Clars Auctions

Today I had the pleasure of visiting the gallery and picking up an impressive podium in the shape of an eagle. It was a truly unique piece, and the pickup process was smooth and well organized. Clars Auction Gallery is an outstanding place with a truly professional and welcoming team. From the moment you walk in, you can feel their deep knowledge of art, antiques, and fine furniture. The staff is attentive, courteous, and always ready to help, making the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. The gallery itself is beautifully organized, well-curated, and impressive in scale. Every item is handled with care and respect, which really shows their high standards and attention to detail. Communication was clear and professional, and the process from viewing to pickup was seamless. I highly recommend Clars Auction Gallery to anyone looking for a trustworthy, knowledgeable, and first-class auction house in the Bay Area. A great experience overall!

In 55 years of trading, including working for one of the largest auction houses I never encountered anything like this. I bought a lot online and paid promptly hoping that the recommended shippers would be professional. I emailed a number of them and nobody responded…not one. I emailed my concerns to Clars but nobody was willing to help or god fore bid put the two boxes in carton and put it in the post of course at my expenses.I then suggested to relist as I am willing to take a loss… The response I got was that my articles were taken to cover storage costs…when I called to query the phone was hung up on me as the conversation became heated..Looking at the multiple bad reviews I just read I am deeply sorry ever to get involved… Proof me wrong please and show me a professional solution…?

I am very disappointed in this auction house. I participated in their February 19 2022 auction. Many of the ethnographic lots in the auction were presented in only one photograph of a heaping pile of items lying down and mixed up. I requested to see the photographs of the lots separated. I was then sent photographs of mixed lots with many of the good items still not shown. Some of the lots even went as far as having a pieces of paper covering the items beneath. I purchased one lot of items of which I could see most of the items and had no papers covering the items. Later to find out the lots I had requested to see a photo of had many items of interest. But for whatever reason, I was not shown the items when I had requested a photograph. later I see the items resurface on eBay selling for thousands of dollars. I am disappointed from a buyers perspective of this auction house, but would be very disappointed as a customer to this auction house. If they were my items that have been consigned and presented like that. It’s no wonder why the lot would sell for $100 and then be resold for thousands when the items are actually able to be seen. Not sure of the motive behind the presentation of this auction house, but question the integrity of the company.

Very commercialized business model. They do not list flaws and broken parts to get more bids. It’s growing to be quite big business so the staff is all about the profit and not about the customers, in my opinion. Definitely need to visit and inspect the items carefully so you’re not surprised!

My comments are purely from a local standpoint. I have not dealt with shipping regarding my purchases. I have purchased a few items from this auction house. I did have one issue wherein two items were missing from a lot that I had purchased. Although, I later received a call that the items had been found, the way items are handed over to purchasers needs to be more organized. I was told an itemized list can be received before the auction begins. It is important that when purchasing items you treat this as any other business transaction. Itemized lists should be asked for when considering a purchase, condition should be checked, and inquiries should be made as to the operating procedures of the auction house. I believe this auction house is a reputable business that needs to work on its operating procedures.

This is a great auction house with gorgeous pieces. It was my first time bidding and got 2 beautiful rings. The staff are helpful, especially Georgia who was so lovely. You can bid both in person or on the app which is very convenient. I highly recommend coming here to find your next treasure piece :)

Attempted to register for an auction online. Despite responding to my message very quickly, the service was terrible. I would have easily paid 10x the est. price for one particular lot, and I was crushed to have missed it. Terrible service not to approve people in a convenient and timely manner.

I bought two pieces of art (>$60,000) from Clars which were examined by experts for the two artists; the experts deemed the works to be FAKES. Clars has not responded to my queries about getting reimbursed for the purchases that were fraudulently represented at the time of sale. Bottom line: Clars sells fakes and does not stand behind their representations of art sold at their auctions. Despicable and disgusting.

Since I discovered Clar's, I've purchased something every month! The online bidding system works great for me. They have a lot of unique items... like this Santa and reindeer I'm not planning on buying that, but it's fun to come in person to check out all the items.

Horrible, horrible service. I submitted two large carved Asian art pieces that my parents purchased in Hong Kong in 1972. Harry Huang appraised both pieces for $1000 to $1500 each and gave me the impression that there was great demand for the pieces. One sold for $650 and the other for $100. After their commissions, 29% and 49% I barely have anything to show for my troubles. Communication is very poor. Will never use them again.

