MADAM – I totally agree with the comments made by Eddie Holt (‘Spectacularly wrong valuations? No thanks’, Letters, ATG No 2376) regarding valuations given by ‘experts’.
Another point that I have always wondered about is well illustrated by an item on the front page of the same issue. If the cameo ring illustrated – which sold for £39,000 against an estimate of £150-200 given by a very well-respected auction house – had been stolen before the sale, which can happen, presumably the insurers would pay out no more than £200.
Would this also be the figure if the auctioneers held a commission bid of say £5000?