August Premiere: Chinese Art & Decorative

These Conditions of Sale govern all bids, purchases, and transactions conducted through Bala Collection. By registering to bid, placing a bid, or purchasing any lot, each bidder acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these Conditions of Sale.
1. Property Sold "As Is"
All property is offered and sold "AS IS, WHERE IS," with all faults. Neither Bala Collection nor the consignor makes any representation or warranty of any kind, whether express or implied, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, authenticity, attribution, authorship, provenance, period, culture, source, origin, medium, condition, size, quality, rarity, importance, exhibition history, or historical relevance.
Any reference in the catalogue, condition report, advertisement, online listing, or elsewhere to an artist's name, nationality, attribution, date, age, period, culture, source, origin, medium, condition, or any other descriptive matter is provided solely as a statement of opinion for identification and guidance. Such references shall not be deemed a representation or warranty.
No lot is sold with any guarantee of authenticity, authorship, attribution, or provenance. Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect the property in person and to seek independent expert advice prior to bidding. By placing a bid, whether in person, by telephone, absentee bid, online, or otherwise, the bidder acknowledges that they have conducted their own due diligence and satisfied themselves as to the condition, description, authenticity, and suitability of the property, or have voluntarily waived such examination and investigation.
If a prospective bidder is not satisfied as to the authenticity, condition, provenance, or any other aspect of a lot, they should not bid.
All sales are final. No refunds, returns, exchanges, or cancellations will be accepted. No oral or written statement made by the auctioneer, or by any employee, agent, or representative of Bala Collection, shall be deemed to create any warranty, representation, or assumption of liability by Bala Collection or the consignor.
2. Bidding and Auctioneer's Discretion
Bidding shall commence at such opening bid as the auctioneer, in the exercise of sole discretion, deems appropriate. Unless otherwise determined by the auctioneer, no bid below one-half of the published low estimate will be accepted from any source, including telephone bids, absentee bids, online bids, or bids made in the saleroom.
The auctioneer reserves the right, at any time and for any reason, to refuse, reject, or disregard any bid that is deemed not commensurate with the value of the lot, not advanced in good faith, or otherwise inappropriate. Bala Collection further reserves the right to pass, withdraw, or decline to sell any lot before or during the sale if the reserve is not met, if bidding is deemed insufficient, or for any other reason deemed appropriate by the auctioneer.
In the event of any dispute, error, or ambiguity concerning bidding or the sale of any lot, the auctioneer shall have sole and final discretion to determine the successful bidder, reopen bidding, cancel the sale, or take such other action as the auctioneer deems appropriate.
3. Reserves
All lots are offered subject to a confidential reserve, which is the minimum hammer price below which the lot will not be sold. The reserve shall not exceed the published low estimate.
In order to protect the reserve, the auctioneer may, on behalf of the consignor, place bids by opening the bidding, advancing the bidding, or continuing to bid in response to competing bids until the reserve has been reached.
4. Telephone and Absentee Bidding
All telephone bidding arrangements and absentee bid forms are treated as confidential and must be received by Bala Collection no later than twenty-four hours prior to the scheduled auction. No additional telephone bidding arrangements will be accepted on the day of sale.
The minimum opening bid for telephone bidding is US$1,000. By submitting an absentee bid or requesting to bid by telephone, the bidder authorizes the auctioneer to commence bidding on the bidder's behalf at one-half of the published low estimate, and acknowledges that opening the bidding at such level shall be deemed appropriate and authorized.
Although Bala Collection will use reasonable efforts to execute absentee bids and facilitate telephone bidding, Bala Collection shall not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage, or missed opportunity arising from the failure to execute an absentee bid, the unavailability of staff, technical malfunction, communication failure, or an unsuccessful telephone connection.
The submission of an absentee bid or telephone bidding request does not constitute, and shall not be construed as, the extension of credit by Bala Collection.
A refundable deposit of US$1,000 is required from all first-time bidders as a condition of participation in absentee or telephone bidding.
5. Finality of Sale, Title, and Risk
Upon the auctioneer's announcement of "Sold," the sale of the lot shall be final and irrevocable. Bidding on that lot may not be reopened except at the auctioneer's sole discretion in the event of dispute, error, or ambiguity.
It is the sole responsibility of each bidder to attract the auctioneer's attention before the fall of the hammer or announcement of sale.
Upon the auctioneer's declaration that a lot is sold, title to the property shall immediately pass to the successful bidder, who thereupon assumes full risk and responsibility for the lot, subject to these Conditions of Sale.