Amazing customer service! After a bit of a glitch that led to hard feelings on my end, Clars was quick to solve my problem. Deric was a champ, and went above and beyond to make everything work out. I couldn't be happier.

I like Clars. Could improve but I really appreciate having this resource nearby and it's fun to checkout every month or so. I've bought and sold items here. I feel like they're on par with Michaans. Both have been in the area for as long as I can remember. I've had no issues bidding online.

I bought two pieces of art (cost: more than $60,000) from Clars; the sale's catalog text for both pieces indicated they were genuine and authentic. In 2023, I consigned them to Heritage Auction, which conducted a due diligence to ensure their authenticity. To do this, Heritage enlisted experts in the two artists; the experts determined the two works to be FAKES!. I approached Clars (Jan2024) to receive a refund, since the works were fraudulently represented. They have not responded to my numerous inquiries. To add insult to injury, the 'Conditions of Sale' (see clars.com) states that Clars does not guarantee works they sell to be authentic. While I understand that some fakes may slip through, despite an effective due diligence effort, I would expect reimbursement for pieces that are misrepresented, either by inadequate or absent due diligence. BEWARE: CLARS SELLS FAKES!

They are only interested if you are a buyer - if you are looking for someone to help you decide what you have is of any value - don't bother - it's a waste of time.

Not sure I would ever go back, in person to Clars Auction Gallery. It's a mess inside, musty smelling, disorganized and most scary of all is the lack of care in how they protect client's auction items. I couldn't believe that rugs that were up for auction were on the floor being walked on by anyone that come in off the street (and it was raining btw). I'd be super mad if that were my item that Clars was selling on my behalf, or the winning bidder that receives a dirty rug. Same goes for chairs and tables. During the live auction I attended, I watched as bidders came and went, sitting on any chair they had on display to watch the auction (while drinking beverages!). I can't believe they would allow this. It's just a very unpleasant place to spend any time at.

Great after bid service making it easy to pick up my win. Though I'll most likely arrange for delivery next time.

I would give them a negative number if I could. I registered to bid with this auction company a week before the event. My biding status was "pending. I even communicated with them asking questions about the item. Not once did they mention that registering with LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable was pointless and only registering with Clar would get me final approval to bid. Why they even list on auction websites is a mystery - they just ignore you.

easily the best auction house in the bay area. Laid back atmosphere, very help owner and workers willing to help. You can bid in person which Id recommend or at least preview things you plan on purchasing because the photography team could make even a giant cold aircraft hanger look good in a photograph that would lead to you accidentally buying something no one really wants.

We had the pleasure of meeting with Deric Torres and Yao Jiang they were so knowledgable, so helpful and we learned a lot regarding what is valuable these days. A "Great" doesn't do them justice...they deserve way beyond excellent. A++++++++ Julie Barbetti 707-676-5220 Happy to provide any questions you might have

My review is 100***+++. I worked with Clars from October thru April. This auction gallery is Superb in every way! They delt with all the artifacts from my families historical restaurant Spenger's Fish Grotto. Items had been there since 1890. Along with myself, Deric and their strong warehouse men they emptied out the whole restaurant taking each item one by one with tender loving care and placing each item in their trucks as if they were their own family items. They inventoried every item one by one. They researched every item for their history and value. They prepared me in person on how the auction actually works. The staff was very professional and helped me understand minute by minute what was going to happen. They gave me all the pre-sale lists in advance. They displayed at every auction all of the items with love and care. Deric Torres was in constant contact with me thruout the 5 month timeline of our 5 auctions. Deric was thorough in person, e-mails and telephone. Their staff was so kind and helpful thruout it all. (This was a very emotional time for me) They displayed every item with care. I was amazed when I saw all the items cleaned up and displayed and hanging all over their very organized gallery. Their auctions were very organized and well run. All their staff rotates and shares postions there. The auctioneers are very informative and clear. They handled TV and newspaper press and tons of phone calls from potentional buyers and people with just stories about the history of Spenger's Fish Grotto. They definitely went over and above what their normal work called for. I cant say enough wonderful things about this Auction Gallery. I HIGHLY recommend if you have items that are near and dear to your heart that you trust them with Redge, Deric and the staff of Clar's Auction Gallery. Respectfully, Alicia Spenger

