Pu blic Auc1ion Regulations . 1991

L.N . 69 of I ~ I

AUCTI ONEERS ACT. 1990

(ACT NI). xxv 01 1990)

Pu blic Auc1ion Regulations . 1991

IN exercise ur llle powcnconferred by seclion 5 orl lle Auctionee rs

I\ cl. 1990. lite Minister fo r Development of Tertinry Sector, with th e

concu rrence of the Minister of Finance, has made the following

regu lations:-

(1) These: regulations may be ciled as the Public Auaion

R ~gu1atiol1$. I 991 .

(2) These regulations shall rome in lQ force on the 1st June ,

1991.

In these regula tions, unless the context otherwise req uires -

"the Act" means the Auctioneers ACI, 1990;

w

~antiqueW

and Wauctionee r have the SlIme meaning as is

M

assigned tothem insectio" 20ft he Act, and "auctioneering means

the business of nUelion run by an auctioneer;

"buyer" means IlIc buyer of a \01 111 an auction;

"Librarian" means the Librarian mentioned in section 30fthc

National Archi~cs Act, 1990, who is Cu rator of the National

Archi~cs

MloC' means one article, or more t/lan one article grouped

toge the r. intended for sa lc al an audion ;

MMi nister means the Minister responsible for trade and

M

includes, to the extent of the authority gi~en, any person

authorised by the Ministe r in thm behalf for uny purpose of the$ll

regulati ons;

Mreserved price" means thc price below which a seller is

unwilli ng to sell a lot and has notified the Huction«r to that effect

-scUe r- means the owne r of a lot pu t up for sale at an auction ,

(I) An auctioneer shall issue a signed receipt to a seller for

lots recci~ed by him for sale by auction,

(2) The receipt referred in paragraph (1) shall contain the

following information:-

(a) the name , su rname and address of the aucti()flccr and/or

lhe na me of the company o r partnership on behalf o f which the

auction« r is exercising his business and the name, surname and

address o f the se ller

(b)

"description of each 101

(c)

Ihe reserved price. ifany

(d ) the auctioneers fee and any stornge Of other fees and

commissions chargeable by the auctionee r to the ~ lIe r ;

(e) the amou nt. if any. which the selle r !>hall pay to the

auctioneer if the selle r retrieves the lot o r if the lot is not sold;

any ot he r condi tion of auction wh ich the se lle r and the

(f)

auctionte r may agree lhereon.

An auctioneer ma~ refuse to accept a lot for sale in an

(3 )

auct ion .

(I I An auctioneer shall, in respect of each auction to be

cOllducted by him. publish a catalogue of Ihe 10ls being pu t up fo r

au ction.

(2) rhe calalogue mentioned in paragraph ( I) shall contain

the following inForm ation

(3) the name of the: auct ionee r andlor the name o f the: firm or

part nership o n behalf o f ""hich the auction« r is trading and the

address of his office;

(b)

the place ""here the auction is due to be held;

(c) the dates and times for vie wing o fthe lotS on auction and

th e di. ICS and times of the auctio n;

(d)

th e 101s due 10 be auctioned on each day of lhe auct ion

the condi ti o ns of the auct ion a nd the fees due to be paid

(e)

by the buyerof a lot at the auction in addi tion to the purchase: price

and other charges permissible or imposed by law. including du ty

imposed by the Dutyon Documen ts Act

the deposi t to be made by a buyer

(f)

(g) a sequen tial list giving a correct deso:ri ption of each lot to

be auctioned

(h ) t he lots having a R"SCrved price. below which the sell er is

unwilling 10 sell the lots. should be marked by an asteris k in the

catlllQgue

(i)

any lots which a re Ihe prope rt y o f the auct ionee r

(jl

the price orlh e catalogue.

(3) Ca talogues shall be available for sale at the pl ace where

the auction isdue to be held on the days fixed For viewing of th e lo ts to be

auctioned and on the days of the auct ion .

(4) A copy of the catalogue shall also be ubiDi led in a

prominent place for public viewing in each room of the building when

the auction is being held.

(I) An auctioneer shall publish in 31 least two daily

newspapers Ihe time and dales of the place of vie wing and of the auelion

together with a gene ral description of the lots to be auct ioned.

(2)

Such publication shaJllake pLace al least onc clear day

before the first day of viewing.

(I) On each day of viewing an auctioneer shall allow a

minimum li me of two hours for tbe viewing of Ihe 1015 to be sold by

I UcUOO .

(2) No article may be withdrawn from the auction either by

the auction ee r or by the seller at any time after tbe commencement of

the period of viewing by Ihe publk.

