It looks set to be a very successful auction - when it finally takes place.

A last minute decision by auctioneer Zahra Jabbar to postpone yesterday's auction of fine jewellery, rugs, lithographs and paintings left more than 100 people disappointed.

Ms Jabbar said she postponed the event after being informally informed on the day by an Immigration Department staffer who came to the auction that a salesman's permit was required for one of her business associates, Anwar Khan - even though Ms Jabbar said he was on the Island on holiday and not for business purposes.

"That's Bermuda law and I'm not going to go against it. That law is there to protect us and I'm Bermudian," she told The Royal Gazette.

"This is something I have to check because I am the sole person doing the business in Bermuda.

"Unfortunately, due to my association with Mr. Khan and because he was present in Bermuda during the auction, they said a permit was required."

Mr. Khan, who flew off the Island yesterday afternoon, represents Trans Cargo Atlantic which he described last week as a Florida-based international auction company.

Dozens of people showed up early for a 1 p.m. preview of the items on auction, filing through five at a time, for what would have been Ms Jabbar's first ever auction.

Ms Jabbar, 26, who declared herself "amazed" at the turnout, said: "I feel as though what I'm doing could be a good example to other young Bermudians to become entrepreneurs - that you can do things on your own and generate some income. It could be very successful."

She also denied Saturday's report in this newspaper that she no longer wanted to be associated with the auction.

And she denied saying that she felt "taken advantage of" by her associates, Trans Cargo Atlantic: "It's not the case that I have been taken advantage of. Everything I've done has been legit. I have all my papers, duty's been paid and it's fine."

The Royal Gazette stands by Saturday's story.

Ms Jabbar said she was a licensed auctioneer and had been fully trained by an experienced auctioneer. "Trust me that doesn't happen overnight."

But Ms Jabbar said: "I'll remember this forever - the turnout was great. So I'm definitely looking forward to the future and we will do this again. And it will be fine."

Ms Jabbar acknowledged a mistake was made in not clarifying in the advertising that a number of items by artists like Picasso were in fact lithographs and not original paintings.

Most of the items on display had certificates of authenticity attached, except the jewellery.

Ms Jabbar said the certificates for the jewellery will be given to purchasers of those items the morning after the auction when they are picked up.

Yesterday The Royal Gazette ascertained that a Virginia (not Florida) based company with the name Trans Cargo Atlantic has a "satisfactory record" with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of America, but is not a member of the watchdog organisation.

The BBB lists its business classification as "art galleries, dealers and consultants".

The Better Business Bureau reported processing one complaint against the company in its three-year reporting period. The complaint, says the watchdog, was satisfactorily resolved.

All the items, except the jewellery, had been on the Island since Mr. Khan last sold rugs and art in Bermuda, Ms Jabbar said.

She said she decided to get an auctioneer's license because she was serious about pursuing it as a career. Mr. Khan gave her an opportunity after she had been introduced to him and she had expressed an interest.

"I'm a good person and I do want to pursue a career as an auctioneer... Yes there were one or two glitches we didn't cover... the next time I'll make sure we cover all our bases. Other than that everything is legal and everything is legit. There is nothing controversial about it."