My cousin, Carleton, just purchased a stunning cabinet from the last auction and I was in the home the entire time due to covid now. I watched how excited he got from first calling to paying today , Monday. I was talking to him and he had only wonderful things to say about the people at the auction and how they provide exemplary service. He was rather horrified and upset with the audacity people showed by posting inexplicable comments regarding shipping when auctions as a RULE do not do this at all. Comments regarding items having damage when at auction the items range in age and use from a multitude of consignors so to expect anyone to disclose everything wrong it just preposterous. I can personally vouch for the good nature and kindness that the staff portray having called myself when my cousin was busy. So Cheers to all at Clars Auction! People are 20 times more likely to spread bad news or leave negative comments then they are to explain what a wonderful time they had. Modern human behavior. What this means is that a 100 buyers at the auction could have an amazing experience yet only "5" that is FIVE people will take the time to write a positive account. YET the out of the 5 that feel things were not going right in the Universe they are King or Queen 4 to 5 will take the time to post a negative comments. Not to mention the ME TOO age where people see negative happenings and just want to JUMP ON THE WAGON and post a negative just to be part of the crowd. So the reviews do not accurately explain the Auction house if for any reason the grievances are complete rubbish without merit. logic or foundation in reality. Henceforth, be honest and empathetic POST A GREAT REVIEW don't fall into the age of hate. It is my recommendation anyone should feel enamored and delighted to buy whatever you wish from this fine establishment. Cheers and be kind my friends, it shows good character!

Very helpful and knowledgeable staff! We contacted Clar's to help deal with an estate full of antiques and unique art pieces. They are responsive when called or emailed and they are ready to answer any questions or address your concerns. Very nice auction house!

I am in the process of selling my third piece of art at Clars at over $10,000 each. In each transaction to date, I have been completely satisfied if not delighted with the methods they use to publicize my pieces and obtain the best possible price for them. Great communication at all stages of the sale. I will continue to work with them at any opportunity and to some day being on the buying end of the deal. Thanks in particular to Rick!

Deric the furniture manager...super helpful and amazing person in every way!!!! Just off the phone winning my first item with Deric!! Item shown below. I feel it is a privilege to buy from Clars not the other way around. A privilege that I respect and cherish. The experience I had setting up the clars.com live bidding and the phone bidding with the ***super helpful staff***was a simple process and very fast. Everyone I talked to was polite, friendly and treated me like family. I asked many questions about the piece and Deric was very involved and asked me to call him if I ever have any questions.....So, not at all what people are posting. I was polite and friendly and got the same in return. If you are demanding people will have their backs up so treat people nicely and you will get the same. The selection is amazing as is the quality of the items offered to auction and has something for everyone with wonderful quality pictures that really show the detail. (The piece I bought is the finest I have seen on any Continent). Far better pictures then most auction houses. Just wish I could buy it all!! The estimates are also very accurate..no one has a crystal Ball to tell what others are willing to pay but they are as close as one can be, I find, in my vast auction experiences. Must say I love the clars.com auction platform....no glitches you get with the other 2 big ones live and inval.. It is clean platform and easy to use you can see 10 lots ahead and it is always functional. It is the only platform I like thus far and find the good auction houses are starting to use it and I recommend it highly. I buy from auctions around the world and I have never had, as a new buyer, such a fun, pleasant and exciting time with all the staff so eager to help me as I had with this auction!!!! *******bravo to clars auction*** I did read the reviews.....very disappointed in people who gave them. Following reasons.... 1) They ( Clars) are not shippers so don't get upset they don't ship what you buy. It is like getting up set that a Blue Jay Bird is not Red just because you think it should be Red...The same logic or I should say lack of logic!! People are expressing a very bad sense of entitlement where they feel the auction should just do whatever they dream up from packing to arranging the shipping with the shippers. 5 minutes on the phone and I had all the information I needed from the shippers..very efficient..plus I got off my butt and dialed a few numbers...boy that was hard;). 2) The people at both world air & ocean services,inc and pack ship are extremely helpful,very knowledgeable and the quotes were excellent and got the quote same day!!! 3) Shipping via post, DHL, FedEx and so on costs money as does the packing..This is not ebay where Grandma is packing it poorly and shipping it on the cheap to you...so things cost money to ship....so yes buy a $40 dollar item no one can ship it for $40. You will pay *a very fair price*, this is what the shippers charge**...the costs are much lower at the shippers mentioned than most other places in USA , Canada, or Europe so be happy. 4) These are antiques so after 100 to 300 years there will be issues and no auction can possibly give/describe every damaged area. No one can, plus it is up to interpretation; what is a negative quality or what is essentially character or patina depends on who is looking at it. To expect an Antique to be like something that came out of a box is unreasonable. 5) Keep in mind most negative words/reviews of others are just self projection and think what these people themselves were like to deal with from the auctions point of view. Negative Negative comes from a Negative place..so projecting your qualities outward is what you are essentially reading. People describing themselves, is projection. Plus a sheep mentality happens when people see a negative review and think they had one also ...I noticed the 3 star reviews where the people never said anything bad happened at all!!!--so what does that say....sheep.herd mentality....very sad when this happens and there is no excuse for that. I went through all the reviews before buying and it did not color my experience or taint my review..that's because I think for myself and so should you!! I believe people will treat you well if you treat them as you would like to be treated...sure people have a bad day but honestly ....no way the reviews people are leaving are in anyway accurate...it is the ignorance of the one's leaving the reviews thinking incorrectly...1)they are not shippers and 2) they are busy and very accommodating...especially if you are!! 3) antiques should not be flawless and if they are most likely not an Antique. Patina and wear make the piece unique. I highly recommend Clars for those who want to own the finest Antiques, Arms and Armour Available at Amazing prices..I feel lucky to buy here and will come back as much as my wallet can afford!!

