[meteorite-list] Blood Auction NIGHTMARE

From: Michael Blood <mlblood_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:41:58 -0800
Message-ID: <C7B70F06.C05A%mlblood_at_cox.net>

Hi Peter,
        Sorry too hear of your problems.
        The reason shipping was $20 is that is the cost
of Registered Mail to Switzerland.
        However, the good news is I insured the package.
I can provide you with the photo as sold and you can
photograph it as received, proving it was broken en rout.
You can make a claim with the US Post Office and should
get a full refund, though they are not noted for their speed.
        In 20 years I have never had a private customer
Complain of a broken piece. However, I have had
Nothing but problems with absentee bids of auction
Items, so, will likely not be handling absentee bids
the same way in the future & will completely restructure
Just exactly how one can bid as an absentee bidder
Through a friend that will be present and bid for them
And take custody at the close of the auction, while I
Accept delayed payment. This would also address questions
That have been asked about how absentee bids are
Placed during the auction, as the bidder will have their
Own representative holding up their card.
        Your package has the registration number and if
you tell me which lot (or, if both) was/were damaged,
I will get you the JPGs right away.
        In the future I would prefer to conduct business
Directly rather than through list postings.
        Please respond off list.
        Thanks, Michael


On 3/5/10 7:49 AM, "Peter Marmet" <p.marmet at sunrise.ch> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> a few years ago I won one of the biggest pieces on the market of the
> historic Shalka (India) meteorite at a Blood Auction.
> M. Blood managed to press this friable piece in a 1x1x1 cm box, so
> when it arrived here, it was broken in 5 small pieces!
>
> This year I was also an absentee bidder. M. Blood told me that he will
> inform me right after the auction.
> Nothing happened for several days. I sent an e-mail, but no answer.
> More than one week after the auction he wrote me that I have won 2
> small (less than 2 g) items. I immediately paid the $325.00 plus
> $56.88 fees plus $20.00(!) for postage and I immediately wrote:
>
> "Important: both pieces are very friable! Please send them in a big(!)
> box and each piece very well protected with a lot of soft cotton
> around!
> I will pay for extra postage if necessary!"
>
> No answer, no info when the items were shipped, no tracking number, nothing...
>
> Today - four weeks after the show! - I finally got the meteorites: One
> was broken in 4 pieces!...from the second, two small pieces fell of!
> Why???
> M.Blood sent the pieces in 2 Rikers, unprotected, that means: No paper
> or so between the friable meteorite and the hard Riker glass!!!
>
> In addition: The two meteorites cost $325.00. He declared them as a
> $400.00 value. So I had to pay a lot again: VAT, partly for fees
> and even for postage!!!
>
> I guess it will not come as a surpise to you that I will never ever
> again bid on a Blood auction item!
>
> Peter, very upset!
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Received on Fri 05 Mar 2010 10:41:58 PM PST