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Articles by Susan Alon |
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Ethical
Etiquite and Antiques
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We
have Fall, my favorite season, when the turning
leaves burn with colors, at times so intense,
they stop the heart with an overwhelming sense
of awe. The air is crisp, clear, and bright, the
tomatoes are ripe, the apples are out, and it
is a perfect time to journey leisurely to some
of the farther destinations you do not always
attempt. Along the shore and up the river, accompanied
by
fabulous color and perfect weather, are for your
further entertainments, a caravan of antique shops,
each with a constantly changing inventory: the
objects come in, dance around a bit, and depart
to new territories. So take advantage of the autumn
and go antiquing.
For this particular journey, at this particular
time, one must include a ride on the ferry between
Chester and Hadlyme, a fun (and cheap) shortcut
across the Connecticut River that affords spectacular
views of foliage on both sides, with the added
pageantry of water and reflected color. The Connecticut
River Valley has been designated one of the world's
"Last Great Places" by The Nature Conservancy,
and the winding river roads and ferry ride is
one of the best ways to experience this. Perched
high above the Hadlyme side is Gillette Castle,
newly renovated, refurbished and now open once
again, definitely worth a detour visit.
But before we cross the water, a few remarks about
antique shops and their proprietors. If you frequent
the antique marketplace, you are aware that each
shop, like a fingerprint or a snowflake, is unique.
The one thing they share in common, if they are
reputable dealers, is a code of ethics. Every
profession has one, and it may be beneficial for
the antique buyer to know what the basics are,
and how you should be treated by us. Sometimes
the code is folded, bent, or otherwise compromised
by situation, but by and large, these are the
rules, and what you can expect from an established
antique dealer.
1~ All goods should be priced. (This is the most
egregious oversight by many of us who are sole
proprietors. Sometimes we don't get around to
marking inventory, sometimes we don't price because
of risk. In my case, if an item is not marked,
expect an added courtesy discount for your having
to ask the price, a solution I hope gets me off
this toughest of hooks.)
2 ~
The
dealer accepts responsibility for descriptions
of items given to customers and should provide
the customer as much reasonable information as
possible about the goods, details such as
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the approximate date of manufacture, or actual
year if hallmarked, or date marked
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the material of manufacture (type of wood, metal,
etc.)
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the maker's or artist's name, or attribution,
if known or available
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any repair, restoration or later additions, if
applicable
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all facsimile or reproductions should be marked
as such
3 ~
The
dealer should be forthright in her description,
and not mislead, confuse, or otherwise falsely
describe any goods offered for sale, or sought
for purchase.
4 ~
Details
of description whether verbal or marked, should
be included on a shop bill of sale which clearly
states the address, telephone number, and date
of purchase.
5 ~
If
a dealer accepts a deposit payment for goods and
extends you terms for a purchase, the terms of
the transaction, record of deposit, and date by
which full amount is to be paid, should be duly
recorded upon receipt of deposit. Consignment
transactions should be recorded in the same fashion,
with agreed upon terms so stated.
6 ~
The
dealer shall not make unsolicited visits to private
domestic premises.
7 ~
The
dealer shall apply standards of fair dealing equally
to members of the public and fellow dealers.
8 ~
The
dealer is required to cooperate to the best of
their ability with law enforcement and consumer
protection agencies, as required.
9 ~
For
- fee (professional) Appraisal Valuations shall
be provided in writing, signed and dated, with
appropriate and sufficient documentation, and
with the particular purpose so stated (insurance,
gift, etc.) All matters should be in accord with
the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice (USAP), the principles of practice and
code of ethics of the Appraisers Association of
America (AAA), and the American Society of Appraisers
(ASA). (Since professional appraisals require
a high degree of expertise, are time-consuming
and detailed, and involve an intimacy with the
client, it is important to select the right individual.
More on this in a later column).
10 ~
The
dealer will support and foster education and enjoyment
in the vast arena that is antique.
Every antique shop is truly one-of-a-kind, and
their proprietors are all individuals. The code
embodies a courtesy and candor that is essential
for success. So enjoy the turning leaves, and
go antiquing.
Susan
Alon is proprietor of MiRIAMGREEN Antiquarian
Bookshop & Gallery located in the downtown
Clinton Historic district (Rt One). She is a professional
appraiser, former curator and rare book librarian,
and is one dealer that provides as much detail
as possible-for her the research is one of the
satisfying parts. |
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