This review is aimed exclusively at their online auction with their corresponding auction app. It's a dismal failure. I rely upon auctions for my income, and finding the right lot takes a considerable amount of effort, and a significant amount of time. In this instance, and after much searching, I found a Napoleon III bureau plat that would be pivotal to my income stream. I registered for the auction, and was swiftly approved. I also downloaded the necessary bidding app that would grant me access to the auction. On the day of the auction, and as is normal, much waiting ensued, as my lot was placed at the 2/3 mark on the catalogue. When the lot appeared for bids, there was only two contenders, and I placed the highest bid, which was confirmed by the auction. I noted that the access given for bids on my lot was just a tiny fraction of that given to all the preceding lots, for some unknown reason. Imagine my horror when the lot went to the person who bid well below me, practically getting the lot for nothing. That was a month wasted in preparation for the auction, and almost a day wasted as I waited for my lot to appear on the day of the auction. As well, the shippers Clars recommends gave shipping quotes on the bureau that were utterly crippling. The quotes were twice, to four times as much to ship a bureau to Canada from California as I paid to ship a similar bureau from Denmark to Canada. Once bitten...

I buy to sell and have purchased a lovely and interesting variety from Clars over the years and they have been all been good purchases. They consign a crazy amount of luxury bags and i finally decided to acquire one recently. Once I got the handbag home, I began to have doubts about its authenticity. It's not a good feeling. I decided to immediately return the bag pointing out the questionable characteristics and after multiple people conferring, they accepted the return. I'm grateful that they made things right without me having to jump through hoops. I would have. So the point of my review is to do your homework on making sure it's authentic and not to trust that anyone has done this due diligence. The fakes are so good and there are so many in the marketplace. I personally would never purchase a bag without inspecting it in person and making sure it hit all the criteria.

I have been an avid buyer from Clars for over a decade, have found great pieces. I am a veteran online auction buyer with my personal list of galleries I choose to buy from online. Recently, I had a problem with a Clars lot I bought, and Deric Torres worked well with me to resolve the matter amicably, fairly and professionally. I was deeply impressed with his demeanor, knowledge, service and skill. The current climate of harsh and adversarial speech in the US as the way to resolve disputes or problems is so excessive, and destructive of relationships. I am deeply impressed by Deric and Clars and their ability to resolve a problem and maintain a constructive long-term client relationship. Looking forward to future bidding .....!

Good Staff, good collection of goods, prices are good, but only if you bid in person. DO NOT USE the online bidding site. It's too slow and cumbersome. I lost 4 of 4 auctions because the system couldn't register my bid before the auction closed. Don't waste your time.

I had a good experience at Clars. I needed an appraisal so I showed up at 9:00a last Thursday. That was the time for appraisals listed on the website. A lady helped me and I got my appraisal. I will go back. There was no charge.

Rick over at the Clars Auction Gallery bate and switched me also. I had a piece of art work that had an appraisal for 22,000. He tells me to put the reserve at 10k, then 7.... without my knowledge he dropped it to 3 to move the piece.... I specifically told them I did not want to sell it for less then 7,000... I did not need to sell it and it was my grandfathers and was worth a lot more to me then cash... ... I WARN ALL TO STAY AWAY! These folks are crooks.. I am sure it was purchased by a friend of Clars... easy someone who made a quick 17,000 for my stupidity in trusting these folks.

