Electrical and Mechanical Goods, and soft furnishings.

SOFT FURNISHINGS

Note that upholstered / padded furniture & beds manufactured between 1950-1988 cannot be sold at auction by law. ONLY items with a permanent sewn in label reading ‘Carelessness Causes Fire’ can be sold by us (detailed information below). 

Consumer Protection - Important Notes

The furniture & furnishings (fire) (safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989) from 1st March 1993.

This applies to the following items entered for auction:
Three piece suites, settees, pouffees, ottomans, stools, sofa beds & other items with upholstered seating, beds and divans, including bases & headboards, children's furniture, cots, carry cots, playpens, pushchairs, high chairs and similar nursery items, cushions, pillows & mattresses etc.

WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT ENTRY OF THE ABOVE ITEMS UNLESS

The items meet the statutory requirements for both fire resistance and labelling. If furniture does not meet these detailed requirements then it cannot legally be sold.

"CARELESSNESS CAUSES FIRE"

Where the item has a permanent label with this heading, it can be assumed to comply. No other wording on a label is acceptable.

Items made before 1950 can be accepted for auction.

ELECTRICAL GOODS

Are neither tested, guaranteed nor warranted to be in working order or suitable for purpose. As they may not conform to current Health & Safety regulations, they are offered as Works of Art/Antiques or for Display/Historical Purposes only. In all cases, plugs and sometimes also the cables, will be removed and the lots will be labelled accordingly.

Notwithstanding the above the Auctioneers reserve the right to employ a suitably qualified electrician to undertake PAT testing of ‘white goods’ and televisions.

Alternatively the vendor must provide a certificate from a competent electrical engineer confirming all electrical items are "electrically safe". A new style plug (i.e. with black sleeves on the positive & negative pins) should be fitted to the appliance before delivery to the saleroom.

If required we can arrange for items to be tested prior to sale at a cost at the time of writing of £3 + VAT per item which will be deducted from the proceeds of the sale (Electrical items requiring testing must be entered at least 7 days prior to the next sale date or, depending on the availability of the engineer, will be placed in the following auction).

Other Items We Cannot Sell

We do not sell gas appliances or heaters with guards, toys, prams & pushchairs, carrycot stands, bunk beds, asbestos products including wartime gas masks and crash helmets unless the vendor can confirm to us that the items comply with the relevant regulations.