OUR TERMS OF BUSINESS, E-COMMERCE POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY
{ I } GIFT VOUCHERS :- The perfect Surprise enclosure for that Birthday or Christmas greetings card, our Applecross Gift Vouchers are available to any value in multiples of £10.00 GBP, are issued Online immediately upon full clearance of funds, and may be either partly or fully exchanged by the recipient at any time against any item or items of available stock.
{ II } DESCRIPTIVE TERMS
{ a }:- All items described on this site as Antique shall be warranted to be at least One Hundred Years old.
{ b }:- All items described on this site as Vintage shall be warranted to be at least Fifty Years old.
{ III } DESCRIPTIONS :- All goods listed for sale on this site, whether antique or vintage are by definition second-hand and should thus be regarded as used rather than new. All are offered for sale purely as decorative objects, and no guarantees are offered as to their utility regarding their original purpose.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure that each item is correctly described and properly illustrated, all goods are offered for sale strictly on an “AS VIEWED / WITH ALL FAULTS” basis. Inevitably, given the passage of time and regular usage, many items will no longer conform to their original shape and / or colour, and may be mis-shapen or damaged in an infinite variety of ways. We suggest that these "defects" as some would choose to regard them, should rather be viewed as giving added character to the item in question. Indeed, with all due respect, we would advise that those seeking perfection in such matters should avoid buying antiques altogether and instead, satisfy their requirements by shopping at Ikea and its peers.
Any representation or statement by Applecross in these listings as to the authorship, origin, date, age, size, medium, attribution, genuineness, provenance, or condition of any item here listed is a statement of opinion only. Many Books, Catalogues, Journals and Reference Works offered are very old and, unless listed as being in “Fine” condition may display reasonable signs of wear and tear, viz. foxing, water and damp stains, minor tears, missing pages, damaged spines and / or stained / torn / loose covers, while Auction Catalogues in particular may often be found to contain annotations.
Any illustration provided and thus forming a material part of the listings is offered solely for the guidance of prospective Buyers, and is not to be relied upon in terms of scale, tone or colour, or necessarily to reveal imperfections in any item. In addition, many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in pristine condition, and some descriptions in the listings may make reference to damage and / or restoration. Such information is given for guidance only and the absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects, nor does any reference to particular defects imply the absence of others.
All measurements quoted, be they either Metric or Imperial, as forming part of the description of goods offered on this site are to be regarded as approximate only, this in the sense that they are intended to provide prospective Purchasers with a realistic idea of the dimensions / proportions of the item in question. Where size is of critical importance, Buyers should ascertain by email enquiry prior to purchase that the dimensions of the article under consideration meet with their particular requirements.
{ IV } RESTORATION :- There is a great deal of hypocritical nonsense talked about the subject of restoration, which the application of a little common-sense ought quickly place into it’s proper perspective. We are, after all, here dealing with items which are used rather than new, and which are in many cases of great age. Inevitably, over the course of time, many of these items will have been damaged and subsequently repaired or otherwise restored. The important point to bear in mind is that such repair or restoration should have been executed to a high standard and in a skilled professional manner. Conservation, traditionally an important aspect of the Antiques Trade, should be our watchword, and it is in this context that the matter of restoration should be judged.
{ V } ANTIQUE OIL LAMPS :- Our Antique Oil Lamps are offered for sale purely as decorative objects, thus are normally suppled without wicks, and no guarantees are offered as to their utility regarding their original purpose. Over the course of time, many will have been converted for use as electric lamps, before being subsequently restored, as faithfully as possible, to their original condition. Further, many lamps will be found vertically to be less than absolutely true, oftentimes exhibiting a very slight lean, even, on rare occasions, giving rise to a “Tower of Pisa” like appearance. Finally, whilst many may be lit on occasion, the high cost in today’s marketplace of period glass shades inclines us to advise against their regular use for lighting purposes.
{ VI } QUOTATIONS :- We are pleased to provide quotations both for the Purchase of goods, and also for the Packing, Loss in Transit Insurance and Shipping of putative sales. Unless otherwise agreed, such quotations shall remain valid for a period of twenty four hours only, after which time they shall be considered null and void.