Clars Auction is always a highlight The items are great and the staff is knowledgeable. Highly recommend checking out live.Clars.com

I'm surprised at the negative reviews. I've gone to the auction house for decades. You can find items in many price ranges and can sometimes get a great deal on a piece of art or furniture. I've found the staff to be friendly and helpful. During COVID, you can call ahead to make an appointment and pick up your items.

My experience was not good. I had items that were appraised at pretty high value. Then when it was time to sell, these things were sold by them on EBay at well below what I was told they were worth. They still got their Auction fee, so I got even less. It's a Seller Beware situation. If I had checked the net first, I would have know I was being high balled/low balled. There are better auction houses out there. Michaels on Alameds Island, for example. But now I know to snoop around.

Clars Auction House has drastically gone down in both quality and service. Ever since the company was sold--prices have gone up and service has gone down. Their new consignment management Nick Fisker is rude, abrasive and self serving. When I questioned being forced to purchase broken merchandise Nick and 3 other staff member rushed to the counter in support in support of the company. When I held my position, l was very "unprofessionally" told not to come back. I thanked them; for they need not worry. Much like over 50% of their former clients; I had already decided to never shop there again.

Interesting mix of reviews here. Seems the nature of the auctioneering business lends itself to unhappy customers, often due to unrealistic expectations. Clars can't guarantee that that 50 year old bottle of wine you just bid on is drinkable, folks. Or that there will be a bidding war for your grandmother's "priceless" antiques. Oh, and reading the contracts you sign when there's large amounts of money involved is often a wise idea. I've been an occasional bidder at Clars for 20 years, taking home about $1,000 worth of stuff at their auction last weekend. I've always found them to be friendly and professional. Should you inspect each item *in person* with the flashlight app on your phone before bidding? Absolutely. Should you take their bid ranges with a grain of salt, and do your own research? Yup. But this is Auction 101 stuff. How *honest* is Clars? There's plenty of room for shenanigans in this line of work. For example, I left them a maximum absentee bid for an item, which, sure enough, I won - for the maximum bid they knew in advance. And when I held up my bid card for another item, the auctioneer accepted my bid, instantly accepted a competing bid, then, in that same couple of seconds, "accepted" a higher re-bid from me before I could put my bid card down. I have zero evidence of any intentional fraudulent behavior by Clars, and will happily continue to patronize and recommend them, but do be aware buying an antique at auction isn't the same as picking up a bag of dog food at Costco. One customer service nit - it would be nice if they contacted absentee bidders shortly after they won an item. I won an item Saturday, and was informed on Tuesday, and told I had until Thursday to pick it up.

I used to like working with this auction house, despite winning some items that were sold to me as gold and WERE NOT actually gold. (And were pretty obvious to the naked eye, I might add. I just made the best of these not as described pieces and did not even complain) Recently, they have become difficult and had many online issues with not approving bidding and coming up with excuses, despite my being a long time customer. They finally fixed that and now despite my winning something in an auction yesterday and being billed for all the lots...they now say "oh you didn't win this lot, even though we billed you for it." The system closed the lot and told me I'd had the winning bid and now they say I didn't bid up an increment. Exactly how was I supposed to bid again when the lot was closed showing I'd won? It just happens to be the best deal and lowest price of what I'd won and I expect they wanted more so sold it to someone in the room afterwards. And they didn't even bother to tell me which lot I didn't get so I had to go through and compare both invoices to figure it all out....so unprofessional. There are better auction houses out there...at least until these people get their act together.

I was really pleased to have such a personable conversation with Kalikia who helped me through a bit of poor planning on my part being a junior Live Auctioneer purchaser of a huge rug from Clar's. As I wasn't able to work out receiving this rug since living in New York and weight of rug was 250lbs I found myself in a situation where I had to give up having rug as it outweighed the costs I purchased rug for. As it is policy from Live Auctioneers for no refund, Kalikia and others at Clar's Auction Gallery were able to offer consigning the rug for me and in turn potentially offering some return. They didn't have to do this and it was so wonderful to have someone understand my position and work with me. THANK YOU and I will visit your space next trip to California!

Currently looking on my pending approval status and highest bid submitted. Auction fail to recognize registration request submitted few days ago via LiveAuctioneers platform. Of course nobody picking up the phone or responding to follow up messages. Do you want to trust unprofessionals to sell/buy your collectibles? Clars Auction gallery - unprofessional and blindly careless place apparently. Do not recommend. Don waste your time. P. S lot was sold under my max bid! I mean.....it's not an auction house it's trash.

