2. Bidding
Bidding is done directly from the Auction Catalog, by clicking the Place Bid link for the desired lot.
This will take you to the Bid page, where you will enter your bid amount and press Enter or click the Submit Bid button.
Your bid will be entered into the auction database, updating the auction catalog immediately.
You will then see a Bid Confirmation that will give a brief summary regarding the success of your bid.
You will then have the option to review your bid or to return to the Auction Catalog.
Bids must be in whole Euros. The first bid must be at least 50% (rounded up to the next whole Euro) of the estimated
value given. However, the system also accepts a -1 'bid'. Such a 'bid' has one and only one effect: from that moment on, the
corresponding lot will be listed in your Summary, thus enabling you to use the Summary as a kind of watch list for lots
in which you may be interested.
NOTE: When you place a bid, your bid will be treated as the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the
item. This amount is kept secret and your actual bid will be the next increment above the previous bid (or at the start:
50% of the estimated value). Your bid is automatically incremented whenever needed to keep you on top of the list,
until your maximum is reached and another bidder enters a higher bid.
Of course, anyone is always free to increase his or hers (maximum) bid at any time during the auction.
The minimum required overbid is the current bid plus an increment of 5%, rounded to the nearest integer.
PLEASE NOTE: handling and shipping costs, as well as payment fees, are extra, and are not included in the bid amounts.
See section 8 for an idea of mailing costs.
Possible import duties etc. are for the winners own risk.
3. Lot descriptions
The items described are offered as is. They all come from a previous collector so traces of
prior use and minimal dents, scratches or chips are not unlikely. Descriptions are made
in good faith and I apologize for any possible mistakes. Most photo images have been corrected
and may deviate slightly from the true color image; your monitor or printer may also distort
the colors.
Any questions about the accuracy of the descriptive information should be made as soon as possible and well before the end of
the auction. All bids and sales are final.
Most of the puzzles offered in these auctions are out of production or even from limited runs.
Occasionally, a lot may still or again be available commercially.
Changes to the lot descriptions may occur during the auction. If this happens, the changes will be logged online.
4. Auction Duration and extension
Basically, the auction ends by the day and time as specified on top of the auction page.
However, if for any lot the lead has changed any time during the last 24 hours,
such a lot will remain open for an additional stretch of time. An extra line will appear under such a lot, stating
the new closing moment and the remaining time.
If during that additional time period, there is no change in who is the leading bidder, then such
a lot is closed after that period.
Otherwise, in case of another change in who is the leading bidder, such a lot will again remain
open for another period of time and so on until there is no change in the lead. The extra time for each lot starts
with 24 hours after the lead change for lead changes during the last day of the auction, but that extra time period
decreases as time progresses. So bidders are encouraged to make use of proxy bids. Bidders may use their summary at
any time for a quick check.
Please note: Bidding in extended time is restricted to those bidders who started bidding before
the announced auction closing moment.
The auction ends by the indicated time (Amsterdam time) on the closing day,
or if necessary later for lots with last-day changes in the lead. Amsterdam time is UTC+01:00, or UTC+02:00 during summer months.
The purpose of this rule is to give the penultimate bidder a reasonable time to counter-offer,
and thus to discourage poaching or sniping. The purpose of this rule is definitely not to extend the duration of the
auction any longer than reasonably necessary.
The lead bidder may receive an automatic e-mail notice when another bidder outbids him/her.
This is a personalized option which can be switched on or off by the administrator. So if you don't receive such a notice
while you would like to: please contact the administrator. If you do receive such notices but don't like them: please
contact the administrator.
5. Winning Bids
The high bid at the end of the auction is the winning bid, and the bidder wins the right (and
is also legally obliged) to purchase the item. Except for p&p, the winner pays no extra auction fee.
All winning bidders will be notified via email, as soon as possible after the final end
of the auction. That notification will include total costs,
including shipping and handling. Full payment is expected within a few days and must be received at last within 10 days after the end
of the auction. If full payment is not received, the administrator reserves the right to sell items to a lesser bidder or otherwise.
6. Payment and Shipping
Payment must be in Euros, either by direct bank transfer (especially from
any Euro country or depending on the total due amount), or else via PayPal or similar intermediates.
Recently, positive experiences from overseas winners with https://www.transferwise.com
sound like a good reason for other non-EU winners to consider using that channel for their payments:
quick transfer, no need to personally visit a bank office and competitive fees for the transfer and the currency exchange.