{ VII } RESERVATIONS :- We are pleased to reserve items on behalf of clients, once it has been mutually agreed that a purchase is intended. Unless otherwise agreed, items will normally be reserved for a period of twenty four hours only, in order to allow time for your purchase to be completed, following which, should this not have taken place, the reservation will be lifted, to afford other prospective purchasers the opportunity to proceed.
{ VIII } REGULATED PRODUCTS
Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoishell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarise themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to purchase should they intend to import any such item into another country.
{ IX } APPRAISALS / VALUATIONS :-
PLEASE NOTE ~ WE DO NOT OFFER AN ONLINE APPRAISAL / VALUATION SERVICE ~
{ I } :- We regret that we are unable to offer an Online Appraisal / Valuation Service, since we regard it as necessary physically to examine all items in order to provide a valid professional opinion as to both their condition and value. We recommend that clients seeking to establish the value of items in their possession, whether for the purpose of Probate, Insurance or Sale, should, in the first instance, seek the advice of a suitably qualified Fine Art Auctioneer.
{ II } :- Given that much of our business is conducted with “the Trade”, which by definition means that many items of stock are purchased from us for resale, it is our longstanding and settled policy that, in deference to such Trade Buyers, and, as a matter of courtesy, we neither discuss nor reveal the value of post- sale transactions.
{ X } SELLING YOUR ANTIQUES :-
PLEASE NOTE ~ WE DO NOT PURCHASE ANTIQUES DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLIC ~
Like most Antique Dealers we tend normally to buy the vast bulk of our stock at auction. There are many perfectly good reasons for this, not the least of which is that goods purchased in this way can be shown to have been acquired both legally and fairly within a properly regulated professional arena. It is a regrettable fact that the Antiques Trade, traditionally a “cash only” area of business, has over the years, been used to launder the proceeds of crime, and that even today, it is probable that a significant volume of stolen property circulates within the Trade. It is in order to insulate ourselves against this phenomenon that we prefer generally to source our stock at auction, the Auction Houses thus acting as a protective filter or buffer against the possibility of our inadvertently acquiring stolen property. That there are auctions conducted on a daily basis all over the country, where a vast selection of goods may be viewed and purchased, often online, wholly contradicts the old adage that there exists a “shortage of stock”, a myth perpetuated by certain sections of “the Trade”, and this in turn renders null and void the notion that Dealers are desperate to purchase whatever may be on offer.
Since we ourselves are approached on an almost daily basis with offers of goods for sale, in light of the above, our standard advice is that, when seeking to dispose of your surplus antiques and collectables, you should in the first instance seek the advice of a professionally qualified Fine Art Auctioneer, in order to establish their likely current commercial value. Following such appraisal, you may then decide either to dispose of the items at auction, or, with a fair idea of their value in mind, offer them directly to the Trade. We would stress however that we ourselves do not offer an Online Valuation Service, nor is it our policy to make offers for such goods when offered to us online, since we regard physical examination of the article in question to be an essential component of appraisal.
A most important point to grasp here is one which many Sellers find difficult to come to terms with. This is the hard fact that there is, in general terms, no such thing as the “right price” for antiques and collectables, for while television personalities may often be heard to remark that “the auction room” will decide the right price for an object, this is but a half truth at best. Rather should it be understood that, in similar manner to the Stock Market, the right price is only such at a particular moment in time, in a particular place, be it the auction room or elsewhere, and in a particular set of circumstances.
{ XI } OUR PAYMENT POLICY :- We are pleased to accept settlement in all major currencies by Debit / Credit Card, via our appointed payment gateway Stripe ~ Pay in 3 with 3 interest-free instalments or Pay up to 30 days later via Klarna ~ via PayPal ~ or by Direct Bank Transfer { £GBP only }. Please be aware that settlement via this latter method may lead to a delay in the dispatch of your order, since, depending upon their country of origin, International BACS payments can take up to ten working days to clear.
{ XII } OUR 3 PAYMENT PLAN :- Any order may be paid for in three easy interest-free instalments via Klarna ~ Simply make your selection at the checkout.