Hi Miriam, You're lying. Clars is only concerned with lining their pockets at the expense of their clients. Refund my money first then come tell me about happiness. Also, Miriam, you don't handle customer accounts. You are the person that deals with online PR. So you're literally paid to write lies like this after reviews. No one at Clars has ever mentioned you or directed me to you. Believe me, I've dealt with all of your colleagues and the owner. You seem to only rear your head in response to online reviews. In fact, my messages are routinely ignored by your colleagues or alter egos (?) unless they are in a public forum like this. Clars refuses to refund, lies through their teeth and treat clients like absolute garbage. That's the truth.

Devastating experience. Like many others, we were lead to believe our antiques were of high quality and value. We were dubious regarding the expertise of the clerk who assisted us. Our grave error: we allowed them auction our things. Two items sold for zip, the third bombed. The seemingly inept woman who 'helped' us - called to inform us. Went to pick up our items (delivered in new, pristine boxes, labeled, organized in perfect oder.) Clars lost our boxes, packing materials and were extremely hostile and rude. I agree with myriad unhappy ex-clients. Extremely unprofessional. Never again. My first one star review.

Ditto to the one and two star reviews. We were given a $100 valuation for a Sapphire and Diamond necklace on a white gold chain. Total rubbish. My cat can provide a more honest and fair valuation. This is exactly what we brought in size, cut and setting wise on a Thursday appraisal: http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-pendant-sapphire_5306

Clars lost our prized piece of our collection while in their care, under very suspicious circumstances. Beware of giving your possessions to this group.

Yes, Covid-19 is here but I don't think there is any excuse for a non-response to an email submitted on April 18th asking for an evaluation. It's July 8. Yes, the email went through. Excuses are given and it is suggested I resubmit? Don't waste your time.

Beautiful sculpture at a great price and reliable expert shipper recommended Staff member Ms. Kalikia was really kind !

Just to finish my post. I received my check from them this past Saturday and it did not include all the money I was told by them that was due to me. They have shown to not be very good with details. Like I said in my prior post. If you just want to sell stuff and don't care, they will do that for you. If you want to get value for your property and want to trust them that they are doing what they say, look elsewhere. They have proven to be very unprofessional.

Beware of Clars. Don't ever use them. Sell your items yourself at a flea market you can probably get 10X more. Read your contract 7X then you may not sign. Its all in their details.....

If there was a minus stars option, Clars would get it. When I retired I consigned the remainder of my inventory of high quality European antiques to Clars for auction. Undestanding that goods sold at auction sell for well under wholesale prices, I didn't expect that they would "lose" many of my items without putting them up for auction or compensating me. How can you "lose" heavy marble items? How can you not take responsibility, step up to the plate and compensate for your mistakes? Other delicate items were damaged in their warehouse. What a messy, disorganized business. The owner is unscrupulous to say the least and it is blatently evident to the public right now because they are actually OPEN for business during the coronavirus pandemic. Does he really think Clars is an essential business, providing food, medical supplies, emergency services?

I have been a client of this Auction firm for more years than I care to count. I have seen ownership change however I have never experienced anything but continuous, courteous service from employees and management alike. Their commitment to excellence is apparent in the way that business is conducted; while their methods are contemporary, I am always reminded of my father's cautionary advice, "If your hand shake isn't worth anything, neither are you!" I am delighted to recommend these fine people who stand behind their work.

Love a great auction house! I've been visiting auction houses across the country for years. As an interior designer that is using Clars for clients, I am very happy with their professionalism.

