Latest update: Troy from Saco River Auctions Co. said if I persist he will sue me for slander. I will not print his nasty response here, yet. I do not feel this is slander, I feel it is true with emails to back it up.
He said Susan Hale seem confused. I talked to her just now and she was VERY clear she wants her house and furniture. Yes she IS recovering from Chemo but she is working during this treatment and does not seem confused to anyone else. Just tired. Really, picking on old ladies? Talk about slander!!!
am 5/31/2012
So Live Auctioneers just offered Susan $100 certificate! She refused. She is on record with Live Auctioneers and Saco River Auction Co. as still wanting the house which is right fully hers.
Original story:
On Feb 4th, 2012 one of our beloved collectors won an auction from Saco River Auction Co., Maine USA. She paid for it, they discussed delivery, she paid for delivery. It included various dollhouse furniture items (pictured below from their Feburary 2012 catalog) and a large doll bed.
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/10744832_larger-lot-of-vintage-doll-furniture-with-larger-si (see for yourself)
She had to email and call several times to ask when delivery was scheduled. Because the hammer had fallen.
"Oh", they suddenly said...."Um it was damaged and Maine Law states an item may not be sold if it is not in the condition it was as when sold." This collector said, "send me the pieces I love to restore!"
"UM, no your money is returned PLUS we are giving you, (wait for it) a $50 gift certificate." She wanted the goods. The hammer had fallen they said. "Sorry"
YOU judge any differences. Oh and it is pictured as a BACK view this time, to hide it?
Even Rebecca Greene, editor of Dolls Houses Past and Present had trouble finding it in this new Saco River Auction Co. catalog for June 2nd and it is listed in a confusing manner so it can't be searched, Rebecca pointed out. Man!
Confused? They want you to be. They don't want you to notice this attempted resale.
This collector was tricked out of her sale and this new offering is fraudulent. Buyer beware, yes. Buyer be swindled, not so much.
What have I done for her? Complained to the umbrella organization that covers the auction house online, notified the auction house itself. As we all know she is in recovery from chemo and is tired. I am happy to help. What has she done?
She has notified the auction house Saco River Auction Co. that she wants her Feb. 4th 2012 sale reinstated and this new auction stopped. Because the hammer fell.
Her daughter is taking her away for the weekend to rest.
Join me in assisting her in prohibiting a new fraudulent sale and restoring the sale of Feb, 4th, 2012.
We LOVE to collect but don't abuse us.
I have filed a complaint with the Attorney General of Maine. http://www.maine.gov/ag/index.shtml William J. Schneider, Susan has done the same.
Feel free to also. As with swindles... time is not on our side.
Update: I was discussing this with a major collector and he told me he asked the people at Saco River Auction Co.why this house was for sale again and was told "Oh the buyer refused it because it was damaged". That is a lie and I have emails from her at the time proving her dismay at being denied her purchase. I have this in email. Both comments. He said he would withdraw his phone bid tomorrow as it was not ethical. He is in the trade and knows how important reputations are. He is the hero here.
I hope Saco River realizes their error and restores order to this sale
to collector Susan Hale.
contact: Saco River Auctions, Troy Thibodeau 207- 602 1504
or email info@sacoriverauctions.com Seller beware!
As of 6:50 PM PST 5/30/2012 I have had no response from Saco River Auction Co.
Ask me. I can tell you exactly why this is happening. The dollhouse is an old C model Tynietoy Townhouse dollhouse and the seller did not realize or accept this when the hammer fell in February.
The knowledgeble buyer did and now the seller and auction house are trying to cover up their mistake.
As I said, The buyer IS aware and The hammer did fall.
Thanks C
Hello, Ms. Hale has been responded to. Due to extensive damage to the lot prior to the auction, the consigner of the item requested the item pulled from the sale. Due to an unfortunate clerical error, the auction house's online clerk mistakenly marked the item as sold instead of passed. Ms. Hale has been refunded and the item has been repaired at the consigner's demand and will be a part of their next auction in two lots, again at the consigner's demand and in accordance with Maine state law, which states that a lot for auction must be sold properly represented and with the damage not listed on LiveAuctioneers that could not be the case. Regards LiveAuctioneers Staff
The State of Maine seemed to think it
was pertinent legally that Saco River C kept
Susan Hale's money for over a month
belying this new excuse of "Clerical
error".
Todays update: Complaint registered in
Maine against Saco River Auction Co.
This new excuse of "clerical error" is not enough to negate the sale. Maine's Attorney
General's office has asked that we speak to him today and we shall continue our complaint
against a new sale.
Complaint against Saco River Auctions regarding #4 and #40a various doll furniture and an antique Tynietoy Dollhouse June 2, 2112.
This house furniture was sold Feb 4th 2012 to Susan Hale of Toronto Canada.
Saco River received payment and then arranged and was paid for delivery.
