Rago Auctions

Awesome experience at Rago. Attentive, organized, knowledgeable and powerhouse auctioneers manning the phones. Best part, Travis Landry running the auction. "Are you in or are you out" moving the auction along. Fair pricing and just know their auction. Watch the videos of Travis and you will see what I mean. Regardless of the size of your collection they treat you like family.

An artist is dating my nephew and Rago was having a silent auction with a number of local painters. Plenty of free parking, the exhibit area is large enough, could use more chairs for people to sit, 2 hour auction with a number of older people makes it kind of hard to stand the whole time. There were plenty of beautiful paintings to choose from. Some more wine would have been nice too but all in all a very nice time.

Extremely negative experience: poorly executed work and total lack of accountability I had an incredibly disappointing experience with this auction house. After purchasing en artwork, I was forced to pay nearly $100 for the removal of the glass, a service that should have been handled with competence and care. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The staff removed the glass but left the artwork improperly fixed to the backing. As a result, during shipping, the piece shifted and was severely damaged by the passepartout. This technical error – a clear sign of negligence or incompetence – has led to a restoration cost of $850, not to mention the additional financial loss: the artwork’s value has been irreversibly diminished. The worst part? The company refuses to take responsibility, completely ignoring the damage caused. This attitude is unacceptable for a business that claims to be professional. I hope this review serves as a warning to future customers: proceed with extreme caution before trusting this auction house. Their after-sales service is non-existent, and customer protection seems to be of no concern to them.

Our entire house is furnished with 12 years of Rago purchases. As with all quality, mid-range auction houses, value varies by week and category, but condition reports have been honest and estimated values knowledgeable, with rare exceptions. (Though beware: values are sometimes inflated for little-known artists in the $800 to $3,000 range.) It is worth a trip to look at pieces in person before bidding online. We have found a number of pieces that did not look interesting to us in online photos but were perfect for us when we saw them in person.

I’ve used RAGO Auction services for years, both buying and selling. The staff is extremely cordial and knowledgeable, and I would highly recommend using them when in need of either buying or selling wonderful objects.

Don't buy from here unless you want to pay double in auction fees and shipping costs. With horrendous customer service.

The team over at Rago are phenomenal. I’ve yet to come across more caring and professional people. The brilliant and stunning works displayed in their vast and bright showrooms are secondary to the wonderful people they employ. 10/10.

They are truly sincere and professional auction house. I extend my heartfelt gratitude.

Maybe you've seen David, and his colleagues Suzanne Perrault and John Sollo on "Antiques Roadshow". Perhaps you've been, as I am, impressed with his love for and his vast knowledge of the art pottery world. Down-to-earth, professional, funny and accessible, David Rago Auctions also handles many basic estate auctions as well as period, genre-specific and general auctions, and attending one at his elegant and comfortable location in lovely Lambertville is a terrific time for all. His catalogues are available online for viewing, online, absentee and phone bidding are all available, and the auction atmosphere is collegial, fun, brisk and free of pretense or hauteur, making even the most novice auctiongoer comfortable. I have bought Roseville pottery, Craftsman furniture and other smaller items here at auction and I have never had a bad experience. The buyer's premium is a tad steep at 20%, but prices at auctions here tend to be reasonable and the value of items tend to run a little under what you would pay in a retail environment, so it all evens out. I trust their assessment of items. They tend to specialize in 20th century or late 19th century furniture, glass, pottery and paintings, but can handle any and all genres with the same deep knowledge of the market and the artists that they bring to Lalique or period jewelry. A trip here is a really nice day out, with numerous places to eat and shop within walking distance in the chic, interesting riverside hamlet of Lambertville. If you can stand New Hope any more, it's just over the bridge in the center of town.

Very rude. Never open when they say they are open. I do not recommend going there. You will be disappointed!

My purchase was very smooth . Staff helpful and responsive. Would not hesitate to purchase from this Auction house again .

I need to update my Rago Arts review. I was compensated for the expensive shipping and inconvenience. Slow but respectful. Nice to see them honoring commitments.

They always have such wonderful and unique items. I never leave here sorry with what I purchased. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Always a pleasure.