{ XIII } OUR SHIPPING POLICY :-
{ I } :- All purchases will normally be carefully packed and shipped to you via a Royal Mail / Parcelforce Express { Tracked } service, Fully Insured Against Loss In Transit, within twenty four business hours of receipt and clearance of full payment. N.B. :- The terms “Insurance and Fully Insured” where here used shall be understood to refer to “Loss in Transit Insurance” only. Such insurance DOES NOT cover damage which may occur during transit and, whilst every effort is made to ensure that your order is properly and securely packed, clients requiring more comprehensive insurance cover are strongly advised to seek professional advice and a written quotation from a reputable Registered Insurance Broker. In the absence of such comprehensive insurance cover, we regret that we are unable to countenance claims for damage to goods incurred whilst in transit. Unless otherwise agreed, goods may only be shipped to the billing address of the PayPal account used to settle the transaction. Should your order be shipped to any other address, whether by prior agreement or otherwise, this will normally lead to the loss of any benefits to which you may be entitled under the terms of PayPal’s Buyer Protection Scheme, which in turn may render invalid the insurance cover provided in connection with the transaction.
{ II } :- The Packing, Insurance and Shipping Fee, where appropriate, shall form an integral part of the agreed transaction cost. In the event that payment is received for goods but the Packing, Insurance and Shipping Fee remains outstanding, dispatch may, at our absolute discretion, be delayed until such time as full settlement has been completed. Clients will immediately be advised by email upon receipt of such orders in order that such situation may promptly be rectified.
{ III } :- Unless otherwise agreed, all goods scheduled for delivery to U.K. addresses shall be dispatched via a Royal Mail / Parcelforce Recorded Delivery Express Service { Tracked }. All such orders shall qualify for Free Express U.K. Shipping.
{ IV } :- Unless otherwise agreed, all goods scheduled for delivery to non-U.K. addresses shall be dispatched via a Royal Mail / Parcelforce Recorded Delivery Express Service { Tracked }.
{ V } :- Should an item be damaged during shipping, the Buyer must contact the Shipper to resolve this matter. In such circumstance, the Seller shall provide all necessary documentation in order to assist the Buyer with His / Her claim. In the event that goods scheduled for delivery to non-U.K. addresses shall be impounded by Customs, or in the event that Customs shall, for reasons as often as not undisclosed, fail to release such goods, it shall be the responsibility of the Buyer to contact Customs in order to resolve such matter. In such circumstance, the Seller shall provide all necessary documentation in order to assist the Buyer with His / Her claim.
{ VI } :- In the event that goods scheduled for delivery within the European Union are , following Britain’s foolish and wholly mistaken withdrawal via Brexit, either delayed at Customs or rendered subject to unexpected import and / or other taxes or charges, such taxes and / or additional charges shall be deemed entirely to be the legal responsibility of the Buyer.
{ VII } :- N.B. :- As we do not maintain a retail premises, we regret that we are unable to offer collection facilities ~ All orders placed are therefore accepted strictly on the basis that the Buyer is able and willing to accept delivery via a Royal Mail Express Tracked Service as outlined above.
{ XIV – a } OUR RETURNS POLICY :-
PLEASE NOTE ~ RETURNS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ~
{ I } Antiques and Collectables ~ Returns will be accepted only if property purchased is materially different than as represented on this site. The original Buyer shall then have the right within three business days of receiving the property to rescind the transaction by so notifying the Seller and by returning the property to the Seller, together with all original packaging materials, in the same condition as when received by the Buyer, at the Buyer’s risk, cost and expense via a Tracked / Signed For service. Returns will not be accepted for any other reason whatsoever. Should any property whatsoever be returned under this clause by mutual agreement or in any other exceptional circumstance then such sum as may be liable for refund shall equate to the original purchase price minus the Seller’s transaction costs such typically comprising Financial Transaction Fees, Packing, Insurance and Shipping Costs. This notwithstanding that such costs may or may not have been specified during the execution of the original transaction. Should the return of such property give rise to any Import Duties which may be levied by H.M.R.C. together with any associated fees or other costs which may arise in connection with the same these shall be deemed to be the responsibility of the original Buyer and will be deducted from such sum as may otherwise be due to the Buyer by way of refund. Should any item be returned to us which under these Terms and Conditions is deemed ineligible for refund such item shall following due and proper notice be promptly removed from our care by the Buyer at the Buyer’s risk, cost and expense. Should the Buyer fail to comply with this requirement the said item will be retained by ourselves for a period of thirty days Free of Charge following which period a daily storage charge of £5.00 GBP per day will be levied. After ninety days we shall be considered absolved of any and all residual responsibility in the matter and shall be free to dispose of the goods in question in order that we may recover such costs as may have arisen in connection with the same.