(3) Then: sball be charged no fee by tbe auctioneer or by any

other ptJ50n fo r enlfy 10 the place when: the auction is to be held eithe r

during the days of viewing o r the days of the auction.

(I) An auction shall be conducted by the auctioneer specified

in the ca talogue referred to in regulation 4

Provided that where the auction is to be conducted by an

auctioneer other than theauctionce r notified in the catalogue, notice to

that effect shall be given to the public attending the auction at the

CODUnellC:emen t of the auction on each of the auction days and a written

notice to the nme effect shall be prominently displayed at the place of

auction thro ughout the auction days.

(2) An auctioneer shall auction aD the lots entered in the

catalogue in the order set down therein.

(1) An auctioneer shall identify each lot to be auctioned by

the k)[ Dumber and description of the lot as gene rall y se t out in the

auction catalogue.

(4) An auctioneer shall not himse lf or through any other

person acting on th e same auctionee r's behalf place bids, and an

auctioneer shall not in any way buy lots at an auction being conducted by

himself.

(5) An auctioneer shall not bid or buy, directly or indirectly,

at his auctions for any other person.

(6) An auctioneer shall not take account of a bid unless it is

made cl ea rly and publicly.

(7) An auctioneer shall nOt raise the price o f a lot until and

unless a genuine higher bid has been made by a bidder.

(8) An auctionee r shall u O(:ir. OOwn the lot if, aflerrepclting

the last bid three times , no fUrlher bids are made.

(9) An auctioneer shall eithe r assign the Jot to the highest

moder making the last bid, or shall , subject 10 the provisions of

regulation 8 of these regulat ions, remove the 101 from tbe auction by

declaring it as ~bought iD R.

(I) Whe n a lot is marked as having a reserved price, the

auctionee r cannot declare a lot sold if no offe r at least equal 10 the

reserved price has been made.

(2) When no reserved price has bee n set against a Jot and a

bid is made for that 101, the auctioneer may not withdraw the 101 from

the auction or declare il "bought in-.

A 101 may not be bought in if the reserved price thereof

(3)

has been eq ualled or exceeded by the last bid, and the auctioneer shall

nol ded are a lot as ~bought in- if a bid at least eq uivalent to its reserved

( I) The buyer may be required by an auctioneer to make a

deposit in respect o f the 10{ purchased by him , provided that no deposit

may uceed ten per cenl of the price at which the lot WIIS knocked down

and assigned to the buyer.

( 2) A deposil made by a buyer shall be forfeited to the

auctioneer in the event that the buyer does not collect the 10( and pay the

balance of the purchase price and the fee and the charges due by lhe

buyer in terms of paragraph (c) of regulation 4 of th ese regulations by

the cnd of the !«Ond working day subsequent upon Ih e last day of the

auction.

(3) On forfeiture of 11 deposit , out of which deposit the

auctioneer is entit led to I"!:tain the equivalent of the oolIlTlliS$ion

chargeable 10 the buyer under regulation 14 hereof. the sa le ofa lot loa

buyer shall be considered rescinded .

(4) In handing over a lot to a buyer. the a uctioneer shall

require the buyer 10 provide him with a receipt for the 101.

(1) Where an auctioneer oon(lucts other business.

auction eering shall be kept and run as a sepanlle business, and se parate

records, books, accounts and other documents as required by these

regulations or by any other Act shall be kept .

(2) An auctioneer shall keep records showing in respeCl of

each sale by auction and in respect o f the lots sold therein -

(a )

the dale or dates of the auction;

(b)

the address where the auction was held;

(c)

Ihe 101 numberofeach 101 sold

(d) ,he name and address of Ih e sellcf$ of ,he 10ls sold by

auclion;

(c) the name and address of Ihe buyer of eac h 101, or, in the

case of~ lot which has been bough, in. a Slalemenl to that effect

the price al kllOCk down whe re a lot has been sold,

(t")

(3) An auctionee r shall keep books of acco unt in conformit)·

.... ith the principles of regular book- keeping. as well as docu me n,s and

receipts given o ut to sellef$ and secu red from buyers.

(4) The accounts, documents and receipt s shall be kept al Ih c

main office of an ~uctioneer for not less th ,m three years fro m the end of

the cale nda r yea r in which Ih e accounts were made and Ihe docu ments

Hnd re<:eipts were collected .

(5) The obl iga tion 10 kecp books of acroUnl and 10 preserve

documenls according 10 any ot he r law o r regulalion shall remain

unaffec,ed.

11 . (1) An auctio neer shall furn ish any information requested

by the Ministe rwithin a period of fifteen days from the date of service of

a wTin en req uest upon an aUClioneer 10 Ihal effect.