I bought a necklace from a Rago auction in May. I paid, signed the shipping waiver, and provided a credit card to the shipper. It's now the end of July. I never received the necklace, and Rago has not responded to my messages. While it was only $825.93, I am so frustrated that they will not respond to me or make any attempt whatsoever to resolve the matter. They either need to reimburse me for the cost or send the necklace to me, but they completely disregard my emails and voicemail.

I've bought with Rago for a few years now, and each time had issues - especially with shipping after quick payment. This last time I didn't even think I had won anything as I wasn't contacted for 2.5 week....did someone else not pay or what? And once again, a run around with shipping. I'm done with them. I've made payment and am now arranging for a third party to ship. Hopefully this will result in a better outcome. I will update my review if that is not the case. update #1....moved it down to one star as the smell rude and petty woman mentioned by others is being ridiculous. My items are lid for and now legally BELONG TO ME. When I asked to confirm the pick up location for my shipper she said I had to give them the name of the shipper before they would "release Location to me.". The while POINT of confirming pick up location is to make sure I am using a lock shipper. This woman has no business working with the public.

One of my favorite auction houses here in the US. As an international customer, they really treat you well. Can recommend them to all customers.. also, non local customers

This auction house provided exceptional service and maximized the sales of my family art collection. Suzanne Perault was an invaluable consultant and art expert. The support staff was also exemplary.

April 2018 update: My grandmother passed away due to the infections caused by the constant attack of bed bugs. I called Rago to let them know she had passed away in tears and their "Chief Administrative Officer" named "Eliane," who they transferred me to, responded by saying after a good minute of silence "...Good riddance. Don't contact us again." Reading through the other reviews on here, I notice that there's a habit of telling customers "don't contact us again" when they have an issue. It seems "Eliane" has a modus operandi. I wonder if David Rago knows the extreme level of sociopath on his payroll? Either way, It's time for this place to be put out to pasture. Good riddance to my grandmother? No, good riddance to Rago with their overhyped, dirty garbage sold by sociopaths at an inflated price that may or may not cause disease and death to its new owner.

As dishonest as any auction house I have dealt with in 30 years. Falsifies lot descriptions, stands by nothing no matter how blatant and will blame bidders when caught. Just the worst.

I have been in the antique business for over 45 years and have both bought and sold through different auction houses. Over the last couple of decades I have placed Items with Rago/Wright Auction 3 times. I have the highest regard for their communication and integrity. With all of their staff I have had excellent interchange and counseling. They have my highest recommendation for their services.

Don't buy from these guys on LiveAuctioneers. I have purchased thousands of dollars in merch on LiveAuctioneers over the last several years and have always paid on time. When I tried to bid on an item they had on LiveAuctioneers they required a deposit--a deposit for something I hadn't even won yet. I offered to give them a credit card number they could use if I won (with over $30,000 in available credit), but they lied and said they cant due that--even though I have done this with other auction companies numerous times. Sad part is that I went and bid on a similar item for another auctioneer and they didnt require squat (Rago just a lost a multi thousand dollar sale)!! Guess Rago and his wife let the press clippings go to their head and impede their judgment.

Nothing about Rago ia professional, from poor and misleading lot descriptions to horrific customer service. Avoid these clowns.

Recently I purchased a piece of fine art from Rago. In my many years of dealing with service organizations I have never experienced the high level of service they provided. If gives me great hope that there are still organizations that understand the concept of great service. I have been dealing with Suzanne Perrault one of the partners in the firm and all I can say is she is amazing. I barely finished writing an e-mail to her and her reply was waiting in my inbox. Thank you you Rago for everything!

I purchased a mirror from Rago in February and began arranging shipment with them in early March. Do I have the mirror? Nope. Do I have any idea where it is? Nope. They said they'd arrange to have a trucker deliver it to L.A. and I would get invoiced. Do I have an invoice with a shipping cost? Nope. Oh, and they said the truck would be on its way 7 days ago. Is it on it's way? Your guess is as good as mine. No one from Rago has told me anything. Do they have my money? Yep. That really says it all. Well intentioned but unprofessional, unresponsive and unreliable. Stay away.

