Viking gold ring found in bundle of 'cheap jewelry'
A woman in Norway discovered the ring mixed in with a bundle of cheap trinkets and jewelry purchased at auction.
www.unexplained-mysteries.com
Have the sellers been known to win those lawsuits?I'm now an antique dealer and attend many estate sales, flea markets, yard sales, etc and this kind of thing does happen. Not often but it does happen. My own surprise finds aren't nearly as spectacular as this one but similar discoveries do turn up from time to time among my local colleagues.
But, the thing is, they usually keep their mouths shut about them because blundering sellers of such treasures have been known to sue.
My understanding is the sellers can have a case if they can prove the buyer is a professional dealer. The idea is a dealer would likely know the value of an item and has a responsibility to offer a fair price in keeping with that value. It's like if you brought a painting into an art dealer's shop and they only gave a few dollars for what turned out to be a Rembrandt then the seller would have a case for being swindled.Have the sellers been known to win those lawsuits?
Right and I often buy boxes of stuff this way without even looking through them because I can see there's enough right on top to make it worth my while. I don't look through it until after I get it home. I've gotten some nice surprises this way though not enough to make headlines.If something of value is mixed in with a bunch of other stuff and sold as a whole, i don't see how that is the buyer's fault. That'd be the usual rushed manner that estates are cleared out.
It’s good to know someone in the business. We know who to ask for antique advice now lol.Right and I often buy boxes of stuff this way without even looking through them because I can see there's enough right on top to make it worth my while. I don't look through it until after I get it home. I've gotten some nice surprises this way though not enough to make headlines.
On the other hand, I've also had unpleasant surprises. It's all just part of the business.