I don't want to pick ANY stars for this business. I agree with the majority of reviews that had a bad experiences. I left a painting for a 2nd auction after an employee told me it could stay for the next one since it didn't sell at the 1st. I left a message with the appraiser I originally worked with (the VP) the day after the1st auction to verify that i could leave the art and asked him to call and let me know if I needed to do anything else, like new paperwork, etc. I never received a call. It had not been explained to me about the estimates being lowered on following auctions or I would never have left it for a 2nd auction. YES, Julie B. (the person who responds to these comments and tries to make Clar's shine and prove the customer wrong) I realize I should've read the contract to find the one, VERY SMALL sentence that says estimates will be lowered in subsequest sales, but I expected Rick to call me back since I had asked him to in the v-mail I left and I would've expected him to explain everything to me then, but he never did so thought everything was OK. As it turns out, the art sold at the 2nd auction for the lowest acceptable hammer price of $150 which is $100 less than I expected. When I called Rick twice after the 2nd auction with no response, I finally spoke to another employee when I called a third time. She told me what happened and responded sarcastically when I was upset about the low hammer price by saying, "You know, we can't ALL make $10,000 on everything at auction" I asked her to have Rick call me and when he did, he was horrible, saying things like, "I don't have time to call 1000 people back every week" and "I did you a favor by takiing this art in the first place and I should be happy it sold at all" There was even more rudeness, but I won't go into it all. I'd like to mention that when I first met him for the appraisal, he commented several times about how "cool" the mid-century style was and that the people of Berkely really like this stuff and he expected it would do very well. My mom was there and will vouch for that. Now, when I'm upset by is lack of response to my first call after the initial auction, he all of a sudden "did me a favor" by taking it in? Clar's, after what I went through and after all the negative comments I've read saying how rude your employees are, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Clars Auction Gallery is the best one I've ever worked with. Deric was the dear hearted person who helped me with a antique relic I inherited from my dear departed mother. He did a world auction and the piece actually sold! I am so grateful that it did during these very challenging times we all face. Deric was so conscientious about the sale every step of the way. Because of Deric's passionate efforts, I'll be able to pay all the bills I owe, and have enough to weather this storm. I highly recommend this gallery, because they care about the customer, I felt that. Thank you so much Deric!

I have purchased an antique year 1818 oil picture in the original frame on April 13, 2019. The frame was badly damaged while being in the their custody and they don't deny it. The picture was then shipped to me in Illinois. Auction House never called me to let me know about the damage. Now I need to deal with the damaged frame, which is very expensive. I asked for compensation. The Auction House declined to issue any compensation or even discuss it. This is not fair. I'd not pay as much for a picture in a damaged frame. I do not think that anybody can get honest or fair treatment by Clars Auction. They did not even apologies. PS. As you can see the response from the Auction House is totally bogus - they offered $200 credit for my next purchase, but who will make another purchase from such a dishonest Company. They even do not understand that their evaluation of the picture has nothing to do with a final price that is determined by competitive bidding action.

I'm a dealer since the 1980s. Clars clueless about client services, not to be trusted for sellers or buyers. As a buyer, items consistently much worse than described. Much worse as a seller. Art going unsold returned in damaged condition. Never deal with this bunch of clowns again.

BEWARE... COMPLETE THIEVERY !!! Do I have a story for you.. Last year, my family home flooded in lower Hillsborough, as I was the only child of my family estate, I finally decided that it was time to downsize and sell the home, given the disaster that I had just gone through. Little did I know that this was just the beginning of what was the GREATEST DISASTER IN MY LIFE. I was directed to Clars Auction Gallery by my attorney calling a few contacts that recommended them as honest. HONEST THEY ARE EMPHATICALLY NOT.The contents of the estate was VALUED WELL OVER One Million Dollars and what I got in return was slightly over One Hundred Thousand Dollars. The story goes like this... a man dressed like a undertaker named DERIC comes out to the property. He is the main guy that makes you feel like he cares and understands your situation. He will walk around the home telling you that you have beautiful possessions, that will bring you BIG money in return. My family's home was filled with magnificent 17th & 18th Century French and English antiques, Then what happens is that this same gentleman Deric goes around putting stickers on all of the belongings with a price range of thousands of dollars for this and that. Post it's galore!!! The contents of my family's home just happened to be combined with the MELLON /SCAIFE family auction, so I was ASSURED that the belongings would be seen worldwide with many objects falling into a BIDDING WAR So I naively fell for the act and went ahead and SIGNED the paperwork of many pages. The items were then picked up and that is when started to SMELL A RAT !!! These magnificent belongings were just taken away like the Salvation Army would have, if you made a donation. Priceless items were thrown together in empty boxes... BACCARAT , LALIQUE, ROYAL CROWN DERBY to name a few just thrown in boxes without so much as a single piece of wrapping paper. The case pieces were just THROWN in to a moving truck. They were not even blanket wrapped. The trucks were loaded with all my treasures laying stacked on top of each other, IN A HEAP not strapped in like any other mover., and AWAY THEY WENT... Well, Now the RIDE TO HELL BEGINS....!!! All of those little stickers that I mentioned, with all of those thousands of dollars.... You see WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW.... When I signed that paperwork that I mentioned... I signed away ALL OF MY RIGHTS OF OWNERSHIP of the belongings. Now what you thought the piece was worth and what you were told VERBALLY THE PIECE WAS WORTH, WILL DRAMATICALLY CHANGE AND NOT IN YOUR FAVOR. They will tell you "Oh No!!! We could not possibly get that price for this and that.... YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN.... and all of those little post it's have MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED. AS WILL MANY OF YOUR BELONGINGS... What Happened to this and that.... ???? "WHAT" they will say.... "YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN" AND then there is... THE DAMAGE OF THE GOODS.. Magnificent treasures BROKEN TO BITS, HOLES PUNCHED IN CASE GOODS, CROWNS OF ARMOIRES JUST TORN OFF,ANTIQUES SCRATCHED BEYOND REPAIR, LEGS MISSING, MARBLE TOPS BROKEN, SHELVES SLICED IN TWO... The list goes on and on... There is NOTHING YOU CAN DO... !!!!!! So the auction took place and when I started to hear and see that all of these lifetime treasures were GOING FOR CENTS ON THE DOLLAR, I started to try to pull things from the auction BUT IT WAS TOO LATE !!!! I lost a piece from the DE YOUNG MUSEUM Valued at $30,000.00 Auctioned for $5,000.00. THEY WILL NOT LET YOU RAISE THE RESERVES. I CRYED FOR MONTHS... THEY STOLE ALL OF MY FAMILY POSSESSIONS FOR $100,000.00 AND THEY WERE WORTH WELL OVER 1 MILLION. Now CLARS has the DE GUIGNE FAMILY goods AND ON GOES THE STORY AGAIN.... THEY ARE LIARS AND CHEATS. THEY WILL BATE AND SWITCH THE DEAL AND THEY MAKE OUT LIKE MODERN DAY BANDITS.... !!! BEWARE I only wish that I had the WARNING that I have just posted.

