Two Very Fine Landsknecht Swords, Southern Germany, ca. 1490 and 1525

[laEspadaAncha]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Hi Jim and all,

I am extremely sad to say that both my friend Ottmar and I were cruelly cheated on the second sword by the incompetent management of Auctions Imperial. Our emailed (!) high bid was 18,000 USD. I have Oliver's approving reply email assuring at the same time that our bid was accepted up to 100,000 UDS. Now I have been told that there was a so called 'bidding mistake' with the computer and the sword was 'paid and taken' by somebody else for 12,500 USD!!! We got each and every single proof!!!!

Gosh, is this a banana repubic where high bids are not accepted??!!

This catastrophe of handling foreign bids will go all around though in the international collectors' scene, believe me!!!

Michael

Hi Michael,

Sadly I had a similar experience with AI last year (albeit with a significantly less expensive item).

I understand an auction house's willingness to show some love to the floor bidders, but you do that by dropping the hammer before a high bid is accepted from elsewhere, whether it be from cyberspace or an absentee bidder, and not by accepting a high bid and then disallowing it after the fact. Sorry to hear about your experience...