Buyer beware and very careful to look at your items IN PERSON. The photos on their websites and catalogues hide lots of issues and you risk being stuck with a very expensive poor quality item. They rarely describe the issues in their listings. You won't notice the issues until you've paid for it and taken delivery. They are also quite adept at mixing in near worthless pieces with very inflated estimates to pass off to less educated buyers. And to Kate E. who says we should not complain as we should read the fine print...Rago takes nearly 25% from the buyer and probably 20% from the seller...so they are supposed to take care of the vetting process so that buyers are not stuck with poor quality items. Especially since most deals are done online and not in person.

Have done business with Rago Arts for years and have always been pleased with their level of customer service and quality of of offerings. It's easy to get personnel on the phone, and found them to be most accommodating whether providing additional information on a lot, or in solving shipping issues.

This is among the best auction houses I've encountered in the last 15 years of doing business of buying and selling. They have a great staff for doing research, and are already extremely knowledgable about contemporary studio arts & crafts, which is what I am interested in. The web presense is great, their photography is top notch in the indistry, and their customer service is 100% from my experience. They take good care of their buyers and sellers. I have never had a problem with Rago, so I don't understand the complainers: everyone, buyers and sellers both, always need to read the small print.

Who describes an auction item's provenance as "from an important private collection" without specifying whose collection it was? That's not provenance, it's meaningless hype. A seller could claim anything as "an important private collection." C'mon, Rago.

I don't know why there's 2 listing for Rago--here's what I posted on the other called Rago Auction Rago has been my go-to auction for over a decade. I've furnished and accessorized 3 homes-including one in Palm Springs. They have a variety of auctions that range from traditional arts & crafts to mid-century modern (my preference). I've been successful buying at their higher end reserved auctions and their "no reserve" auctions. The staff is consistently courteous and, more importantly honest in their condition reports and, if they know, provenance. I've recommended Rago to friends who have become regular buyers. I've also sold items through Rago without any issues or regrets. The great thing is you can buy in person, on-line or on the phone so you don't have to live close to the auction house.

Terrible experience with this auction house. Its as if no one knows who is running the show. I won an auction, paid for it, sent numerous emails and phone messages inquiring about the status of shipping. Not only did I receive no response but next thing I know THEY filed a dispute with Liveauctioneers which prevented me from bidding on any of my numerous saved auction items. I had to dig deep into their website to find the emails of people with supposed "power" who eventually cleared my account with Liveauctioneers. Did they even offer to cover shipping or extend a discount for the inconvenience their ineptitude caused me? Didn't even occur to them.

I have purchased items from three different auctions, and I could not be more impressed with their professionalism and customer service. They bend over backwards to help accommodate tricky shipping issues, and the quality of items they curate to auction is truly impressive. I am thrilled every time I see they're listing new items!!

I love this auction house. It's an auction so "Buyer Beware". Furniture items are used. Go to the preview and check it out before bidding. They take 25% fee so you need to know that a bid of $100 will cost you $125. It is a lot of fun to be there in person. The trick is not to get carried away which can happen...

I have bought and sold things from Rago over the past 25 years and have referred literally hundreds of customers there. But in light of the auction house trafficking in US concentration camps items for personal gain and profit, I am ashamed to now have done these things. The Japanese American community and others have made their concerns known and have continually been ignored, rebuffed and lied to. I am shocked and horrified that a predominately white auction house, with affluent white customers would take precious artifacts from another ethnic group to sell to the highest bidder like it was a pile of Fiestaware. If this is the future of American craft collecting - count me and my money out. Not another dime to Rago - ever!

Rago is auctioning off a priceless collection of artifacts created by Japanese Americans during the time in which they were interned at the Heart Mountain Wyoming relocation camp during WWII. Having rejected appeals from the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (the non-profit dedicated to preservation of the site) and from thousands of Japanese Americans, Rago are unsympathetic to the history, meaning, and appropriate treatment of the invaluable community legacy this collection represents. The value of these precious objects cannot be measured in dollars; their value instead lies in the suffering, resilience, spirit and dignity of those who created them while wrongfully confined behind barbed wire for four years, many of whom lost all all of their pre-war belongings and property. The fact that Rago will not consider working with the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation to preserve and protect the collection in honor of its many creators and as a symbol/reminder of our spotted past is mind-blowingly disheartening; clearly this is a money run on their part. The people that run this company have neither heart nor soul. When pure greed trumps conscience it's a sad day. I give them zero stars. UPDATE: I've read that they've decided not to auction the items. I'll raise my rating to 3 stars since they apparently do have some integrity and reverence (when pressured to do the right thing).

