Thank you for taking the time to share this, and we're sorry the auction was frustrating and confusing. What you experienced is actually a standard part of how reserve auctions work, so we'd like to explain.
Many of our lots carry a reserve: a confidential minimum price agreed in advance with the item's consignor. If bidding doesn't reach that reserve, we're contractually prohibited from selling the item, and it goes unsold, or "passes." Because your maximum bid was below the reserve, the album didn't sell, which is why you saw yourself outbid near the close.
Unsold lots are routinely re-offered in a later sale. That's why the same album, with the same crease, reappeared two months later. It was never sold during your auction, and nothing about it was misrepresented.
We take accusations like this seriously. We've built our reputation over 50 years, and this review misrepresents a standard business practice as something improper. We understand how it could be misread that way, and we're sorry for the confusion and frustration it caused. Next time, please reach out to us directly and I'll gladly walk you through exactly what happened.