I have to agree with everyone who have had negative views and experiences at this auction house. They are extremely rude and unresponsive. My experiences include just this weekend, I traveled a distance to their auction house and had a puppy which was in a zipped up traveling case. The employees there were non caring and militant in their stance about allowing me not to peview two of their most expensive lots being offered. They just did a huge disservice to the consigner of those pieces because my client would have paid a lot more than what these pieces finally sold for. What a shame for them to kill sales due to their canine nazi stance. They don't have any type of mechanism to deal with unruly dog owners like the other auction houses, so, they ban all dogs, even service dogs which is illegal under HIPA law and regulations. They also have a bad reputation regarding shill bids where they would run up bids when you place an absentee bid. This happens when you put in an absentee bid for an item and they have their own employees or an agent run the bids up to your maximum bid, so, you pay the highest price just below what your highest bid amount was going to be. They also make you bid a minimum of $500.00 for an item if you want to bid on the phone. This is for all items that don't have an estimate of at least $500.00. Even though you are willing to bid more than that in the long run. You don't have an opportunity to get the item at a fair and equal price. My recommendations are that you go to their dog friendly competitors such as Bonhams, Michaans Auctions, or the San Rafael auction galleries where the people are much, much, nicer, and they give you a fair deal. These other auction houses are very reputable and easy to find.

Seller be warned. It your piece does not sell. They have to call you to resubmit it at a much lower price. But the salesperson usually does not. Make sure you pull it if you do not want to give it away. Also beware because Clars will said it was sold for a low price if you pull it. Which if you are having named art sell they it will destroy the value. My piece was dirty and had no lighting. It was shown in a dark dirty corner. I arrived at the auction to see how it would sell and I ended trying to clean my bronze with paper towels. Very unprofessional. But let me add that the counter service was awesome. I knew the rules and they knew the rules. They knew the sales person tried to cheat me. But like I said lying about my bronze selling for 1200 dollars shows you that while you can trust the service people do not trust the salespeople.

Took in a large collection of WWII, 50's and 60's newspapers on 3/24/13....they we supposed to be in the sale of June 15-16th. I could not find them listed for sale so I decided to call today (5-11-). I was informed when I called to find out how I could see the listing that after further review they had decided not to auction them. I supposed there wasn't enough value there to make it worth their while. I guess what ticks me off is that they had not bothered to call me to inform me of this. I assumed that the person assisting us when we took the newspapers in would have had some expertise regarding the value of the newspapers. A COMPLETE WAIST OF TIME!