(2) The Minister shall have the right to inspect all books of

acoounts, docume nts and olher records kept by an auctioneer in his

premises or elsewhere.

(I) Jekk panila Ikun markata li ghandha p<C7.7. ris.crval. 1_

;rk:mlalur 013 ghandux jiddikjaraha bhata mibjugha jckk ma .kun sarel

cbda offerla li tkun mill·inqas lilhaq il'prezz riserval.

(2) MCla ma jkullx hcmm prczz riserva! ghal parlila u ,SiT

offerla gha I dik il-parti.a, l-irkanl31 ur ma j iS13~ jir. ira dik il·partita mill·

irkan. jcw jiddikja raha bhala mixlrija akkont tas--sid.

(3) Ma lisla~ partila lin~lara akkonl las-sid jdk il·prezz

riserval glialiha ikun daqs I-ahhar offerla jew jinqabet mirHlha. U t-

;rkan.alur ma ghandu~ jiddikjara partila bhala mi~lrija :Ikkonllas-sid

jckk Ikun i\;lre' offerla ghatiha I; 'kun mill·inqas daqs il-prczz r,serval

laghha .

,1 , (I) Ix-xe rrej ji~w' jenhlicg mill -lTkant;llur li jaghm el

depotilu ghal partila m i~l rijll minnu, ii.da ('bda d('potilu Illa jisla' jaqbei

I-ghax ra fil-mija tal-preu Ii bih il-partila Ikun mane. u inghalal li~­

xerreJ .

(2) Depoi.ilu maghmul minn ~eTTej ghaRdu jiuiehed mill-

irkantalur jd!' ix·xerrej ma jigborx il·panila u mH jhallasx il·bilanc

lal-pre7.Z la~·xiri u a-dri ll u I-hlasijiet dO~uli minnu skond iI-paragrafu

(cl lar-regolamenl 4 la' d~wn ir·rcgolamenli sa Imien! iHieni jum

lax-xogholli jigi wara I·a hh:! r jum lal-ir kanl.

(3) Mal-Ic hid la' depotilu, li minou irkantatur ghandu jedd

itomm ammonl daqs il·kummissjoni 1i li ngabar minghund i~- xerrej lahl

ir-r<.'golament 14 la' dawn ir-rcgolamenli. il-bejgh la' panila lil xerrcj

ghand ... ji'qics li jkun gie- annullal.

(4) Fil-konsen;a la' parlila li' xcrrej, irkanlalUr ghandu jillob

lil,xe rrej sabiex jipprovdilu ir"'cvuta ghall-parti ta.

10. (I) Mew irkaota tul jkun jiggeslixx i negozju ichor, I·

irkuntllr ghand u jibqa' u ji.mexxil bhala ncgozju ghalih, u ghHnd hom

jintammu inkarlamenl i, knlba , kontijict u do kumc nli ohra separati kif

mehlicg b'da""n i~-rcgolamen.i jcw b'kull All ichor.

(2) Irkantatur ghandu jtomm dokumenli li jkunu juru dwar

ku1l bejgh b' irkant 11 dwar il-parti l; mibjugha fit! -

(a)

id-daul Jew id-dati tal -i rka nt;

(b)

J·indiriu fejn ikun saT '-ir kant

(~)

in-numru lal-pan ila ghal kull partita mibjugha;

(d) j·;sem u J-j nd iriu

la l-bcjjiegha tal-part;t; mibjugl'la

b' ir kan l;

(c) [· isem u I-i ndirilz tax-xem:j ta' kll ll parti ta. j<.w, fil-kat

la' pDn il3 1i tkun inXlrat akkont t8s-sid. dikja razzjoni li !.Sem mi

dan

(I)

iJ -prezz kif tkun maTTel pa rtita mcla tkun inbiegliet.

(3) Ghandu ir kantatur itomm kotba ta' ko ntijie! li jkunu

kanformi maJ· prin~ipji ta' ko ntcW regolllri. kif ukoll dokumemi u

irtcvuli mahrugin lil bejjiegha u mik subi n mingl'land ill-xerrejja .

(4) lI·kontijiet. dokumcn li w ircevuti ghandhom jiniammu

fl -uffitj u prin tipali tal-irkantat ur ghal mhux inqas minn tliet snin minn

tmiem is-se na kalendarja li fiha jkunu saru I-ko ntijiet u ngabru d-

dokumen ti w ir~cvuti.

(5) L-obbliga~joni Ii jiniammu kotba ta ' kontijict u jigu

konscrvati dokurnenti skond kull ligi ohra jew regola ment iehor

ghandha libqa' ssehh .

