1. Who We Are and Who Can Buy
Ten Bells Auction House is operated by Emanuele Pisu, an independent sole trader (enskild näringsidkare) based at Kustroddaregatan 2, Box 685, 414 52 Göteborg, Sweden. Email: enquire@thetenbellshouse.com;
These conditions govern direct distance sales of physical antiquarian goods to private consumers. We sell mainly to consumers in the EU; other destinations are assessed individually. A request or submission of an enquiry is not an order. We do not offer live bidding or auction contracts on this website at present.
2. Our Goods and Catalogue Records
Most articles are second-hand, antique or unique. Each catalogue record describes the item and material evidence available to us, including stated condition, inscriptions, provenance or associated research where known. Dates, names and attributions that are uncertain are identified as such. Please examine photographs and ask for further images or a condition report before purchasing.
Descriptions and disclosed age-related characteristics form part of the item information provided before sale. Nothing in these terms removes mandatory rights if the delivered goods do not conform to the agreed description.
Originality guarantee. We guarantee the originality of the physical item as specifically described in its catalogue record. The guarantee does not independently authenticate signatures, authorship, attributions, provenance or historical associations unless expressly stated as verified in that record. Unverified details are not certified by this guarantee. Mandatory consumer rights remain unaffected. See our Cataloguing Standards.
3. Availability and Ordering
We offer two pathways: (a) enquire / request a purchase, with a personalised written quotation and a subsequent secure payment link if you accept it, and (b) online card checkout for eligible items once that service is activated. Both are intended for private consumers.
Before any payment obligation arises, we identify the specific item, its condition and price, taxes where applicable, shipping and other mandatory charges, estimated delivery, and the total amount due. An enquiry does not reserve an item or create an obligation to pay. For manually arranged transactions we confirm a binding agreement in writing after both sides accept the same final terms. For online checkout, the final order review and clearly labelled payment button will show the total and the payment obligation before the order is made. An order confirmation will be provided in a form that you can keep.
4. Prices, Taxes and Card Payment
Catalogue prices are shown in EUR. The total payable by a private consumer, including any taxes applicable to the sale and all mandatory charges, will be stated clearly before they commit to buy. Shipping is quoted separately and then included in the final order total before payment. No undisclosed mandatory fee will be added after a purchase is agreed.
Card payment can be processed through a secure Stripe payment link once a personalised written quotation has been accepted. Automatic checkout on this website is not yet available. Ten Bells does not ask you to email card details or card-security codes. VAT treatment, including whether special rules for used goods apply, will be determined according to the applicable registration and transaction.
5. Delivery Countries and Packing
We primarily deliver within the European Union. Delivery outside the EU is possible only after we review the destination, potential restrictions, customs requirements and shipping service with the buyer. Each item's shipping cost, carrier/service, insurance availability, dispatch estimate and expected delivery timeframe are communicated before purchase.
We carefully pack antique prints, manuscripts, photographs, books and other paper objects. We remain responsible for delivery as required by applicable consumer law; any transport cover is not a substitute for consumer rights. Unless a different period is expressly agreed, goods must be delivered within the applicable statutory deadline. Delays or missing parcels should be reported promptly.
6. Fourteen-Day Consumer Withdrawal
Consumers buying at a distance generally have 14 days beginning on the day after they receive the goods to withdraw without giving a reason. Antiquarian and second-hand items are not excluded merely because of their age or uniqueness. Only applicable statutory exceptions may limit this right.
You can notify us at enquire@thetenbellshouse.com or use the Cancel a Purchase function for contracts completed through our website. You may use any clear statement; you are not required to use a particular form. Please provide sufficient information to identify your order.
After notifying us, you must normally send the goods back within 14 days. Return address: Ten Bells Auction House, attn Emanuele Pisu, Kustroddaregatan 2, Box 685, 414 52 Göteborg, Sweden, unless we supply a different return address in writing. Consumers ordinarily pay direct return postage where informed before purchase, except where mandatory law requires otherwise. We refund the amount paid including the least expensive standard outbound delivery method offered, in accordance with the applicable deadline and lawful conditions. We may withhold the refund until we receive the goods or evidence they have been sent, when permitted. We may make a lawful deduction for diminished value resulting from handling beyond what is necessary to examine the goods.
For purchases actually concluded through this website, a dedicated online withdrawal function and durable receipt will be activated and tested before card checkout opens. See our withdrawal information.
7. Faults and Legal Consumer Rights
The right to withdraw is separate from rights where goods are defective, damaged, or materially different from their agreed description. Sweden provides a statutory right to complain about original defects for generally three years, including for second-hand goods. Mandatory consumer protections in the buyer's country may also apply to a cross-border transaction. These rights cannot be waived by a general “sold as seen” clause.
Contact enquire@thetenbellshouse.com with the item reference, a description of the concern and photographs if useful. We consider appropriate statutory remedies and work with the buyer to resolve the issue.
8. Separate Rights to Images and Text
Acquiring a physical manuscript, photograph, book or print does not by itself transfer copyright, reproduction, broadcasting, or publication rights. Where a reproduction licence is available, it must be agreed separately. Public-domain works remain public domain. See Copyright & Image Rights.
9. Complaints and Disputes
Please write first to enquire@thetenbellshouse.com. Consumers retain statutory rights to seek assistance from consumer authorities and out-of-court dispute resolution bodies where eligible, and to bring a claim before a competent court under applicable law. These terms do not restrict mandatory consumer rights or jurisdiction rules.
Information about national consumer dispute bodies can be found via the European Commission's dispute resolution directory. The former EU ODR platform closed in July 2025.
10. Optional Model Withdrawal Notice
To: Emanuele Pisu, trading as Ten Bells Auction House, enquire@thetenbellshouse.com
I notify you that I withdraw from the contract for: [item / order reference]. Ordered on [date], received on [date]. Name: [your name]. Email: [your email]. Address: [your address, if relevant]. Date: [date].
You may use this wording or any other unambiguous declaration. Our Cancel a Purchase page provides another option when enabled.
Customer accounts for online purchases
Browsing the catalogue is open to everyone. A customer account verified through Netlify Identity will be required to initiate a website checkout. Registration alone is free and does not subscribe the customer to the optional Collector Register. The customer must receive the final EUR price, applicable taxes, delivery cost and consumer information before any payment is confirmed. Until automatic checkout has been activated, a purchase cannot be concluded through the customer account. Purchases can instead be arranged directly by enquiry and a secure payment link.