Eporelic August: Fine Art & Antiques

All lots offered by Eporelic Auction Gallery ("Eporelic," "we," "us," or "our") are offered and sold subject to the following Terms and Conditions of Sale. These Terms apply to all auctions conducted by Eporelic, whether bidding occurs in person, by telephone, by absentee bid, through an online bidding platform, or through any authorized agent or representative.

By registering for an auction or placing a bid, each bidder confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. A bid constitutes a legally binding offer to purchase. If accepted, the bid creates a binding contract of sale. Please do not bid unless you are prepared and able to complete the purchase.

Eporelic reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to refuse service, deny registration, reject bids, or withdraw bidding privileges from any person or entity.

Registration

All bidders must complete registration before participating in any auction. Individual bidders may be required to provide valid government-issued photo identification and proof of address if such address is not shown on the identification. Business or corporate bidders may be required to provide documents confirming the legal existence and authority of the entity.

Eporelic may require first-time bidders, international bidders, or bidders seeking approval for higher-value lots to provide additional verification, references, or a credit card authorization hold of up to $1,000 before bidding approval is granted. Such authorization is not a completed charge and is generally released within approximately three to seven business days if the bidder does not purchase any property, subject to the policies of the card issuer or payment processor.

Eporelic retains full discretion to approve, decline, suspend, or revoke bidder registration at any time.

Bidding

Each lot is sold to the highest bidder recognized by the auctioneer or by the applicable online bidding system. The auctioneer has sole discretion to accept or reject any bid, advance bidding, reopen bidding, resolve bidding disputes, withdraw any lot, divide or combine lots, or determine the successful bidder.

The fall of the hammer, or the online closing of a lot, represents acceptance of the highest valid bid and creates a binding agreement between the buyer and Eporelic, acting as agent for the consignor unless otherwise stated.

Eporelic is not responsible for missed bids, delayed bids, internet outages, platform malfunctions, software errors, transmission delays, or any failure of a third-party bidding platform.

Telephone and absentee bidding are offered as a courtesy when available. Eporelic does not guarantee that any telephone or absentee bid will be executed successfully. Telephone and absentee bidders may be required to provide a credit card and, for selected lots, a deposit of up to twenty percent (20%) of the estimated value before bidding approval is granted.

Buyer's Premium

A buyer's premium of twenty-five percent (25%) will be added to the hammer price of each lot and is payable by the buyer as part of the total purchase price.

Additional fees may be charged by third-party online bidding platforms, including but not limited to LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, or other platforms used for a particular sale. Such fees are governed by the policies of the applicable platform and may be charged in addition to Eporelic's buyer's premium.

Applicable sales tax will be added where required by law.

Condition, Authenticity, Attribution, and Inspection

All property is sold "AS IS," "WHERE IS," and with all faults. All sales are final.

Neither Eporelic nor the consignor makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding any lot, including but not limited to condition, authenticity, authorship, attribution, provenance, origin, age, period, culture, medium, dimensions, quality, rarity, value, exhibition history, historical significance, or suitability for any particular purpose.

Any catalog description, condition report, estimate, photograph, written statement, oral statement, provenance reference, or other information provided by Eporelic is offered solely as an opinion and for general identification and informational purposes. Such information should not be treated as a statement of fact, warranty, or guarantee.

References to an artist, maker, manufacturer, dynasty, period, school, region, culture, origin, style, or date reflect the opinion of the cataloger based on information available at the time of cataloging. These opinions may change as additional information, scholarship, scientific testing, or expert review becomes available.

Terms such as "attributed to," "school of," "circle of," "in the style of," "after," "manner of," "bearing signature," or similar language are expressions of opinion only. They do not guarantee authorship, authenticity, date, period, origin, or any specific connection to a named artist, maker, or historical period.

Condition reports are provided as a courtesy and may not include every scratch, repair, restoration, loss, alteration, crack, chip, stain, relining, repainting, overpainting, replacement, or other imperfection. The absence of any reference to damage, repair, restoration, or defect does not imply that a lot is free from such issues.

Prospective buyers are strongly encouraged to inspect all property in person during preview, request additional photographs or condition information where needed, and conduct their own independent research before bidding. By placing a bid, the buyer acknowledges that they have had the opportunity to inspect the lot and satisfy themselves regarding its condition, description, authenticity, and suitability.

Failure to inspect a lot, or failure to request additional information before bidding, shall not be grounds for cancellation, nonpayment, return, refund, rescission, chargeback, or any claim against Eporelic.

