Posted By:
E, DanielI think this is purely an attempt to force one over a buyer, largely because of the belief the item being sold can be argued to be difficult to photograph and thus is open to interpration visually, and further that the hobby doesn't speak with one voice.
Imagine this were a large Imari vase being sold with exactly the same damage, but the photos didn't reflect the description. The inference to be taken as an interested buyer using the catalog for reference, is that a zealous employee was over stating the damage in the written description in an effort to be assiduously accurate, and that visually the flaws were hard to detect and the piece had great eye appeal.
I don't think for a minute that if the vase then turned up cracked far worse than shown, missing a chunk larger than photo'd, and altogether was hardly representative of the catalog image - that Southebys would think they could force such damaged goods on a buyer.
To me, it speaks of incredibly arrogance and lack of respect for our field/hobby, and a belief you can make the little guy eat s#%t because of the perception that it won't hurt the auction houses reputation.
Wrong, wrong, and just plain dumb wrong.
Daniel