Frequently Asked Questions

Buying with Gustafson's

1. Authenticity

We understand the concerns that may come with online shopping, so rest assured, every object offered for sale by Gustafson's is guaranteed to be genuine.

2. Payment Options

We accept payment through:

  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Meta Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Mastercard
  • PayPal
  • Shop Pay
  • Venmo
  • Visa
  • U.S. Money Orders
  • Bitcoin

If you would like to pay via an alternative method, feel free to contact us. All prices are shown by default in U.S. dollars; however, a currency converter is made available at the top of the site on desktop and at the bottom on mobile.

3. Secure Ordering

Our clients' data security is of utmost importance to us. We utilize Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), to ensure a safe and secure checkout. With SSL, information sent via the Internet is encrypted, and can be trusted to arrive privately and unaltered.

4. How to Bid at Auction

In order to ensure a safe and secure bidding experience, Gustafson's requires bidders to "purchase" for $1.00 access to the auction. This fee grants access to every lot within the auction and will be refunded if you are declared a winning bidder of any lot. Read more here.

5. Buyer's Premium

Gustafson's charges a competitive 20% buyer's premium on the hammer price of the lot you have won at auction. For example, if you were to successfully bid an auction to the end price of $100.00, you would be required to pay an additional $20.00 buyer's premium, bringing your total to $120.00 + shipping and tax. Buyer's premiums are not only industry-standard throughout the auction house world, but they are also necessary to ensure Gustafson's ability to offer consignments to the collecting community. There are no buyer's premiums on Buy Now offerings.

6. Shipping

We are fortunate enough to have cultivated a global customer base, consisting of world-class museums, authors, and renowned private collectors. For a shipping quote, simply add the object(s) to your cart and select your country and region at checkout. All prices are shown by default in U.S. dollars; however, a currency converter is made available at the top of the site on desktop and at the bottom on mobile. We strive to ship orders as soon as possible via the United States Postal Service's Priority Mail option, which includes tracking information and complimentary insurance coverage of $100.00 for domestic shipments and $200.00 for international shipments (more coverage can be acquired at the buyer's expense). Please note that the checkout page sometimes lists "1/2/3 business day(s)", this is not a guarantee that your order will arrive in 1/2/3 business days after placing it, but rather it is an estimate by USPS which factors only the buyer's proximity to our place of business with no accounting for handling time. We are pleased to offer complimentary domestic and international shipping on orders over $500.

7. Layaway

Subject to our approval, we offer interest-free layaway services on our non-auction listings. We require a non-refundable, one-third-down deposit, normally followed by two equal payments scheduled across the following two months. Once the deposit is received the object will be marked as "On Layaway" and others will not be permitted to purchase it. After all payments have been made, the object will be shipped to you. If a payment date is missed, the deposit is retained, and the object again becomes available for all to purchase.

For example, if you were interested in purchasing a $150.00 object via layaway, we would require $50.00 as an initial deposit, then $50.00 would be due one month from today, with the final $50.00 (plus shipping & tax) due one month after that. If a payment due date is missed or you no longer wish to purchase the object, the initial $50.00 will be retained and the object will once again be marketed to the public.

8. Returns & Refunds

Many of the objects we sell are consignments, and once the consigner has been paid we are unable to retrieve those funds. As such, our buyers enjoy a three-day inspection period. We go to great lengths to capture detailed photographs and write accurate descriptions of the objects we offer. If in the rare instance an object arrives not as described, Gustafson's will issue a full, money-back refund upon the unaltered object's safe return. This Returns & Refunds policy applies only to our Buy Now Marketplace; objects purchased via Auction and Layaway are final sales.

Selling with Gustafson's

1. Consignments

Unlike most online marketplaces, Gustafson's accepts consignments to be sold either via Auction, Buy Now, or directly to our global network of collectors and museums through a Private Sale. If you would prefer to sell your object directly to Gustafson's, rather than consign, we can also facilitate this.

2. Accepted Objects

We are now accepting objects that we appraise at a value of greater than $1,000.00.

3. Commissions

Our selling fee is a flat 15% of the sale price, with a minimum of $400.00. For example, if your object sells below $2,667.00 our selling fee would be $400.00; if your object sells in excess of $2,667.00 it would result in a fee of 15% of the sale price. This ensures Gustafson's continues to be a marketplace of highly desirable objects.

4. Shipping to Us

Once we have conducted our complimentary appraisal and have agreed on a sales strategy, carefully package your objects. We will then send you a pre-paid United States Postal Service shipping label, allowing you to drop off your consignment at any Post Office.

5. After the Consignment Arrives

When your consignment arrives, we will conduct an exhaustive inspection to ensure authenticity and evaluate condition. Your objects will then be prepared for studio photography. Gustafson's has invested in state-of-the-art photography tools to showcase exceptional objects in their truest form, instilling confidence in both consignors and buyers alike.

Once photographed, your consignment will be thoroughly researched, an extensive listing description will be written, and then your consignment will be offered for sale. Gustafson's will promptly answer all inquiries from prospective buyers and may even advertise your objects on third-party platforms if we deem appropriate.

6. After the Sale

When your consignment has sold, Gustafson's will carefully package and then ship it to the buyer via the United States Postal Service's Priority Mail option, which includes tracking information and complimentary insurance coverage of $100.00 for domestic shipments and $200.00 for international shipments (more coverage can be acquired at the buyer's expense).

7. Sale Proceeds

Gustafson's buyers enjoy a three-day inspection period. Afterwards, consignors' funds become available for payout either via PayPal, bank transfer, Bitcoin, or store credit.