Our Policies

To be forthright and honest in our business, we present these policies for buying and selling with Alderfer Auction & Appraisal.

Policy for items sold in the Weekly Auction

All items at our weekly auction are sold “as is - where is” with no guarantees. All purchases are subject to a 10% Buyer’s Premium. All items are sold with no minimum or reserve. Payment is made the day of the auction in cash, approved check, or accepted credit card (MasterCard, VISA, or Discover).

Policy for items sold in the Quarterly Catalog Auction

In our weekly auctions, all items are sold “as is - where is” and without recourse. For our catalog auctions, we suspend this policy for 10 business days and guarantee all items in the catalog to be as described in writing. If we state that a piece of furniture has “no restoration” then you may bid with confidence that this is the case. If we note “restoration, repair, damage, or defect” to a piece in the catalog, you should look it over and bid accordingly. We want you to know as much as possible about any piece you purchase.

If we make a mistake in our written description to your detriment, you, the original buyer from Alderfer Auction, may return the item to the Auction Center for a full refund. The item must be in the same condition it was when purchased. If the problem is with condition (for example, a significant crack we did not note), you must return it immediately before leaving the Auction Center. If the problem concerns authorship, age, or originality you must return it within 10 business days. This limit is necessary since we pay our consignors in 14 business days.

After the 10-day period, all items are considered to have been sold “as is - where is, without recourse,” as is our usual policy. Bidding at a Catalog Auction indicates that you have read and accepted these conditions.

A Buyer’s Premium of 15% of the hammer price shall be added to each purchase to reach the final sale price. For bidders using the online bidding service, a 20% Buyer’s Premium shall be added to each purchase to reach the final sale price. Complete payment is required in cash, approved check, or accepted credit card (MasterCard, VISA, or Discover), PayPal or selected debit cards on the day of auction.