Buying from us

Please email or phone us about any items you are interested in.  We will be happy to answer any questions you have, or to provide further images. If you let us know where you live we can also provide a shipping quote for you.

We realise that buying on line is not the same as being able to pick up and handle an object.  For this reason we always aim to give a description of condition which is as complete as possible - our aim is that you should have no unpleasant surprises when you receive your item!

All items that we sell carry our unconditional guarantee. If, despite our best efforts to describe items accurately, when you receive your purchase it is not as described simply return the item to us (return shipping costs must be paid by you) and we will provide a full, no quibbles refund of the cost of the item including the cost of sending the item to you.

Payment

We can accept the following methods of payment at present:

• We accept credit card payments in £ sterling

• We accept credit card payment internationally in $, £ or € via PayPal

• within the U.K. by personal cheque

• by direct bank transfer (IBAN) - if you would like to pay this way let us know and we will provide you with our bank details

Shipping and insurance costs 

We will normally post all items via Royal Mail standard services.  We are happy to arrange to ship items via a courier service if required. We charge actual shipping costs and no handling fee. Postal insurance is optional, but please note that if insurance is not requested the item must be sent at the buyer's risk, and we cannot claim or provide compensation in the (unlikely) event of loss or damage in transit.  We will always complete the required customs declaration.

A word about descriptions of condition

We all like to buy perfect antiques.  Unfortunately this is not always possible, and there may be faults with an item.  We always try to describe these honestly.

There are two types of fault which may be encountered in Parian wares. The ceramic body of Parian shrank very significantly during firing (by up to 30%) and during this process firing flaws could be be introduced. While these were usually removed or repaired when the item was made (by a skilled individual known as a 'Repairer' who also put the figures together from their separately-fired parts) they do quite commonly remain, often as visible lines which are stained black from firing. We refer to this sort of fault as a firing fault.

The parian body is very fragile and when combined with the very fine detailing often seen there is always a risk of chipping or loss.  It is a personal matter whether a small amount of chipping or loss is acceptable: a small amount of damage may be acceptable, if not intrusive, provided that the price reflects the condition.  Waiting for a desired piece in perfect condition may require considerable patience!