(a) Each jeweler, watchmaker, silversmith or television and radio service dealer who alters, repairs or does any work on any article of personal property at the request of the owner or legal possessor of the property has a lien upon and may retain the possession of the article until the charges for the alteration, repairing or work have been paid.

(b) If the debt remains unpaid for more than six months, any such jeweler, watchmaker, silversmith or television and radio service dealer may sell the article at public or private sale, and the proceeds, after first paying the expense of such sale, shall be applied in payment of the debt, the balance, if any, to be paid, in trust for the debtor, within ten days to the State Treasurer. No such sale shall be held until after thirty days' notice to the owner or legal possessor has been given by registered or certified mail at his last-known address, stating the time and place of sale. If the owner's or possessor's address is unknown, or if such registered or certified mail notice is returned, further notice shall be given by advertising the time and place of the sale in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the locality where the sale is to take place at least thirty days in advance of the sale. No such article the value of which is more than one hundred dollars, may be sold as hereinbefore provided, unless the charges against the same equal at least one-third the value of the article.

(1949 Rev., S. 7239; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 106; P.A. 79-282; 79-602, S. 120; P.A. 83-220, S. 2; P.A. 85-154.)

History: 1961 act required payment of proceeds remaining after payment of debt to state treasurer rather than to treasurer of county where sale held, county government having been abolished; P.A. 79-282 prohibited sale of articles valued at more than $100 rather than $25 unless charges equal one-third of their value; P.A. 79-602 divided section into Subsecs. and rephrased provisions, deleting requirement that notice of sale be posted on nearest public signpost; P.A. 83-220 granted a television and radio service dealer a lien on property he alters, repairs or works on and authorized such a dealer to sell such property under certain circumstances; P.A. 85-154 reduced the period of the lien in Subsec. (b) from 12 months to 6 months.