About the 2011 Sale & Instructions

[Below are the instructions for my Fall 2011 sale.  They are an example of how I sell puzzles each Fall sale.  Since all puzzles offered pursuant to these instructions were sold, they do not mean you can buy puzzles now.  When my Fall 2012 sale starts (next October), a similar set of instructions will be posted along with a new list of puzzles.]

Despite slowing down more with age, we are still able to offer a wide range of restored puzzles (with a few exceptions mentioned below) from the inexpensive (cardboard, Straus, post 1950 wood) to the relatively costly (Pastime, 1909 era) to the very expensive (Par).   Some are being withdrawn from our website after years on display (1-198, 1-1106, 1-1566, 2-2172, 2-2232, 2-20436, N-46, 6-612, P-401, P-298, Par 81) and may be familiar to those of you who have studied Bob's website.  We have scanned in all puzzle images (or box images) and posted them on our website along with the sale list information, so you can view and study them as you wish.  In some cases, we have added to the web site Description information we couldn't squeeze on the mailed sale list Comments section.   If you cannot view the images on site, we can email them to you.  Please note: we plan to keep up to date as best we can the sale list posted on our website with respect to the latest bidding for each puzzle so you can check the bid status for the puzzles you are interested in before submitting bids.  If you have questions, we welcome your phone calls and emails.  And you will have to call or email us anyway with respect to your bids as there is no on-line bidding as with Ebay.

1. Restoration

As in the past, nearly all puzzles needing work have been restored by Bob as his principal avocation in retirement.   Restoration includes making replacement pieces, which meet the test of  “you have to hunt to find them”.  Bob also repairs all the broken/split knobs, missing/damaged paper and delaminated wood he can spot, so that the puzzle “looks really good” and is in good or better condition.   On average, this activity actually takes longer than replacing missing pieces.  Any unfixable problems are noted in the “Comments” section and the puzzle priced accordingly.  If you should not be satisfied, call us and we will work it out, including refund.  Also, wherever possible, Bob repairs boxes using archival materials and techniques so they can safely store the puzzles but still show their age.  And if he feels the box acidity might affect the pieces, Bob has been lining the box bottom with archival tissue paper, particularly the old Pastime boxes.

2. Bidding

In order to be as fair as possible, we have set 10 p.m. East Coast Standard Time, Monday, November 7, 2011 as the deadline for bids.  All bids received by mail, e-mail and telephone up to that date will be acknowledged and handled on an equal basis.  When more than one bid is received for a puzzle during that period and no overbid, we will conduct a draw for the winner.  You may bid at list price as many puzzles as you wish (no limit here).  However, since 1998 we have also allowed each buyer to make (and revise) overbids on up to 3 puzzles, if you are willing to go above the list price.  Obviously, the highest overbid received by us by 10 p.m. EDT, Monday, November 7, 2011 will claim that puzzle.  You may check with us on the status of bidding for any puzzle and drop, add, revise or switch your bids as often as you wish right up to the last moment so long as you are the leading over-bidder on no more than three puzzles at any one moment.  We do ask that you not withdraw or reduce an overbid while you are still in the lead as others may have relied on it in making their bidding decisions (you can add to it, though).  We also ask that when overbidding you do so by at least the following minimum increments: on prices up to $100: $2; from $100 to $300: $5; over $300: $10, and that you not overbid by simply stating in an email: “Overbid the current bid by the minimum amount”.  You must state a figure for your overbid.  Also note: we treat your overbid as the actual bid regardless of the amount being overbid, and not an “up to” or proxy bid as does the Ebay computer.  This is an important distinction from Ebay and can be both a positive and a negative (call Bob and he will explain).  Another distinction: we do not alert you when your bid(s) is overbid; you should check your bids from time to time and especially near the end.  Yes, the process is complicated mainly because we are trying to balance two seemingly irreconcilable objectives: spread the puzzles as broadly as possible, while allowing serious collectors and bidders to buy up to 3 puzzles which are special to them or their collections.

3. Strategy

In our last sale, every puzzle listed was sold with about 94% going via overbids, many, however, by only a few dollars over list price.  On average, buyers received about a fifth of the puzzles they bid on.  We were pleased that 74 bidders received puzzles.  It is best to request more puzzles than you actually need, maybe setting a maximum dollar limit in case you are “too lucky” (rarely happens).  Remember: there is no limit to the number of puzzles you can put your name in for at list price but as puzzles are overbid, their list price bids "go away".  Best of all, however, near the end check on the status of the bidding by visiting our website and email or call us to add to your list puzzles not in hot demand, maybe even placing your overbids on some of them.   Please note: we usually are overwhelmed with emails in the last 10 minutes of the sale despite bringing in our webmaster to handle them and post bidding on line.  And last year, our website "crashed" in the last 4 minutes because of the high volume of "hits".  This means the emails pile up and we are unable to open them until after 10 p.m.  It is possible that you could appear to be the high bidder for a puzzle at 10 p.m. or later, but an email with a higher bid dated before 10 p.m. is sitting there unopened or not even come in yet.  The higher email bid would prevail.  Moreover, we recheck all the bidding the next morning before announcing final results on our website, hopefully by afternoon.  Yes, the Ebay computer has us beat here, but we like to think we are a lot friendlier!

4. Payment & Shipping

Everyone making bids will receive a summary of the sale listing the puzzles they are receiving, a “second chance” list of puzzles not requested by anyone in the first round (if any), and instructions on payment and shipment.  For shipping within US, we will charge $5 for the first puzzle ($6 west of the Mississippi or south of the Mason-Dixon Line), $1 for each additional puzzle, $2 for the first $100 of insurance, and $1 for each $100 of insurance thereafter, with shipment by USPS Ready Mail. However, heavy puzzles and boxes, shipment abroad and special arrangements including Priority Mail are at extra cost.  For puzzles purchased by Massachusetts residents, we must add 6.25% sales tax unless you send us your tax-exempt number.  We much prefer personal checks for US sales.  If PayPal is the only alternative (e.g., overseas sales), we will add on the charges for use of PayPal and currency conversion.           

5. Next Sale

We hope to hear from you and welcome your calls.  Generally, we will be around to respond promptly to your emails and phone calls and post the latest bidding on our website.  Note: if you are not bidding but would like to continue receiving future lists, send us a short note.  We do stop mailing people after two mailings without receiving a response of any kind.  And if just receiving an email notice of the sale and relying on our website listing is sufficient, please notify us so we can save mailing the sale list to you next time.

6. Notes on particular puzzles

(see enlarged images on website for more information on other puzzles):

0-44: Artwork for map puzzles needs to be a copy.  Unavailable for this puzzle.  Also note discolor from aging, common in 19th century puzzles.  Price reduced accordingly.

JS-360: Too difficult for us to assemble at our ages, but pieces are in top condition and puzzle is probably complete (if you can ever assemble it).  Not guaranteeing it, so price is reduced.

P-298: Some pink discolor has shown up in recent years; still a beautiful puzzle but price is reduced because Bob is not satisfied with it.

7. Next Puzzle Parley

The next Puzzle Parley will be held back at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA July 20-22, 2012.  View the Notice and Registration Form.  Our August 2010 Puzzle Parley was the most successful one ever with record attendance of 117 participants and we hope to top that in 2012.  You can read all about past Parleys and view pictures on Bob's website.  These meetings are "golden opportunities" for puzzle collectors, cutters and enthusiasts to learn about the history, making, restoration and preservation of puzzles as well as to view and buy lots of old and new puzzles.  And you meet the faces behind the world of jigsaw puzzles (including us) and some of today’s brilliant new cutters, while making friends with other puzzle people.