All property is being offered under French Law and under the conditions printed in this catalogue. Anyone who makes a bid agrees these terms and conditions.


BEFORE THE SALE

Estimates & Reserve price

All the estimates mentioned in the catalogue are in Euros, and are given for reference only. These estimates do not include taxes or Buyer’s premium. Estimates may be subject to change until the beginning of the auction, any change being announced either in a saleroom notice or by the auctioneer.

Lots generally have a reserve price; it is the confidential minimum bellow which the lot will not be sold, it cannot be higher than low estimate. Lots offered without reserve may be mentioned in the catalogue.

Condition of lots

Each lot is offered in its condition at the moment of the sale. Details mentioned in the catalogue such as minor restorations or small damages, and approximate dimensions are given for reference only. Interested buyers should make their own assessment during the public exhibition prior to the sale. In the case of a buyer who cannot come to the viewing, we may provide a condition report. In any case, no claim will be accepted.


DURING THE SALE

Auctioning

The auctioneer is entitled to conduct the sale the way he thinks most appropriate. He has the right to take or refuse any bid, to join or separate one or several lots, to change an estimate, to withdraw a lot from the sale, to start again taking bids on a lot if there is a dispute.

Absentee bid form & telephone bids

Any person bidding at an auction is personally liable for his bids, and will have to pay the final purchase price (hammer price plus commissions, taxes, and other expense that may be due).

If you cannot attend the auction, you can leave an absentee bid form. Bid forms are available at the end of the catalogue and shall be submitted before 6 PM the day before the sale with your bank references and a copy of your ID card. Absentee bid form instructions will be followed at the buyer’s best interest. In case of two similar orders, the first received will prevail. You shall make sure your absentee bid form has been registered until the morning of sale day.

Bid forms may be:

- given to the staff during the exhibition
- sent by fax at : +33 (0)1 40 15 99 56
-  sent by email at : contact@lafon-castandet.com
-  filled in on our website www.lafon-castandet.com and directly submitted

This is a free of charge service provided by LAFON CASTANDET, and the company shall not be liable in case of omission or error.

Pre-emption right

The French state may use its pre-emption right on certain kinds of works of arts. In the case of a pre-emption, the French state takes the place of the last buyer and has 15 days to confirm the purchase and subrogate the initial buyer.

AFTER THE SALE

As soon as the hammer falls, each lot is under the responsibility of its buyer.

Payment

Payment is in Euros and buyers are expected to pay for purchases immediately after the sale.

Payments may be made:

-  by French checks (showing an ID card)
-  by Visa card or Mastercard
-  by bank transfer
-  by cash up to 3000 € (commissions & tax included) for French residents, private and professionals
-  by cash up to 15 000 € (commissions & tax included) for non French residents

French checks have to be made at the account of LAFON-CASTANDET. No foreign checks will be accepted.

Bank transfer s should be made to:

Les virements bancaires s’effectuent sur le compte :

Lafon Castandet Dépôt Client
BNPPARIBAS PARIS A CENTRALE –
1, boulevard Haussmann 75009 Paris, France

BAN : FR76 3000 4008 2800 0107 1933 276
BIC : BNPAFRPPPAC

Bank commissions and expenses have to be paid by the buyer; and the order must mention the buyer’s name and the date of the sale.

Lots cannot be withdrawn until the complete payment of the invoice.

Buyer’s premium & taxes
Buyer’s premium

A buyer’s premium will be added to the hammer price and is part of the purchase price. The buyer’s premium (excluding tax) is 23% up to 15 000 €, 20% from 15 001 € to 500 000 € and 12% above 500 001 €. VAT will be applied on this buyer’s premium at the applicable rate.


VAT

VAT is 5,5 % for books and manuscripts, and 19,6 % for all other kind of items. In general, auctions are conducted under the margin scheme. VAT on the margin and on the buyer’s premium will not appear on invoices. In the case of properties sold outside the margin scheme, applicable VAT will be charged on both hammer price and buyer’s premium.

VAT refund

VAT charged on buyer’s premium may be refunded to non EU resident buyers who are exporting items outside the EU. They should contact the accounting service by the end of the sale and then provide the custom export document n°3 within six weeks after the date of the sale (the export must be effective within two months after the sale for valid custom papers).

Export

Specific licences may be compulsory to export items out of France and European Union and to import into other countries. It is the buyer’s responsibility to obtain the relevant licences, and there will be no delay of payment or cancellation of the sale accepted.


Passport

A passport of “cultural goods” is delivered by the French Reunion des Musees Nationaux. The definition of “cultural goods” and the threshold above which a licence is compulsory may differ according to EU regulation or French law.

Selection of the main categories :

Archaeology pieces of more than 100 years old Whatever the value is Part of Historical, Religious, Architectural monuments of more than 100 years old Whatever the value is Incunabula and manuscripts including maps and musical scores, single or in collection Whatever the value is Archives of more than 50 years old Whatever the value is Watercolours, gouaches and pastels of more than 50 years old 30 000 € Drawings of more than 50 years old 15 000 € Pictures entirely made by hand on any support  of any material of more than 50 years old 150 000 € Original sculptures and copies produces by the same process as the original of more than 50 years old 50 000 € Books of more than 100 years old singly or in collection 50 000 € Vehicles of more than 50 years old 50 000 € Original prints, engravings, serigraphs and lithographs with their respective plates and original posters of more than 50 years old 15 000 € Photographs, films and negatives of more than 50 years old 15 000 € Printed maps of more than 100 years old 15 000 € Any other antique item of more than 50 years old 50 000 €

Endangered species

According to The Washington Convention, all export of items containing animal material (ivory, tortoiseshell, corals, rhino horns…) require a CITES licence. Buyers who wish to import to other countries should also check local policies about endangered species import.

Withdrawal of property & shipping

Properties can only be withdrawn after the complete payment of the invoice.

Furniture and bulky items must be taken in the auction room at the end of the sale, or the following day before 10AM. After 10 AM they will be stored at sub level three under the conditions of Drouot warehouse.

Smaller items will be brought back at our office and kept, free of charge, during two weeks. On the 15^th day, items will be transferred to our warehouse of Drouot Montmartre, and a daily fee of 5 € excl. VAT per lot will be applied.

Items will be available during our usual business hours, from Monday to Friday 9 to 12.30 AM and 2 to 6 PM.

We generally advise you to use your usual shipping company. As a service, we may organise shipping upon written request and under your responsibility.

Seller’s settlement & unsold lots

The settlement of the sale will be paid in Euros after the complete payment of the buyer. All commissions, taxes (French droit de suite, plus-value…) and expenses (advertising, transport…) will be deduced from the hammer price.

Unsold lots must be withdrawn by the seller within two weeks after the sale. A storage daily fee of 5 € excl.VAT will be applied after the 14^th day.

DROUOT MONTMARTRE:
23 rue d’Oran 75018 PARIS
Tel: +33 (0)1 48 00 20 99

Payment default

In the event of payment default by a buyer, in accordance with French Law (Article 14 Act n° 2000-642 of July 10^th 2000) and following unsuccessful requests and formal notices, the property will be re-offered for sale on the seller’s demand following the “folle enchère” process. If the seller does not make a request within a month following the date of the sale, the sale will be cancelled without prejudice to the legal rights.

If the property is re-offered for sale on “folle enchère “ process, the difference between  the re-sale hammer price and the original hammer price will be charged to the defaulting buyer, and so will be all the expenses caused by the re-auctioning of the property.