Special Notice Regarding Certain Fine Art, Antiques, Collectibles, and Cultural Property

Certain categories of property, including but not limited to fine art, antiques, Chinese and Asian works of art, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, bronzes, sculpture, coins, paper currency, stamps, seals, manuscripts, historical documents, and other collectible or cultural objects, may involve complex questions of authorship, age, attribution, origin, condition, and authenticity.

In these categories, differences of scholarly, market, or expert opinion are common. Eporelic does not guarantee authorship, date, period, dynasty, origin, culture, provenance, signature, inscription, medium, or authenticity unless an express written guarantee is specifically provided by Eporelic for that lot.

All descriptions and attributions are statements of opinion only, based on information available at the time of cataloging. Later research, scientific analysis, expert review, or changes in market opinion may result in conclusions that differ from the catalog description.

By bidding, the buyer accepts these risks and agrees that no return, refund, cancellation, or rescission will be permitted based on authenticity disputes, attribution disagreements, changes in scholarly opinion, or later expert conclusions, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

Payment

Eporelic accepts payment methods that may include cash, personal check, certified check, cashier's check, bank wire transfer, PayPal, and major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, subject to Eporelic's approval and availability for a particular transaction.

All payments must be made in United States Dollars.

A processing fee of 3.5% applies to U.S. debit or credit card payments. A transaction fee of 4.5% applies to international card payments made from outside the United States. Domestic wire transfers may be subject to a $30 bank processing fee, and international wire transfers may be subject to a $50 bank processing fee.

Eporelic reserves the right to require payment by wire transfer, certified funds, or another approved method for certain buyers, high-value invoices, international transactions, or transactions deemed higher risk.

Payment Deadline and Buyer Default

Payment in full must be received within seven (7) days after the buyer receives the invoice and no later than 5:00 PM on the seventh day. Invoices are generally issued within two (2) business days after the auction.

Failure to make full and timely payment constitutes a breach of contract.

If a buyer refuses to pay, fails to complete payment, reverses payment, or otherwise defaults on the purchase, the buyer agrees to be liable for liquidated damages equal to one-third (1/3) of the hammer price. The buyer acknowledges that this amount represents a reasonable estimate of the damages, administrative burden, lost opportunity, resale risk, market uncertainty, platform-related costs, and commercial harm caused by the default.

Eporelic may retain any deposit, partial payment, or authorization amount already received and apply it toward such liquidated damages and related costs.

In addition to liquidated damages, Eporelic reserves the right to cancel the sale, resell the property publicly or privately, reoffer the lot in a future auction, and hold the defaulting buyer responsible for any deficiency, loss, commission shortfall, administrative expense, platform fee, storage charge, collection cost, attorney's fee, or other reasonable cost arising from the buyer's default.

If payment remains unpaid after fourteen (14) days, Eporelic may report the buyer to the applicable bidding platform, suspend the buyer from future bidding, pursue collection, or refer the matter to legal counsel or a professional collection agency.

Transfer of Title

Title to any purchased property passes to the buyer only after Eporelic has received full, final, and cleared payment of the total amount due, including hammer price, buyer's premium, taxes, shipping, handling, storage, and any applicable fees.

Eporelic may retain possession of the property until all funds have fully cleared. Lots paid by personal check, business check, certified check, cashier's check, or draft may be held until bank clearance is confirmed.

Risk of Loss

Risk of loss or damage passes to the buyer upon the fall of the hammer or closing of the lot online, regardless of when payment, pickup, or shipment occurs.

After the sale, Eporelic is not responsible for loss, theft, damage, deterioration, breakage, or any change in condition, except where caused by Eporelic's gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined under applicable law.

Shipping

Eporelic may assist buyers with shipping arrangements as a courtesy. Any shipping assistance, quote, referral, packing estimate, or coordination is provided for the buyer's convenience and does not make Eporelic a professional shipping carrier or insurer.

Shipping quotes are generally provided only after the purchase price has been paid in full. Due to the number, size, fragility, and handling requirements of auction property, preparation for shipment may take up to three (3) weeks after full payment has been received.

The buyer is responsible for all packing, handling, shipping, insurance, customs, duties, taxes, and related charges. Eporelic is not liable for delays, damage, or loss caused by third-party shippers, carriers, customs authorities, or service providers.

For fragile, oversized, high-value, framed, glazed, or unusually shaped items, special packing, crating, or third-party shipping services may be required at the buyer's expense.

Collection and Storage

All purchased property must be collected, or shipping arrangements must be completed, within thirty (30) days after the auction.

