American Woman Sues International Auction House in Austria Court for Reneging on Art Sale
Published April 11th, 2007
An American woman is traveling thousands of miles to testify in a Vienna, Austria court on Thursday that the renowned international auction house, the Dorotheum, failed to honor its contract to sell her a Russian portrait. Her suit alleges the Dorotheum misrepresented both the painting’s value and the facts surrounding the sale to both her and the seller.
“I don’t understand how an internationally renowned auction house would risk its reputation by acting so underhandedly,” said the buyer, Marcia Schieck of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, who is available for interviews in Vienna starting Wednesday. “The only conclusion I can come to is that Dorotheum officials figured they could manipulate both me and the seller, instead of honoring a legally binding contract they signed. The seller is cooperating with us and is just as outraged and offended by the Dorotheum’s behavior.”
On September 17, 2004, the Dorotheum notified Marcia Schieck, then living in University Park, MD, that she had won the auction of the painting entitled “Portrait of a Lady” for the auction price of 1,700 Euros, plus a buyer’s premium, making the total payment due 2,021.67 Euros. Soon after notifying Schieck, it became apparent to both the buyer and the seller through the review of email correspondence between each of them and the Dorotheum that the auction house contradicting itself.
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