Q:I need some advice. I paid $140 at an estate sale for a figure that was identified as a "jade sculpture." When I took it to a gallery for an appraisal, I was told it was soapstone, not jade, and that it was worth $40. I contacted the estate sale company and the owner more or less said "tough luck." Is it really? Or is the estate sale company responsible?

A:Look at it this way. If you had paid $40 for a figure marked "soapstone," then found out it was jade, would you give $100 back to the estate sale company? Lawsuits have been filed in both types of situations, but your legal costs would amount to more than $100. An established auction house would have had an expert look at your figure before it was offered for sale, but an estate sale company might claim that the family whose sale it handled made the error. A legitimate auction house would probably return your money. But with an estate or house sale, you face a case of "buyer beware" (in other words, "tough luck"). The only thing that might have helped was asking for a receipt that included a written guarantee. Then the estate sale company might have been willing to return your money. You have learned a difficult lesson, but take some heart. Soapstone figures are popular with collectors-someone might pay more than $40 for your sculpture if you decide to sell it.