to be paid.

Absentee buyers will be informed within a few days if their bids have been successful and full payment must be made within 10 days of invoice. Lots can be dispatched to the buyer at the buyer's expense, provided clear instructions on the preferred method of carriage are given.

Cheques should be crossed and made out to "BPMTG". Bank details will be made available for telegraphic payments.

Overseas buyers only may pay by PayPal as an alternative to arranging payment in sterling at a premium of 2.5% of the sale price.

Information for Sellers

You may state a reserve price below which your item(s) will not be sold, but please note that £2 will be charged for each unsold lot that does not reach its reserve price. The return of unsold items will be at the seller's expense, but each case will be discussed with the seller to keep this to a minimum.

All lots are accepted at the seller's risk while stored prior to the sale.

Payment to sellers for lots sold will be made within 30 days after the sale date with a sales commission of 15% deducted as a donation to BPMTG funds and the National Puppetry Archive. BPMTG shall be under no obligation to account to the seller for sums due until payment has been received from the buyer.

The results showing prices achieved will be published on the auction web site within two weeks following the date of the sale.

Brian Hibbitt, Treasurer BPMTG
Priors Lodge, 3 Priors Wood
Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 6BZ
Phone : 01344 777010
Email : brian.hibbitt@ipn-europe.co.uk