At first I was not quite sure as to soundness of Christopher J. Ailsby�s suggestion. Then the more that I thought of it - the more I began to change my mind. I can understand having an attachment to certain artifacts. A very good friend of mine is an advanced collector in several areas. On more than one occasion, with especially treasured items, he has stated that he will only let go of the item when he passes away. He may have been joking - but in the years I have known him he has never shown any inclination to sell or trade those items. I very seriously doubt, however, that knowing that an item had a cloud of doubt over it would help his enjoyment of the piece.
A win-win situation I think for Rob as the purchaser would be establishing that an item was genuine. And if there was doubt - the return of his investment would allow him to acquire other items instead, as he wished. To give him the peace of mind that he was making the right decision - no matter which way it turns out. There would be an independent appraisal of the items by those with no connection to them. And by allowing anyone, including the seller, to contribute would assure an even handed outcome.
Likewise for Craig. An independent full appraisal would allow him the opportunity to contribute the full extent of his expertise. And if he is proven right it would only add to his reputation. And if the items are proven to not be period, or there is still doubt for some reason. He has the opportunity to make it right and continue to earn the trust of those that he deals with, and has dealt with in the past.
While this is only my humble opinion. I think that such a proposal is a fairly elegant way to resolve the matters at hand. Most Respectfully, FP