11. (I) Irkant atur ghandu jaghti kull 13ghrif mehtieg mill-

Min iSlru fi tmien hmistax-il jum mid-data lan-notifi ka ta' lalba bil-

miklub Ii1 irkanla tur bicx jaght; dak iHagh rif.

(2) II-M iniSlru jko llu d-dritt jispeujona I-kotba tal-konlijiet,

inkarlamenti u dokumenti ohra kollha li jinb mmu minn irkantalur

fiI -fond ticghu jcw im kicn iehor .

(1) An auctionee r sha ll notify in wri ling ,he DiTeclo r of

Muse ums of any anliquc, and Ihe Librarian of any printed work. map.

prin,. manuscript o r O1he r documc nI of bibliographic o r historical

Importance. due to be auctioned alleaSI seven days before the fi rst datc

fixed for Ihe viewing of IoIS due to be sold at the auClion.

(2) The a ucti onee r shall . together with The nOlificaTion in

wriling referred 10 in paragraph ( I) of thi s regulaTion, furnish the

Director o f Muse ums and, or. The Librarian with TWO copics cach of lhe

cat al ogue of 10ls to be sold al Ihal auclion .

(3) TIle Dircclor of Museums and. or. the Librarian may.

not later than IWO working da)'5 before thc commencemenl of the

auction. give an auctioneer directions regarding the sale of an antique

due to be auctio ncd. and ,he a uctionee r shall abide by such di reClions.

There sh~1t be paid 10 the Di recto r of T rade, in respect of the

issue or renewal of a licence under scct ion 4 of the Act, a fee of o nc

hondred MalTese lin (LmlOO) per annum or part thereof.

The commissions to be charged by an auctioneer in respect of

a 101 sold al an auction shall 00' cxceed. in respect of -

(a)

the 5Clter. 10 per ccnt . and

(b) the buyer. 5 pe r cenl.

of the price at wh k h a lot is knocked down .

IS. (1 ) An auctioneer may, in respect of an unsold lot the

reserved price o f wh ich was nOI reached at an auction, charge Ihe selle r

3 fee wh ic h sh all not exceed the selle r's commission o n Ihe rese rved

pri ce o f the lot.

(2) An auctioneer may requ ire a se ller to oollect an unsold

lot aher the lapse of seven days from the service of a wrin en notice to

thpt effeet.

(3) In Ihe e vent Ihat th e se ller does not collect the unsold lot

within a peri od of o nc month from such nOlice, an aucti onee r shall be

entit led to auction the lot without reference \0 th e reserved price. if any,

and shall pay 10 the selle r the proceeds de rived from such sale after

deducti ng the commissions and charges due 10 him.

(4) In the e vent that the selle r does not collect an unsold

101 aft er a writll'n notice given to him by the auctioneer to that effect,

the auctioneer shall also be en titled to charge the seller a storage fee

wi lh effect from a day occu rring fift ee n days afte r the date of service

o f the notice, and such storage fee shall not e~ceed fi ve per cent of

the seller's commission in respect o f every storage period o f one month

or pan thereof.

If a lot is relrieved by ,he se ll er afTe r its inclusion in an

aUCl ion l'atalogue ~ nd before iTS vie wing by the public. th e auction ee r

shall be entilled to cha rge the selle r a fee which. in case a reserved price

had been rued . sha ll not exceed one·half of the selle r's oommission .

An a uctionee r shall . within one month from the last day of an

auction. pay 10 Ihe se ller o f a 101 the proceeds derived from the sale

the reof after deducting the fees and commissio ns d ue to him .

(I) In o rder to qu ali fy for the grant of a licence 10 act as an

auctionee r a person must -

(a)

be a Mahese ci tizen

be no l less than 18 yea rs o ld: and

(b)

(e) be o f good moral character and nOI have been convicted

of a crim inal act relat ing to fraud o r misappropriation of money o r

other articles.

(2) A person qual ifi ed in terms of paragraph (1) of tl1i$

regulation mUSI also satisfy a Boa rd of Examine rs se t up from time 10

time by the Ministe r in order to asscu-

(a) his ability to eyalua te works of an and an tiques wit h

special refe rence to the national paTrimo ny ;

(b)

hi s knowledge of

(i) auclioneeriog It~slation and procedure;

(ii) laws and regu latIons relating to antiques; and

(iii) gene ral commercial pnKtia

Provided thallhis paragraph shall not apply IQ auctioneers in

possession of a relevant. valid and official licence before tbe 1st J une ,

1991, and to persons who have c)(crcised the business of auctioneering

contin ually and eJ:clusively during a period of five years immediate ly

preceding the 1s1 June. 1991.

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