Topic: Collector´s Nightmare

[Nadine]

Hello everybody,

it´s Ronny again ;-)

today I want let you know what happens to me today. It´s really the most terrible nightmare a paperweight collector could have.

Recently I´ve bought some antique paperweights at an auction house. One of them is a rare Clichy Mushroom. Before sending my absentee bid, I saw pictures of the weight and got also a condition report. The weight should be in very good condition and so it was not the cheapest

Today I got a package, which was very good packed and had no visible damage. I find all 6 paperweights, which I´ve bought packed very well.

After unpacking the first 5 weights, I found  the Clichy Mushroom, which should be my X-mas present for Nadine. So, I was very excited to see it, before I would took it on a secret place

During unwrapping the weight, I felt pieces of glass falling in my hand. I was really shocked when I saw the weight, as it was really badly damaged!
I saved all the glass pieces and tried to put them back on the weight, but many pieces where missing. After looking in the box, in which the weights came, I did not find more glass pieces.
So, that weight must have been damaged before packaging and sending to me.
On the weight you see clearly a big bump and a crack on the opposite site also. So I guess, it felt down on a very hard floor and jumped some times. I really could cry when I even think that such a thing could happen .

It´s really the most beautiful weight I´ve ever owned.

For me it´s a fact, that someone in the auctions house has dropped the weight and did not send a notice to me or to the business management of the auction house. It is not possible, that a weight gets such a damage in the package, as the other weights are really in excellent condition and also the package was just perfect.

Naturally I´ve send a message incl. some pictures to the auction house and hope that they will answer asap, but what shall I do, if they say the weight was undamaged, when they send it to me ??
I´m really afraid about this possibility.

Fingers crossed, that the auction house is fair. I know, that there is someone in the auction house, who knows what happens excactly with this weight. Hopefully he is men (or woman) enough to stand for his mistake.


I really look forward to meet some of you again next weekend in Cambridge

Have a very nice weekend.

Ronny

[wrightoutlook]

Isn't there insurance of some form for the shipping? As for the paperweight, I've never, ever heard of a paperweigth falling apart like that during shipping. Not ever, and I've bought over 100 weights on eBay alone over the past five years, not to mention from dealers who ship.

If the auction house even hesitate to make amends, threaten them with legal action. One would think it has a reputation to uphold.

[Leni]

Whatever the result in terms of insurance, compensation, etc.  I feel for you in your distress and disappointment, Ronny! That such a beautiful antique weight should end like this!  It's a tragedy for any collector, but for this to have happened to a Clichy is even more heartrending, in my opinion!   :cry:  :evil:  :cry: