AuctionBlocks Marble Auction #57

The AuctionBlocks was formed on January 1, 2002 by the merger of Block's Box and A Chip Off The Old Block. Block's Box began conducting its first absentee and live auctions in 1991. A Chip Off The Old Block was been a pioneer in running internet auctions, beginning in 1996. Both predeces-sor companies were the oldest and largest in their market segment. The merger of these two companies to form The AuctionBlocks creates a marble auctioneer of unparalleled experience and longevity.

The AuctionBlocks carries on the tradition of meeting the growing demand for high-quality antique handmade, machine-made and contemporary marbles, and marble-related items. Auction records include highest price ever for a machine-made lot (No. 1 Christensen Agate Company 25-Guineas box), and highest price ever realized at auction for a marble item (Matthews Art Glass Population Portrait IX).

Today, The AuctionBlocks is the largest marble auctioneer in the world, conducting regularly scheduled Live Auctions, Absentee Auctions and CyberAuctions.

The AuctionBlocks goal is simple-to provide a competitive and cost-effective marketplace for the marble collecting community, both sellers and buyers.

THE SELLER
Consignments
The AuctionBlocks welcomes and receives quality consignments from collectors, dealers, estates and others worldwide-from single items to entire collections. Any owner, or rightful and legal representative of the owner, may consign items for auction.

Consignments are continuously accepted for upcoming auctions. The AuctionBlocks handles all catalogue descriptions, illustrations, grading, price estimates and dealing with the winning bidders.

The AuctionBlocks reserves the right to reject any item deemed not suited to auction.

Reserves
Sellers are discouraged from placing reserves on lots. It is understood that the seller on occasion will want to protect a lot at auction. Therefore, the reserve will be entered as the opening bid on behalf of the seller. All bidding must start above that level. Reserves will not be accepted that are higher than the minimum catalogue lot estimate.

Commissions
Sellers are charged a commission on each lot sold at auction. The seller's commission rate is based on the most current Seller's Commission Schedule prior to a scheduled auction date. The Seller's Commission Schedule is always available on The AuctionBlocks website. Seller accounts are settled within 45 days of the close of each auction. The Buyer's Premium, as discussed below, is waived in the case of a seller buying back their own lot on reserve; however the seller will pay the Seller's Commission.

BEFORE THE AUCTION
Catalogue
The AuctionBlocks makes all printed and Internet catalogues available prior to the auction sale. Reasonable care is practiced in preparing both printed and Internet catalogues. All descriptions, illustrations, sizes and conditions shown for each lot are guaranteed. The AuctionBlocks reserves the right to withdraw any lot that is incorrectly catalogued, both prior to and subsequent to the auction date. Any item found by a buyer to have been incorrectly pictured, sized or graded for condition, may be returned for a full and complete refund including all shipping costs and premiums. Notification of intention to return must be made to us by telephone, fax or e-mail within 3 days of receipt of the item.

Descriptions
The description of each lot at auction uses the name most commonly referred to by collectors. However, because there are subtle variations in the names collectors use, an unconditional guarantee of the identification of each marble described in this catalogue cannot be offered. As all items at auction are illustrated, do not rely solely on the item description or item names for identification.

Sizing
Sizes quoted for marbles offered at auction refer to the diameter of each marble at its widest point. Marbles less than 2" in diameter are sized in 1/16" increments, those over 2" diameter are sized in 1/8" increments. Using an incremental circle template and proceeding by increasingly larger holes, the first hole that the marble fits comfortably through is the size quoted by The AuctionBlocks. This is referred to as the "sieve" method. Some use a caliper and round to the nearest increment. The AuctionBlocks uses this method as a check to the size identified for auction. All other items are sized in inches.

Condition
Catalogue grading refers to the condition of the item's surface only. Original defects from the manufacture of a marble or item, such as a cracked sulphide figure, or surface air holes do not affect the surface condition grading. If original manufacturing defects exist in or on a marble or item, those defects are listed separately. Inconsequential defects are not listed.

All auction item grading is done by naked eye, under bright light. Any pinpricks, pits or blowholes on a marble are identified, it is then determined if they are original manufacturing or subsequent damage using a 10x loupe.

Grading
The following is a description of each marble grade.

Mint (9.9-9.0). A marble that is in its original condition is identified as Mint. The surface is unmarked and undamaged. There may be some minor rubbing on the surface of the marble is as it came from the factory.

Near Mint (8.9-8.0). A marble that has seen minor usage is identified as Near Mint. The marble may have evidence of hit marks, including tiny to small subsurface moons, chips, flakes or bruises. The damage is apparent but does not detract from viewing the marble.

Good (7.9-7.0). A marble that has seen usage is identified as Good. The marble will have numerous hit marks, subsurface moons, chips, flakes or bruises. The core can still be seen clearly, but the marble has seen obvious usage.

Collectible. A marble that has seen significant usage is identified as Collectible. The marble will have moons, chips, flakes and bruises overall. The core is completely obscured in some spots. A Collectible marble has seen obvious extensive usage. It can serve as a collection placeholder until a better example replaces it. Estimates The values shown for each lot are intended only as estimates of values based on current market conditions. The AuctionBlocks makes its estimates through years of extensive experience in grading and auctioning marbles and marble related items. No other auctioneer has been cataloguing marbles longer than The AuctionBlocks. The AuctionBlocks describes and grades over 15,000 individual marbles and related items each year for Live Auctions, Absentee Auctions, CyberAuctions, and Ebay listings. The estimates established are not reserves or opening bids. The opening bid at auction is determined as described under "Bidding Process".

Viewing Items may be viewed prior to auction by appointment. In some instances, we will display items at marble shows we attend.

All items won are guaranteed to be as pictured, and as sized and graded. No item bought in our auctions carries any warranty as to usage or merchantability.