Any applicable fees or transfer costs must be paid by winner or added to the amount transferred.
NO cashier's checks or credit cards. Any other way of paying only after explicit personal agreement.
Shipping will basically be via Post.nl by registered and insured mail, including track & trace as well as insurance up to EUR 5500.- max.
For higher value parcels, shipping via couriers like TNT, UPS, DHL or others is available if requested/recommended/agreed.
Uninsured shipping is optional, and only by explicit request from by the receiver who must accept the risk of loss or damage.
You will be notified about the exact rate.
Unregistered uninsured shipping is not recommended, but possible upon explicit request.
In such a case, you must explicitly accept the risk of loss or damage.
What to do in case of postal damage or loss?
Fortunately, this is a rare event, but just in case, this is what USPS.COM tells on their website /www.usps.com/help/claims.htm. In other countires, the procedure is virtually identical:
Damaged International Shipments
You must immediately present the article, mailing container, wrapping, packaging, and any other contents received in damaged condition
and/or with missing contents to a Post Office for inspection. The Post Office will verify the damage and give you a PS Form 3831,
Receipt for Article(s) Damaged in Mails, for your files.
In addition, you should contact the foreign sender and ask the sender to file an inquiry with the postal administration from where the item was mailed. The Customer Care Center will send you a claim form if you are entitled to compensation.
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7. Eligibility
There is no restriction on who may participate. However, I reserve the right to cancel bids and/or exclude
bidders who ignore or abuse the auction rules or who otherwise are not considered serious participants.
Bidding on any item implies that the bidder completely agrees with the rules stated here.
The Auction catalog is only available online on this web site. If you do not have internet access, please invoke the assistance of someone who does.
8. Packaging and Posting
Here is a summary of the NORMALparcel mailing rates as charged by Post.NL from January 2020.
(Plerase see below for the temporary COVID-19 rates from April 2020 until further notice)
Within The Netherlands:
| | 0-10 kg | 10-23 kg |
| Standard uninsured | € 7.25 | € 13.50 |
| Registered up to € 500 | € 8.95 | € 15.25 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 14.90 | € 21.10 |
REGIO EUR1: Belgium, Denmark *), Germany, France, Italy *), Luxemburg, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom *), Sweden
*) with a few exceptions named under EUR2:
| Rates in Euro's | 0 - 2 kg | 2 - 5 kg | 5 - 10 kg | 10 - 20 kg | 20 -23 kg |
| Standard uninsured | € 9.00 | - | - | - | - |
| Uninsured with T & T | € 13.00 | € 19.50 | € 25.00 | € 34.00 | € 45.00 |
| Insured up to € 100 | € 15.50 | € 22.00 | € 27.50 | € 36.50 | € 47.50 |
| Insured up to € 500 | € 18.00 | € 24.50 | € 30.00 | € 39.00 | € 50.00 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 24.00 | € 30.50 | € 36.00 | € 45.00 | € 56.00 |
REGIO EUR-2 All other contries in Europe *) including Canaries, Channnel Islands, Faroer, Gilbraltar, Greenland, Hungary, Ireland, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican, but excluding Russia:
:
| Rates in Euro's | 0 - 2 kg | 2 - 5 kg | 5 - 10 kg | 10 - 20 kg | 20 -23 kg |
| Standard uninsured | € 12.00 | - | - | - | - |
| Uninsured with T & T | € 18.50 | € 25.00 | € 31.00 | € 40.00 | € 55.00 |
| Insured up to € 100 | € 21.00 | € 27.50 | € 33.50 | € 42.50 | € 57.50 |
| Insured up to € 500 | € 23.50 | € 30.00 | € 36.00 | € 45.00 | € 60.00 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 29.50 | € 36.00 | € 42.00 | € 51.00 | € 66.00 |
REGIO WORLD: (Russia and everywhere outside Europe):
| Rates in Euro's | 0 - 2 kg | 2 - 5 kg | 5 - 10 kg | 10 - 20 kg | 20 -23 kg |
| uninsured | € 18.00 | - | - | - |
| uninsured with T & T | € 24.30 | € 34.30 | € 58.30 | € 105.30 |
| Insured up to € 100 | € 26.80 | € 36.80 | € 60.80 | € 107.80 |
| Insured up to € 500 | € 29.30 | € 39.30 | € 63.30 | € 110.30 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 35.30 | € 45.30 | € 66.30 | € 116.30 |
Note 1: These rates do not include packaging and handling. Insured up to the indicated amount but never more than € 5500
Note 2: These rates are valid starting January 1, 2020, and are given in good faith as an indication under all reservation.