{ II } Reference Works, Catalogues and Journals ~ These items are offered on a strictly non-returnable basis and we thus regret that we are unable to accept the return of printed matter for any reason whatsoever. This since, in today’s world of instant scanning and photocopying, we have grown tired of buyers seeking to return such items, having first extracted such material as may be of interest to them. Nor, as a matter of settled policy are we prepared separately to supply photocopied extracts of the content of such items, since, in today’s litigious world, this all too often risks contravention of the copyright held in respect of many publications.
{ XIV – b } :- All goods offered on this site are either antique, vintage, or secondhand, many being over one hundred years old, and are therefore by definition “used”, rather than “new”. It thus follows that over the course of time, many items will have suffered natural “wear and tear”, and may have been altered, damaged, repaired or otherwise restored. It should be clearly understood that all goods listed on this site are therefore offered strictly in “as viewed” condition. Whilst we are, of course, always pleased to supply upon request, a “Condition Report” for any individual item, we would stress that such reports are to be regarded as matters of opinion rather than of fact and that Buyers should thus satisfy themselves by enquiry prior to purchase that such condition meets with their own requirements as subsequent claims made for minor faults, damage or undisclosed restoration cannot and will not be entertained.
{ XIV – c } :- The phrase “Full Original Purchase Price” as employed under the terms of OUR WARRANTY shall refer to the actual purchase price at which the item in question was purchased and paid for by the Purchaser and shall exclude any Packing, Insurance, Shipping or Financial Transaction Fees which may have arisen in connection with the original sale.
{ XV } OUR PRIVACY POLICY :- Here at Applecross, we are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use any information that we may collect about you lawfully and in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulations, { GDPR }.
We may collect information about you for two reasons, firstly, to process your order, and secondly, in order that we may provide you with the best possible level of service. From time to time we may e-mail you to bring to your attention items which we feel may be of interest to you. However, we will always offer you the opportunity to refuse any marketing e-mail from either ourselves or from any Associate of ours in the future.
The type of information which we may collect about you may include:-
Your Name
Address
Telephone Number
E-mail Address
We will never collect sensitive information about you without your explicit consent and will always seek to ensure that such information as we may hold shall be accurate and up to date. You may check the information that we hold about you by e-mailing us at any time. Should you find any inaccuracies, we will correct or delete such without delay.
The personal information which we hold will be held securely in accordance with our internal security policy and the law and we shall not transfer the information which we may hold about you outside of the European Economic Area without your express consent.
We may use technology to analyse the patterns of behaviour of visitors to our site. This can include using a “Cookie” which would be stored on your browser. You can usually modify your browser to prevent this happening. The information collected in this way can be used to identify you unless you modify your browser settings.
{ XVI } LEGAL JURISDICTION :- These Terms and Conditions and any amendments thereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. All transactions to which these Terms and Conditions apply and all matters connected therewith shall also be governed by English law.
{ XVII } OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER :- Whether you’re buying or selling, you’ll find that we offer the sort of genuinely fair deal which makes for Happy and Satisfied Customers. That said, in the unlikely event that you have cause for complaint in your dealings with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us right away that we might have the opportunity, promptly to rectify the problem. We promise that anything less than complete Customer Satisfaction will be thoroughly investigated and matters put to rights within five business days of notification.
{ XVIII } FEEDBACK :- We welcome constructive Feedback. Should you have any questions / comments regarding our E-Commerce Policies, or any other relevant matter pertaining to this site, you should e-mail us at applecrossantiques@gmail.com.
APPLECROSS ANTIQUES { Herein otherwise referred to as the SELLER } agrees to accept your order subject to your unfettered agreement to and your complete acceptance of the foregoing Terms and Conditions which shall be deemed exclusively to form the basis of any Contract of Sale which may be agreed or which may be deemed to arise from the same between the SELLER and yourself or your agents as BUYER.
APPLECROSS ANTIQUES ~ 2024 ~ Updated 01 May 2024
