Important Information

Please ensure condition report requests are submitted by 1pm the day before the auction, due to the large quantity of requests we recieve we cannot guarantee they will be completed after this time.

Condition Reports

Condition Reports are provided upon request; the absence of a Condition Report does not imply that a lot is without imperfections. Members of staff are not trained restorers or conservators and, particularly for higher value lots, you should obtain an opinion from such a professional in advance of the auction. We recommend that you always view a lot in person. We are, primarily, agents for the seller. We are dependent on information provided by the seller and whilst we may inspect lots and act reasonably in taking a general view about them, we are normally unable to carry out a detailed or any examination of lots in order to ascertain their condition in the way in which it would be wise for a buyer to do. Intending buyers have the opportunity to inspect of goods, and therefore accept responsibility for inspecting and investigating lots in which they may be interested. Please note carefully the exclusion of liability for the condition of lots contained in the Conditions of Sale. Neither the seller nor we, as the auctioneers, accept any responsibility for their condition. In particular, mechanical objects of any age are not guaranteed to be in working order. In specified circumstances, lots mis-described because they are ‘deliberate forgeries’ may be returned, and repayment made. There is a 21 day time limit for this. (The expression ‘deliberate forgery’ is defined in our Conditions of Sale).

Some lots in this catalogue are accompanied by gemmological certificates which give an opinion on various aspects of some or all of the stones in any one particular lot. These certificates may have been provided to Elstob & Elstob by the seller, or obtained by Elstob & Elstob for the seller. It should be noted that the content of these certificates is a statement of opinion of the issuing gemmological laboratories only, and cannot be guaranteed by Elstob & Elstob, who will not be held responsible for any disagreement over the content of any certificates after the sale. We can also not be held responsible for any retrospective change of opinion by the providers of any given certificate.

Images in this catalogue, unless expressly stated, are not life sized. Weights and measurements given in the catalogue descriptions are approximate only.

It is common practice for coloured stones to be subject to treatment to enhance their appearance, including jade. Unless stated otherwise in the catalogue description, prospective buyers should assume that all stones offered for sale by Elstob & Elstob have been subject to treatments. If you have any questions regarding stone treatments or enhancements, please contact the department.

Some lots such as those containing ivory, tortoiseshell, coral, etc. may require export or CITES licences in order to leave the UK or the European Union. It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that lots have the relevant licences before shipping them. Please contact the department for assistance.

Please also note that some countries such as the United States prohibit the purchased and import of objects originating from certain countries such as Iran, Persia and Burma/Myanmar. It is the buyer's responsibility to satisfy themselves that the lot being purchased may be imported in the country of destination.