[ithacaartist]

Two years ago, I won a small frame Llama at auction, via Proxibd, for about half of what you'd expect to pay here. but I hadn't paid enough attention before I bid--although it was referred to a "prohibited" in the listing--and lo and behold, it turned out to be a Canadian auction.

I hustled to do the research about how to get it here. Yes, an "importing dealer" is the one who'd receive it as it enters the country; then, they's ship it to my local dealer for transfer to me. I have no idea what processes or paperwork would have taken place North of the border, but the prospect of doubling shipping costs, plus extra fees everywhere was beginning to trouble me. The final nail in the potential acquisition's coffin was that it would not pass muster in the "points system."

Sad, but I consigned it back to the auction house, where it sold again at their next event. What with buyer's premium at the first auction, seller's fees for the second, and the beating I took because the hammer price for the re-sale was so much lower than that I'd won it for, I lost a couple hundred dollars. Heh. The auction house even rogered me on the exchange rate when they paid the final settlement.