6. Buyer's Premium
A buyer's premium shall be added to the hammer price of each lot and shall be payable by the successful bidder as part of the total purchase price.
For lots with a hammer price up to and including US$200,000, the buyer's premium shall be 25% of the hammer price.
For any portion of the hammer price exceeding US$200,000 and up to and including US$500,000, the buyer's premium shall be 22%.
For any portion of the hammer price exceeding US$500,000, the buyer's premium shall be 18%.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for bids placed directly through Bala Collection's website, the applicable buyer's premium shall be 22% of the hammer price.
7. Payment Terms
Invoices will set forth the hammer price together with all applicable charges, including, without limitation, buyer's premium, sales tax, shipping, handling, insurance, and any other applicable fees. All payments and settlements must be made in U.S. dollars.
No property may be collected, released, or shipped unless and until full payment has been received by Bala Collection in cleared funds. In the case of payment by check or bank draft, purchased property will not be released until such payment has fully cleared the issuing bank.
If the bidder has a payment card on file with LiveAuctioneers, such card may be automatically charged seventy-two hours after the invoice is issued, unless alternative payment arrangements acceptable to Bala Collection have been made in advance.
Accepted methods of payment include bank transfer, ACH/wire transfer, and credit card. A 3.5% processing fee will be added to all credit card payments. The buyer is solely responsible for any bank charges, processing fees, or transaction costs associated with payment. Any returned or dishonored check will be subject to a US$50 returned check fee.
To ensure secure payment processing, any invoice exceeding US$5,000 must be settled by bank transfer, ACH/wire transfer, or check only. This requirement is intended to protect the integrity of transactions and reduce the risk of fraud, chargebacks, or unauthorized payments.
8. Sales Tax, Duties, and Import Charges
All purchases are subject to applicable sales tax unless a valid resale certificate or other applicable tax exemption documentation is fully completed and received by Bala Collection prior to the time of purchase. Resale certificates issued by other states may be accepted, subject to applicable law.
Items shipped outside the state may not be subject to sales tax, depending on applicable law and the shipping destination.
International buyers are solely responsible for any tariffs, duties, taxes, value-added taxes, import fees, customs charges, or other governmental assessments imposed by the destination country in connection with the shipment or importation of purchased property.
9. Shipping, Handling, Insurance, and International Shipments
Items will generally be shipped within one to two weeks after receipt of full payment in cleared funds. Larger packages and international shipments may require additional processing and transit time.
By placing a bid, the bidder agrees to bear all shipping, handling, insurance, and freight charges. Shipping, handling, and insurance charges are not included in the purchase price of the lot and must be paid separately by the buyer. Prior to shipment, the shipping cost for each lot will be confirmed with the buyer by the third-party shipping provider.
Bidders are strongly encouraged to select an appropriate level of insurance for purchased lots in order to protect against potential loss or damage during transit.
International bidders are solely responsible for complying with all applicable customs, import, and export laws and regulations. While Bala Collection may use reasonable efforts to assist, Bala Collection shall not be liable for any delays, restrictions, fees, seizures, non-delivery, or other consequences arising from customs requirements, international laws, or regulatory actions affecting shipment.
10. Collection and Storage
All purchased property must be collected promptly after the sale or, where applicable, shipped in accordance with Bala Collection's instructions.
Any item not collected within three months shall be subject to a storage charge of US$5.00 per day, per item.
11. Breach and Remedies for Non-Payment
If a successful bidder fails or refuses to make full and timely payment in accordance with these Conditions of Sale, Bala Collection reserves the right to exercise any and all remedies available under applicable law.
Such remedies may include, without limitation, cancellation of the sale, retention of any payments made, resale of the property with or without reserve at the purchaser's risk and expense, reporting the non-payment to relevant bidding platforms, and pursuit of any other lawful remedy.
In addition, if a successful bidder fails to remit payment as required, liquidated damages in an amount equal to thirty percent of the hammer price shall become immediately due and payable by the buyer.
If payment is not received in full within fifteen days of the sale or invoice date, Bala Collection may, in its sole discretion, cancel the sale, resell the lot, and pursue any further remedies available under applicable law.
12. Amendments
These Conditions of Sale shall inure to the benefit of Bala Collection, its successors, and assigns. These Conditions of Sale may not be terminated, amended, or modified except by a written instrument executed by Bala Collection.
Bala Collection reserves the right to update, revise, or supplement these Conditions of Sale at any time, provided that any such changes shall apply prospectively unless otherwise stated in writing.