Devaluation of sefer Torah written by 2 sofrim
I've consulted with a renown rosh kollel Choshen Mishpat and dayan. He said that the fact that a sefer Torah is written by 2 sofrim affects it's value. I have a situation in which a sefer was commissioned from scratch through me to be written by a particular sofer. It's a basic mehudar ksav, retail price is 123000nis. He went ahead and had another sofer write the last 16 yerios. The ksav is halachically similar (basic mehudar) and is somewhat similar looking.
I'm leaving out lots of details but the bottom line is that a 2nd sofer finishing the sefer came as a surprise to me and I will be informing the buyer at the same time I suggest a price deduction. On the one hand the buyer may just want to "cut and run" and will accept a fair offer, as the sefer has taken a year longer than intended due to health and personal circumstances out of the sofer's control and if he has to (re)write the last 16 yerios himself we'd be looking at another 4+ months. On the other hand, as per the dayan, the buyer has the option to not accept the 16 yerios and demand that the original sofer write them. In which case, the sofer may suffer a considerable loss unless he can sell back the yerios to the 2nd sofer and I'd like to prevent this, while being fair to the buyer.
I'm seeking advice as to what is a a fair offer. Based on discussion with a few people I'm considering suggesting a 5000nis deduction. As part of my offer to the buyer, I'd like to be able to tell him that it's based on consultation with a number of colleagues so I'd like to hear the opinion of forum members with experience selling sifrei Torah.
I'm leaving out lots of details but the bottom line is that a 2nd sofer finishing the sefer came as a surprise to me and I will be informing the buyer at the same time I suggest a price deduction. On the one hand the buyer may just want to "cut and run" and will accept a fair offer, as the sefer has taken a year longer than intended due to health and personal circumstances out of the sofer's control and if he has to (re)write the last 16 yerios himself we'd be looking at another 4+ months. On the other hand, as per the dayan, the buyer has the option to not accept the 16 yerios and demand that the original sofer write them. In which case, the sofer may suffer a considerable loss unless he can sell back the yerios to the 2nd sofer and I'd like to prevent this, while being fair to the buyer.
I'm seeking advice as to what is a a fair offer. Based on discussion with a few people I'm considering suggesting a 5000nis deduction. As part of my offer to the buyer, I'd like to be able to tell him that it's based on consultation with a number of colleagues so I'd like to hear the opinion of forum members with experience selling sifrei Torah.
I would say a 10 percent discount is in order.
ReplyDeleteHowever personally I would tell the buyer to wait until the original sofer completes the whole thing. A sefer Torah will be used and appreciated for generations, why ruin it for another 4 month delay.
With regards to to the section written by the second sofer, if he doesn't want to take it back, tell him to give you a good price for a full sefer and hopefully you will find a buyer quickly!
(skipping the first line) Well said and good suggestion.
Deletesee also
שיחות קודש א' דר"ח אייר ה'תשמ"א, אות לב-לה
page 424-426
Thanks. Now that the sefer is done, if the buyer wants the original sofer to finish the Torah, I'd tell him to proceed with the hachnasa, which he wanted to do already, and the original sofer can replace Devarim in 5-6 months. I have no interest in investing in a sefer with the 16 yerios from the 2nd sefer. While I feel bad for the original sofer, this is all on him. He's either going to take a considerable hit with a deduction or will have to work out what to do with the 16 yerios with the 2nd sofer.
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