Unfortunately, rates seem to change (i.e. increase) quite often!
Note 3: parcels under 2 kg may be sent without track/trace and without insurance if requested by the winner.
However, all risks of damage or loss are for the account of the receiver!!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Here is a summary of the TEMPORARY (Covid 19) parcel mailing rates as charged by Post.NL from April 2020 until further notice.
Temporary raised rates are presented in dark red:
Within The Netherlands (unchanged):
| | 0-10 kg | 10-23 kg |
| Standard uninsured | € 7.25 | € 13.50 |
| Registered up to € 500 | € 8.95 | € 15.25 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 14.9 | € 21.10 |
REGIO EUR1: Belgium, Denmark *), Germany, France, Italy *), Luxemburg, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom *), Sweden
*) with a few exceptions named under EUR2:
| Rates in Euro's | € 0 - 2 kg | € 2 - 5 kg | € 5 - 10 kg | € 10 - 20 kg | € 20 -23 kg |
| Standard uninsured | € 9.00 | - | - | - | - |
| Uninsured with T & T | € 13.00 | € 19.50 | € 25.00 | € 34.00 | € 45 |
| Insured up to € 100 | € 15.50 | € 22/00 | € 27.5 | € 36.50 | € 47.50 |
| Insured up to € 500 | € 18.00 | € 24.50 | € 30.00 | € 39/00 | € 50.00 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 28.00 | € 34.50 | € 40.00 | € 49.00 | € 60.00 |
REGIO EUR-2 All other contries in Europe *) including Canaries, Channnel Islands, Faroer, Gilbraltar, Greenland, Hungary, Ireland, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican, but excluding Russia:
| Rates in Euro's | € 0 - 2 kg | € 2 - 5 kg | € 5 - 10 kg | € 10 - 20 kg | € 20 -23 kg |
| Standard uninsured | € 12.00 | - | - | - | - |
| Uninsured with T & T | € 23.00 | € 25.00 | € 31.00 | € 40.00 | € 55.00 |
| Insured up to € 100 | € 21.00 | € 27.50 | € 33.50 | € 42.50 | € 57.50 |
| Insured up to € 500 | € 23.50 | € 30.00 | € 36.00 | € 45.00 | € 60.00 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 33.50 | € 40.00 | € 46.00 | € 55.00 | € 70.00 |
REGIO WORLD: (Russia and everywhere outside Europe):
| Rates in Euro's | € 0 - 2 kg | € 2 - 5 kg | € 5 - 10 kg | € 10 - 20 kg | € 20 -23 kg |
| uninsured | € 23.00 | - | - | - |
| uninsured with T & T | € 29.60 | € 46.80 | € 83.30 | € 145.30 |
| Insured up to € 100 | € 31.80 | € 59.30 | € 85.50 | € 147.80 |
| Insured up to € 500 | € 34.50 | € 51.80 | € 88.30 | € 150.30 |
| Insured up to € 5500 | € 44.30 | € 61.80 | € 98.30 | € 160.30 |
Note 1: These rates do not include packaging and handling. Insured up to the indicated amount but never more than € 5500
Note 2: These rates are valid starting January 1, 2020, and are given in good faith as an indication under all reservation. Unfortunately, rates seem to change (i.e. increase) quite often!
Note 3: parcels under 2 kg may be sent without track/trace and without insurance if requested by the winner. However, all risks of damage or loss are for the account of the receiver!!
9. Privacy policy
Contact Information
The auction database contains personal information about all auction bidders and other individuals who are known to have an interest in collecting mechanical puzzles.
This information is considered private and may be used for announcing future auctions by the auction administrator.
You may request to be removed from the mailing list for bulk solicitations at any time by sending email to the auction administrator.
Bid Information
The identity of each auction bidder is considered private, and the auction administrator will maintain the strictest privacy.
Cookies
In order to maintain your privacy, this site uses a cookie to keep track of your account name and password.
Bidding may not be possible if cookies are disabled in your browser. The cookie is automatically removed when you logout.
10. Final note
In cases unforeseen or unexpected, the auction administrator has the right to interfere. His decisions and/or actions are binding and final.
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Last updated: March 4, 2020 © 2010 - 2020 Jacques Haubrich