Marble Auction #56

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

Ten years after Block's Box began conducting its first absentee and live auctions in 1991, it closed its final sale in December 2001. On January 1, 2002, Block's Box merged with A Chip Off The Old Block to form The AuctionBlocks.

The AuctionBlocks continues to meet the growing interest and demand for high-quality antique handmade, machine-made and contemporary marbles and marble-related items. Auction records include highest ever machine-made lot (No. 1 Christensen Agate Company 25-Guineas box), and highest ever price 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 periodic Absentee and Live Auctions, and regular twice-weekly Internet 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 epresentative of the owner, may consign items for auction.

Consignments are accepted for upcoming auctions no later than approximately two months prior to the auction date. This allows the seller's items to receive appropriate print catalogue and Internet catalogue description, illustration and price estimates.
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 at, or above, that level. Reserves will not be accepted that are higher than the minimum catalogue lot estimate. All reserves are disclosed on both mid-auction and final auction prices, as well as to telephone bidders.

Commissions
Sellers are charged a commission on each lot sold at auction. The seller's commission rate is based on the total of the bid-in prices for all of the seller's lots in a single auction. Sellers can request 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 40 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 catalogue, 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. The AuctionBlocks describes and grades over 15,000 individual marbles and related items each year for Absentee Auctions, CyberAuctions, Ebayâ listings and Live Auctions. 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. Contact us via email at AuctionBlocks@aol.com, or via telephone at 203-924-2802. 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.

THE BUYER
Bidding
All absentee 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 Live system. All postal mail must be received by 4:00PM (New York City time) on the day preceding the date shown on the auction catalogue cover. All e-mail and faxes must be received by 4:00 PM (NYC time) on the closing date shown on the auction catalogue cover. 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.

Telephone bids are only accepted in the seven (7) days immediately preceding the auction close.

During the week preceding the auction close, bids may be increased or checked by calling 203-924-2802 before 10:00 PM (NYC time). No calls will be accepted after 4:00 PM (NYC time) on the closing night of the auction. Bids can be increased using the Ebay Live system up to the point each lot is started at auction.

Bids may be faxed to 203-924-2802.

Bids may be sent by e-mail to AuctionBlocks@aol.com. All e-mail bids will be acknowledged by e-mail upon receipt. Some Internet gateways take up to twelve hours to deliver e-mail, therefore send all e-mails early to ensure receipt.

During the last week of the Absentee Auction a list of current high bids is posted each morning to AuctionBlocks.com/bids.htm.

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.

The absentee auctions end with a live auction component. The live auction is held at 7:00PM NYC time simultaneously in our Auction Room, and on Ebay Live. Visit our website AuctionBlocks.com for complete instructions on participating in the live auction. The high absentee bidder on each lot at 4PM NYC time on the closing date of the auction will be the absentee bidder in the live auction. Each lot will open at the current high absentee bid, as posted at AuctionBlocks.com at 5PM NYC time. Due to the use of the Ebay Live, no callbacks can be made during the auction.

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.

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-closing day. 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. There is no Buyer's Premium for sellers's buying-back any of their own items. Any item bought through the Ebay Live system carry a buyer's premium of 15%.

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 with an email address will receive an invoice via email on the day following the auction. 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 either by United States Postal Service (USPS).

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

The AuctionBlocks may accept shipping by an alternative carrier with a convenient drop-off location.

Any alternative carrier's rates higher than USPS will result in an additional charge to the winning lot item recipient.

Winning lot items may be picked up by appointment.