Professional niceties: Addendum

I have received *many* responses to the parent of this post, thank you for all your thoughts. I completely agree that this information needs to be "out there" for people to know/learn/discuss. From the responses, a clarification and several additions [N.B. posts in response to the original are not included, only emails sent directly]:

• Clarification: It was noted (by several people) that I did not note that the traditional tithe to a dealer who refers a collection to you is 10% of the price paid (or, if take on consignment, of the price realized).
• Representing another dealer at auction: If you represent another dealer at auction and succeed in securing the lot(s), it is traditional to pay the dealer (your agent) 10% of the hammer price (pre-buyer premium). Remember, this is often a small price to pay to have a live body reading the room and acting on your behalf. It can also be tactically very efficient, in that you can retain someone you know will *otherwise* bid against you to bid on your behalf...the most famous example of this is arguably Rosenbach's retaining Quaritch to represent him at auction in pursuit of a Gutenberg Bible that Quaritch would otherwise have undoubtedly secured for himself.
• Covering postage on returns: If a book is returned because of an error *on your part* (description, wrong book, etc.), it is customary to cover the cost of the return postage.

Others will be added if and when they arrive.