FAQs

I placed a bid but no longer wish to bid on this item. Can you cancel it?
Once a bid is placed, it cannot be retracted under any circumstance.

I am the high bidder. How much do I have to pay?
You are responsible for the hammer price + the buyer’s premium in addition to any extra charges such as shipping costs, permit fees, insurance appraisals, taxes or customs. For London and Berlin sales, please refer to our VAT guidelines here.

I am the high bidder on a lot/s. When will I get my invoice and how can I pay?
Invoices are sent after the complete close of an auction and bidders will receive their preliminary invoice first.  Once buyer preferences are selected, which includes options like shipping, then a final invoice will be sent with a revised total.  Payment options can be found at the bottom of your invoice and on our website here.

Can I purchase shipping insurance for something I bought in a sale?
Yes. You can learn more about shipping insurance here.

Which carrier do you use for shipping?
New York ships exclusively with FedEx while London and Berlin will generally ship with DHL or FedEx. We do not provide shipping through the United States Postal Service, UK Royal Mail, or Deutsche Post.

Will my instrument be shipped in a case?
Instruments and bows are not always left for consignment with their accompanying case; therefore, we cannot guarantee a case for shipping. We are happy to accommodate a request to ship in a case, providing we have some available. Additionally, you are welcome to drop off or ship a case to us in New York, London or Berlin in order to use it for shipping. If a case is not available, we will take precautionary measures to ensure any instrument is packaged efficiently for shipping.

I bought something in the New York sale, do I need to pay state sales tax?
Sales or use tax related to the lot may be due on any lots that Tarisio ships to or within the United States. Tarisio will collect sales tax where legally required. The applicable sales tax rate will be determined based upon the state, county, or locale to which the lot will be shipped.

In accordance with New York law, if Tarisio arranges the shipment of a lot out of New York State, sales tax or other applicable taxes for other states may apply. If you collect the lot from Tarisio’s New York location, Tarisio must collect New York sales tax on the lot at a rate of 8.875% regardless of the ultimate destination of the lot.

Successful bidders claiming an exemption from sales tax must provide appropriate documentation to Tarisio prior to the release of the lot or within 7 days after the sale, whichever is earlier.

For shipments to those US states for which Tarisio is not required to collect sales tax, a successful bidder may have a use or similar tax obligation. Tarisio recommends you consult your own independent tax advisor with any questions.

I live in the US and purchased something in a Berlin or London sale, do I need to pay state sales tax?
Only if you were to collect in the New York office or have it shipped to a state where we are required to collect sales tax. Please see above regarding state sales tax.

I live in Europe and purchased something in the New York sale, do I need to pay VAT?
Lots purchased in a New York auction are not subjected to VAT.  Complete VAT details can be found here.

Can I get an Insurance Appraisal for the lot/s I bought?
Yes.  Insurance Appraisals can be requested when setting your bidding preferences and cost $150 (New York sales), €125 (Berlin sales) and £100 (London sales).  Learn more about them here.

What does endangered species mean?
Please visit our Compliance in Import and Export page for a complete breakdown of the post-auction process for items containing endangered species.

What does the violin case that you sell look like?
Violin cases are currently available for purchase for New York sales only and can be seen here.

Do you sell viola, cello or bow cases?
No.

Will I receive a tracking number for my auction shipment?
Yes.  A tracking number will be emailed to you once your item has shipped.

What is the condition of this instrument/bow?
You may request a condition report for any active lot listing. Once on a lot page, scroll down to the bottom, select the option to “Request a Condition Report”, and enter the email address where you would like it to be sent.  Please note that condition reports are only available to request before bidding has closed.

I requested a Condition Report, what do these terms mean?
Please refer to our complete glossary of terminology used here.

Why are some lots listed as by a maker while others say possibly by or attributed to?
Please refer to our Catalog Practice for a complete breakdown of catalog descriptions and attributions here.

I have bid in past Tarisio auctions, how come my bidder ID and password are not being accepted?
Even if you have bid in past sales, each auction requires bidders to register for that particular sale.  You will have the option to use a past bidder ID or create a new one.

How much is the reserve?
Reserve amounts are confidential between the seller and Tarisio.

I don’t know if anyone will bid against me and I still have not met the reserve and want to secure this lot, what are my options?
Bidders who want to ensure that they meet reserve on any lot will have two options: first, you can simply bid the reserve; second, you can log in to items you are bidding on and raise your current bid to meet the reserve.  Please note that in either option, your bid may immediately go to the low end of the estimate range.

I registered to bid in an auction but also have a registered log in, are my passwords the same?
Yes, the password used to log on to the main homepage of tarisio.com is the same password you will use when logging in to place a bid in an auction.