Message #57644

[Joey]

Dear Giovanni,

   Happy New Year 2021.
Yes, there can be all sorts of hidden costs to milk the consigner: A photography fee, as you correctly pointed out; an insurance fee; a cataloguing fee; a storage fee; possibly a handling fee.

But when I was putting a group of SBs into Christie's HK, Colin Sheaf, was then at Christie's. He's been a friend through the ICSBS since we met at my first convention, in Hong Kong in 1978. He had the discretion to  waive all fees but the vendor's commission, and I happily agreed.
Of course, the bottles had been given to Sotheby's London first, because I trusted the late Robert Kleiner, then working there.
Clare was adamant that I not pay any additional fees, and Sotheby's wanted to tack on a transportation fee from London to HK as well!
Colin was very happy to have 28 'Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of JB Silver', especially since he'd 'stolen' the deal out from under Robert Kleiner!
Clare negotiated everything for me.
I'd never have known: A. That one could; and B. How to.

She then told me an amusing Bon Mot which I've never forgotten:
Christie's is a Merchant trying to be a Gentleman, while Sotheby's is a Gentleman trying to be a Merchant.
 
A Merchant trying to be a Gentleman, assumes all Gentlemen are honest, so strives to be even more honest.
A Gentleman trying to be a Merchant, assumes all Merchants are thieves, so strives to be a bigger thief...

Best,
Shabbat Shalom,
Joey