Property remaining in Eporelic's possession after thirty (30) days may be subject to a storage fee of $10 per item per day. All storage, handling, administrative, resale, and related charges must be paid in full before the property is released.

Any property that remains undelivered, uncollected, or without completed shipping arrangements more than forty-five (45) calendar days after the date the invoice has been paid in full may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be deemed abandoned property under the invoice and may be resold, reauctioned, donated, transferred, discarded, or otherwise disposed of by Eporelic in its sole discretion, with no refund, credit, or compensation due to the buyer except as required by applicable law.

Any proceeds from resale may be applied first to storage fees, handling fees, administrative costs, resale costs, shipping-related expenses, platform fees, and any other amounts owed to Eporelic.

Eporelic shall not be responsible for loss, damage, deterioration, breakage, theft, or change in condition of property left uncollected, undelivered, or without completed shipping arrangements after the required collection period.

Import, Export, and Restricted Materials

Certain lots may be subject to import, export, endangered species, cultural property, customs, sanctions, or other legal restrictions. These may include, without limitation, items containing ivory, tortoiseshell, coral, certain woods, animal materials, archaeological material, cultural property, or objects subject to international trade regulations.

It is the buyer's sole responsibility to determine and obtain any required permits, licenses, approvals, or documentation before bidding or before shipment. Failure or delay in obtaining such permits or approvals does not justify cancellation of the sale, delayed payment, refusal to pay, return, refund, or rescission.

Eporelic makes no representation that any lot may be legally imported, exported, shipped, or possessed in any particular jurisdiction.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Eporelic's liability to any buyer shall not exceed the purchase price actually paid by the buyer for the specific lot giving rise to the claim.

Eporelic shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or speculative damages, including but not limited to loss of profit, loss of opportunity, loss of market value, loss of use, or reputational harm.

Copyright and Use of Materials

All photographs, catalog descriptions, condition reports, written materials, website content, advertising materials, and other intellectual property created or used by Eporelic remain the property of Eporelic or its licensors.

Such materials may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, published, modified, or used for commercial purposes without Eporelic's prior written consent.

Eporelic reserves the right to use images and descriptions of property for marketing, archival, research, promotional, and business purposes before and after the auction.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to an auction, purchase, invoice, lot, bidding activity, or these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Maryland, unless Eporelic elects another venue permitted by law for purposes of collection, enforcement, or recovery.

The buyer consents to personal jurisdiction in such courts and waives any objection based on inconvenience of forum or lack of jurisdiction, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Chargebacks and Payment Disputes

By registering and bidding, the buyer agrees not to initiate a credit card chargeback, payment reversal, or third-party payment dispute based on condition, authenticity, attribution, buyer's remorse, shipping delay, platform issue, or dissatisfaction with the property.

Any concern or dispute must first be submitted directly to Eporelic in writing so that Eporelic has a reasonable opportunity to review and address the matter.

A buyer who initiates a chargeback or payment dispute without first attempting direct resolution may be responsible for administrative fees, collection costs, legal expenses, chargeback fees, and any other losses incurred by Eporelic. Eporelic may also suspend or permanently revoke the buyer's bidding privileges.

Consignor Relationship and Indemnification

Eporelic generally acts as agent for the consignor unless otherwise stated. The consignor is the seller of the property, and Eporelic facilitates the auction and sale process on the consignor's behalf.

Any claim relating to a purchased lot shall be limited to the amount actually paid for that lot, subject to the limitations set forth in these Terms.

The buyer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Eporelic, its owners, officers, employees, representatives, agents, affiliates, and consignors from and against any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses arising from the buyer's breach of these Terms, failure to pay, improper chargeback, failure to comply with import or export rules, or misuse of purchased property.

Online Bidding and Third-Party Platforms

Eporelic may offer online bidding through third-party platforms, including but not limited to LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, HiBid, Bidspirit, or other online auction providers.

Use of any third-party platform is subject to that platform's own terms, conditions, fees, and technical procedures. Eporelic is not responsible for platform outages, bidding errors, internet failures, delayed transmissions, software malfunctions, incorrect display information, missed bids, or any other issue caused by or related to a third-party bidding service.

Bidders are responsible for understanding the rules and fees of the platform through which they bid.

Amendments

Eporelic reserves the right to amend, update, supplement, or modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Any such changes may be posted online, announced before or during the auction, included in the catalog, or otherwise communicated to bidders.

By continuing to bid after any amendment or announcement, the bidder agrees to be bound by the revised Terms.