Comment by sandworm101

>> it would have been the auction house's job to verify this was not stolen.

The auction house is a facilitator of a transaction between the parties. Unless they purchase the object from the seller first, they are not even a middle man. They are akin to ebay, a platform rather than a dealership. I'd bet that somewhere in the fine print is even a statement that any appraisals remain the opinion of the individual appraiser and are not the responsibility of the auction house.