About a month later they emailed Susan Hale that the item had become
"damaged" and according to Maine Law they could not ship an item that was not in
the condition it was sold in. Susan said I'll take it anyway, I love to restore
housese. Saco River refused, returned her money and offered her a $50 gift
certificate. She had no choice in the matter.
The hammer fell the house was sold to SusanHale and the mopney received at
Saco River Auction Co. emails to follow as an addendum. as they cancelled the
sale.
This weekend the same house is offered as 40A with the picture only of the
back of the house not as it was pictured before. It cannot be searched in a
usual manner, conventional manner "doll" or "doll house".
The furniture Susan Bought Feb 4th is now in a separate lot, the values of the
item is much higher.
I am representing Susan Hale as I am American and she lives in Toronto
Canada.
Professionals in the field Ann Meehan and Susan Grimshaw agree this is not a
valid resale. I will forward emails if necessary.
I spoke to Frank Clay of F. Clay Antiques last night and he told me Saco
River Auction House called HIM and solicisted him for the new sale. He is
rescinding his phone bid as he has learned of this attempted swindle. He said "I
should have known something was wrong with the sale as THEY called me" I have
this in email also.
Our point is The hammer fell on the Feb. 4 2012 sale to Susan Hale, of
Toronto Canada. The auction Co was paid. Then about a month later made up a
story about damage to kill the sale. Susan said she wanted the item anyway. The
auction house claimed they could not send it to her under Maine Law. (we have
the email)
Saco River Auction Co has relisted the house.
This morning I received a new note from Saco River Auctions that the Feb.
sale was actually a clerical error. The buyer wanted it back then decided to sell
it again. Every time we try to hold Saco River Auction house to this legitimate
sale of Feb. 4 2012 they try to wiggle out of it. I think they made many
errors.
The auctioneer has great leeway in a sale, until the hammer falls and the
money is received. To resale these sold items under false pretexts harms the
integrity of every auction item whether big or small. This is our complaint
against the Saco River Auction House of Beddeford Maine. Susan feels swindled.
Thank you Carol Morehead 510 482 1437
Susan Hale, Toronto Canada.
15 comments:
Unbelievable! And that's just bad business- Good for you for reporting this.
The laws vary state to state I am told but these houses have to rely on their reputations! C
That's despicable! I encountered a similar thing with an ebay seller once, but I would expect better from an auction house.
By the way, I see the lot for the furniture and cradle in the current auction listing, but I don't see the dolls house. Have they pulled it, I wonder? But why not the furniture too, which was included in the original listing - and belongs to the house?
And there was damage already on the house, you can see it in the photos from the original listing.
Good on you for putting the pressure on them to do the right thing, CM! They might be able to salvage a bit of their reputation.
An auction house rests on it's reputation.
The house itself is lot 40 in Saturday's Saco River Auction. It is rearranged in a back view to trick buyers. It seem the trick worked on you.
It takes an eagle eye when people try to trick you. C
OK, now I see it. I also searched under doll and house, but as it's dollhouse, the search didn't find it.
So, what damage? there's no damage visible now that it didn't have in the earlier auction. The only difference is splitting it into two lots, and that the combined starting bids are 5 times what the original starting bid was. In other words, the "damage" was that they underestimated the value and didn't make enough money on it! That's their problem.
Yes now you see why we object. Play fair. C
This is very underhanded behaviour! I know in Blighty, the discression falls with the auctioneer...but before the hammer falls and if there is a reserve price on the lot.Susan obviously won this lot fair and square.
Shame on Sacom River Auctions, shame!
Well done CM!! Bravo for what you are doing!
Good for you for following through and reporting their despicable behavior!! I certainly hope that Susan can get possession of the house AND the contents!!
Well that's just disgusting. I can't believe people take advantage the way they do. I applaud you for what you've done.
I really hope she gets it.
Keep us posted,
Giac
This just makes me sick.
Thank you for alerting people to the truth about their practices. They obviously aren't looking at the big picture here... the fact that these kinds of practices will ruin them, because their customers AREN'T stupid and won't just lay back and take it.
What a laughable guise! This is all about greed. And what a large, windy bag of excuses they have about why they are trying to SCAM Susan. This is pathetic. I do hope Susan prevails in this battle because anything else would be unacceptable. We are rooting for her!!
I'm on your side. I wonder how many other people they have done this to? What a scam! I posted something on my blog about this too.
It is so incredibly disheartening to read about this -- I am so sorry (and angry!) for Susan, who is one of the more knowledgeable and ethical collectors out there. What a shame. I only hope that this gets properly resolved. And with Carol on your side, chances are good that the truth will prevail!!!
Thank you Mad for mod! and Call Small and Modern MC. We shall see Sunday morning 1 pm PST if they include the 2 lots. 4 and 40A. CM
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