Terms & Conditions

Criterion Auctioneers  

Buying at Criterion is an exciting and enjoyable way to get antiques at trade prices. It is best to view before the auction if possible and we are open every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for this purpose. 

Items successfully purchased can be picked up from Thursday to the following Wednesday after the sale. If you require delivery we can offer an efficient carriage service to suit your needs. Shipping can be arranged as well as pack and postage for smaller items. 


In these conditions the following words shall have the following meanings: The "Auctionee" means CRITERION AUCTIONEERS LTD. "Hammer Price" the price at which a lot is sold to the buyer. "Buyer" the highest bidder for any lot acceptable to the Auctioneer. "Seller" the person on whose behalf goods are offered for sale by the Auctioneer. "Lot" goods delivered to the Auctioneer by the Seller for sale by auction.


The Buyer 

1. The highest bidder acceptable to the Auctioneer shall be the Buyer. The Auctioneer shall have absolute discretion to settle any disputes which arise and to refuse bids or to advance the bidding as seen fit. 

2. When the lot is sold the buyer shall pay the Auctioneer in full the Hammer Price (plus V.A.T. if payable), together with a Buyers Premium of 26.4% (incl. of V.A.T.) of the Hammer Price plus 3.6% (incl of V.A.T.) for the-saleroom.com platform charges, a total of 30% including V.A.T on top of the Hammer Price, within 2 working days after the sale. 

3. Buyers shall provide the Auctioneer with names and addresses and if requested bank and other references. 

4. Where the Lot is marked by an asterisk (*), V.A.T. is payable on the hammer price at the standard rate. 

5. The ownership of a lot shall not pass to the Buyer and the Buyer shall not be entitled to remove any lot until he has made full payment to the Auctioneer of the total amount due. Payment shall be deemed to have been made only after the Auctioneer has received cash or sterling bankers draft or the Buyer's cheque has been cleared. 

6. All lots must be removed at the Buyer's risk and expense as soon as possible after the sale. 

7. Should a Buyer breach either of conditions 2 and 6 the Auctioneer, at his absolute discretion and without prejudice to any other rights he may have, may exercise any of the following rights: 

(a) rescind the sale or any lots sold to the buyer; 

(b) re-sell all or any lots by public auction or private treaty and any deficiencies in the purchase price resulting from such sale together with full costs incurred in connection with the lots or lots shall be paid to the Auctioneer by the buyer. Any surplus over the proceeds of sale shall go to the Seller; 

(c) remove, store and insure (on any premises) the lot or lots at the expense of the Buyer; 

(d) reject any bids made by or on behalf of of the Buyer at any future auction, or obtain part payment before accepting any future bids; 

(e) apply any proceeds 

8. (a) Items sold are normally of some age and are sold with any faults, imperfections and errors of descriptions. 

(b) The Auctioneer does not accept responsiblity for the authenticity, attribution, origin, date, age, authorship or estimated price of any lot and any representation or settlement by the Auctioneer in any catalogue, brochure, or advertisment only. Every person interested should exercise and rely on his own judgement as to such matters and neither the Auctioneer nor his employees or agents accept any responsibility for the correctness of such opinion. No warranty whatsoever is given by the Auctioneer or the Seller in respect of any lot and any warranties or conditions whether expressed or implied by statue common law or otherwise are hereby excluded. 

9. The Auctioneers will, on the Buyer's written instruction, execute bids on their behalf, but neither the Auctioneer nor his employees nor his agents shall be liable for any neglect in so doing or failure to do so. 

Online Bidding 

Criterion Auctioneers Ltd offer an online bidding service via the-saleroom.com for bidders who cannot attend the sale. 

In completing the bidder registration on www.the-saleroom.com and providing your credit card details and unless alternative arrangements are agreed with Criterion Auctioneers Ltd: 

1. authorise Criterion Auctioneers Ltd, if they so wish, to charge the credit card given in part or full payment, including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the auction via the-saleroom.com, Criterion will not take payment automatically from your registered credit card with the.saleroom.com, payments must be made directly to Criterion Auctioneers via Bank Transfer or online credit card payment having received your invoice from us. 

2. confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Criterion Auctioneers Ltd through www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Criterion Auctioneers Ltd are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment of the sale. 

Lots purchased online with the-saleroom.com will attract an additional charge for this service in the sum of 3.6% of the hammer price including VAT at the rate imposed which is collected by Criterion Auctioneers to cover the costs of running the bidding platform, providing a clerk to manage the platform on sale day and the administrative financial accounting procedures to pass on these proceeds in part to the thrid party provider of the platform.

Full Terms and Conditions of business may be found on our Website https://criterionauctioneers.com.  If any terms herein are at odds with those on our website, the company's website terms and conditions will apply.