Auction - Reperforated Listings?

I've been looking at Rasdale Auctions for the past year or so and see that all their Columbian and Trans-Mississippi lots that do not have expertization certificates are listed as "reperforated". Most of these look OK to my amateur eye ... I was wondering if this is more or less a way to lessen the likelihood of returns. I would like to bid on some of these but am afraid that if I sent it in for certification (which I would if I spent more than $200 on something)and it comes back reperfed I am stuck with it. I just wonder if it is Rasdale's policy to handle all 19th century US without certificates this way. Maybe a bargain here somewhere (but with the "sold as is" risk)?

If they mention a fault in the description, then you can't return anything to the auction house. When they cert it and find a fault that has not been described, then you have a basis for a return.

Unless you can actually examine them, and unless you have some real idea of what you are looking at, this is an area best left alone. The only sure way to know on these issues (unless it is a really bad reperf job) is to look for pressure ridges, and that can only be done in person.

maybe they are the ones reperforating them

I doubt it. Reperforating stamps has been going on for over 100 years; there is no reason for them to bother. It's just a CYA type of thing.

I have seen some "insane" comments here....
But I think this TOPS THE LIST!

Maybe e-mail Rasdale and ask how they arrive at that re-perf decision.

I'm sure they ill just say it is their opinion as experts.

I plan to call them and ask about it. My point in posting was really to see if anyone had a personal experience with buying these "non-certified reperfed" stamps from Rasdale, sending them in to PF or APS, and have it come back genuine. I think listing all non-certified as reperfed is to eliminate the possibility of a return. Most auction houses I have dealt with would not identify anything as re-perfed (unless it was obvious visually) and simply rely on the typical system of buyer sends it in for experization. If it comes back reperfed, the auction simply refunds the money. My past dealings with Rasdale on their collections/lots has been positive - I think they are a good company.

Usual cover for an auction house would be "unchecked", " not guaranteed" or "on its merits". A blanket "reperforated" simply to avoid returns seems bizarre, indeed, self-throat-cutting.

Many classic stamps that are identified as reperforated will sell for much less than a non-reperforated example. There are exceptions, of course, but to designate almost every classic stamp, lacking a certificate, as reperforated just as a defense against post-sale returns seems to sacrifice a lot of revenue in the name of avoiding returns - it seems like a costly way to deal with the problem of returns unless they have had chronic problems with returns that actually were on the basis of undisclosed reperforation. In any case, I would be very interested in knowing their answer to your inquiry.