Printed catalogues of the lots at auction are made available three to four weeks in advance of the closing date of the auction.

The catalogue is also posted to the websites, AuctionBlocks.com and at LiveAuctioneers.com

THE BUYER
Bidding
All Absentee Auction initial bids must be submitted in writing to Robert Block, The AuctionBlocks, P.O. Box 2321, Shelton, CT 06484, or by fax or e-mail as described, or through the Ebay LiveAuction system.

Bidding by USPS Mail
Bids may be sent via USPS mail to The AuctionBlocks, P.O. Box 2321, Shelton CT 06484 USA. All postal mail must be received by 12:00PM (New York City time) on the day preceding the date shown on the auction catalogue cover.

Bidding by e-mail
Bids may be sent via e-mail to AuctionBlocks@aol.com. All e-mail must be received by one hour prior to the starting time of the auction. There have been instances when emailed bids reach us after the auction, in some cases over 24 hours after they were sent. If you do not receive an acknow-ledgement email from The AuctionBlocks in a timely fashion, resend your email bids.

Bidding by Ebay LiveAuction
All bids via the Ebay LiveAuction system must be entered with them by one hour prior to the auction start time. Bids should be sent in as early as possible to ensure recording. Bids can be increased at any time prior to the auction start by postal mail, fax, e-mail or telephone.

Bidding by telephone
Telephone bids accepted until 1 hour prior to the auction start time. Bids may be telephoned to 203-924-2802. We do not have the facility to offer telephone bidding during the auction.

Bidding by fax
Fax bids are accepted until 1 hour prior to the auction start time. Bids may be faxed to 203-924-2802.

Live Auction Bidding
The live auction is held at the scheduled time printed on the front of this catalogue and posted on The AuctionBlocks website AuctionBlocks.com. Live bidding is conducted simultaneously in our virtual Auction Room, and on Ebay LiveAuctions. Visit our website AuctionBlocks.com for complete instructions on participating in the live auction.

Absentee Bid Execution
The high absentee bidder on each lot at one hour prior to the auction commencement will be the absentee bidder in the live auction. Each lot will open at the current high absentee bid, as posted at AuctionBlocks.com 30 minutes prior to the auction commencement.

During the seven days preceding the auction date a list of current high bids will be posted on The AuctionBlocks website, AuctionBlocks.com.

These scheduled times may be changed at the discretion of The AuctionBlocks. Notification will be posted well in advance at AuctionBlocks.com and mailed to all catalogue purchasers.

Bidding Increments
Bidding is in US$. Bids are advanced in the following increments:
$1 to $15 by $1
$15 to $50 by $2
$50 to $100 by $5
$100 to $500 by $10
$500 to $1,000 by $25
$1,000 to $2,500 by $50
$2,500 and up by $100

In the event identical absentee bids are received, the earlier post-marked bid or time of call will prevail.

These limits may change during the auction due to the limitations of the Ebay LiveAuctions bid engine.

Limit Bids
The AuctionBlocks encourages Limit (or execute) Bids for auctions as indicated above. By indicating the highest bid to be made, executing the bid will start at $5 ($1 for a lot with a minimum estimate below $10), then competitively bid, up to one bidding increment over the highest bid submitted. When executing a bid, the bidding increments listed above will be used. All limit bids are held in the strictest confidence. Under no circumstances will the amount of a limit bid be released to any seller or any other bidder.

Bid Rescission
Cancellation of bids will only be accepted until 4:00 PM (NYC time) on the day prior to the auction date. Rescission of bids is inherently unfair to other bidders. Therefore, any bidder abusing this privilege by excessively rescinding bids will be barred from bidding in future auctions.

Confidentiality
The AuctionBlocks guarantees that the identities of all sellers, lots and buyers are held in the strictest confidence and are not provided to anyone.

The identities of all bidders, lots and any bid on, or the amount of the bid, are not provided to anyone. The only exception to this is by bona fide legal order.

The amount of any limit bids is held in the strictest confidence.

Buyer's Premium
There is a 15% buyer's premium for any winning item at auction.

POST- NOTIFICATION
Winning Bids
A printed listing of the Winning Bid for each lot is sent postal mail to each catalogue purchaser no later than three days after the close of the auction.

All final bids are posted to AuctionBlocks.com following the close of the auction.

Invoicing
All lot item winners that do not have an email address will be invoiced within one week of the close of an auction.

Invoices list each winning lot item, auction price, buyer's premium and estimated shipping cost and insurance.

State of Connecticut Sales Tax is added to the invoice of buyers who are residents of the State of Connecticut. State of Connecticut Sales Tax must be paid unless the buyer holds a valid State of Connecticut Resale Certificate. A copy of this certificate or exemption form must be presented prior to the auction date. If there is an auction lot where there is more than one winning bidder that is not invoiced, the winning buyer is that whose bid amount was postmarked, faxed, e-mailed or telephoned first.

Payment
Payment is due upon receipt of the invoice. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars. Payment may be made by money order, certified check, cashier's check or credit card. Winning lot items will be shipped promptly upon receipt of payment made by certified check, cashier's check or credit card.

Payment made by money order may result in a delay of shipment until there is a verification of authenticity of the money order.

Payment may be made using American Express, Discover, MasterCard, PayPal and Visa.

Payment by personal check will result in the holding of winning lot items until the clearance of personal checks, upon which winning lot items will be shipped. A $25.00 charge will be levied for any checks returned by the bank.

No winning lot item will be shipped COD.

Shipping
All winning lot items are shipped insured. We utilize the United States Postal Service, and other carriers, at our discretion.

The AuctionBlocks requires a full street address be provided prior to bidding.

Winning lot items may be picked up by appointment.