I've been dealing with the most arrogant man, Timothy Andreadis, who made me feel my art doesn't have enough value and the commission has to be HIGH for them to consider having my art for auction there. I definitely don't recommend them unless your art has a lot of value and they can make a lot of money on your behalf.

Great service. Professional and extremely helpful in appraising my pottery. Highly recommend

Some bargains to be had but it takes patience and a good eye. Buyers premium is high. Its difficult to get past the answering machine and leaving a message doesn't always work. I like the live auction and it is easy to connect with a shipper for won items (auction house is in NJ).

I have dealt with David Rago and RagoArts for over 20 years. In all that time David and Suzanne Perrault his partner have been a valued source of information, care and attention. When I first began collecting ceramics I contacted David after seeing a George Ohr pot in Kovel's Antique Price Guide (pre internet days), David spent many hours on the phone with me, instructing and guiding me eye for over a year. I'd contact him regularly with questions about various ceramic studios and he was patient and understanding. He never pushed or tried to hustle or hurry me into making a purchase or bidding in an auction, just a constant stream of solid information. When I decided to participate in auctions I was always pleased with my acquisitions, the condition of the lots always matched the written and verbal descriptions. Eventually my collecting shifted to furniture and other decorative arts and there again David helped and took time to guide me through the process and understanding. In an industry rife with smoke and mirrors it's a treasure to find an honest dealer willing to tell you exactly what's what. It's never been about trying to sell me on a piece, but always about building a relationship. Sidebar: whenever it came to selling an item purchased through RagoArts I always came out ahead, making a nice profit. Thank you David and Suzanne for your guiding hand and valuable insights.

A few years ago, I bought a rare George Nelson coffee table at auction from Rago Auctions. I talked with a person on the phone about a condition report. I asked if it had the original finish and if it were in good condition. I was assured it was in great shape and all original. When it arrived, I was very upset to see a crude refinishing job had been poorly applied over the original finish of the wood. You could see brush strokes in the finish, and it was thickly applied in some places and thinly in others. It was poorly packed and came severely damaged. It was very difficult to get reimbursed and to return it.

If you want (or need) to sell virtually any item of decorative arts or fine art, Rago Arts and Auction Center should be on your list of auction houses. If you're a buyer, you'll find that there's something for everybody in every price range. A few facts: * Rago has some of the best terms in the business for sellers. Why it matters: You'll end up with more money in your pocket. * Rago has bidders all over the world and knows who is interested in buying what. Why it matters: International reach creates bidding competition, which translates into excellent prices for sellers. * Rago is cutting edge--selling in-house, on the internet, and over the phone. Why it matters: Your consignments get as much exposure as possible and real-time competition. * Rago is constantly evolving and innovating. In addition to modern design, jewelry, art, pottery and glass, and coin sales, they've recently created such new auction categories as Remix (contemporary and classic in a single sale) and Curiouser and Curiouser (just weird and wonderful stuff). Trust but verify. Check out their website. Compare the range of objects sold. Compare realized prices. Compare terms. You'll get the idea.

Just plain RUDE. The assistant to David Rago- Rude-took my call -heard my voice and transferred me to voice mail. Had a similar experience with them many years ago when I went to an appraisal day at their Lambertville location. Waited a ridiculous amount of time to speak to someone only to find out the expert was not "in". Later they sent someone to my home under the guise of accepting the piece for auction but tried to buy it from me instead. Apparently Mr. Rago does not read nor care about all these negative reviews.

My Daughter gave them her wedding ring which was appraised by Hamilton Jewelers for 11,000 and also Dimond Ear Rings and a Dimond pendent, which was purchased for $3000 and Philip Stein watch purchased for $2600. All sold at Rago Action for a total of $4,500. Now does that sound right!?? Someone got a good deal. But not my daughter !#!#!# I would not recommend auctions!

A world-class group of experts that I'm proud to have in Lambertville, NJ. I've worked with, recommended and trusted the Rago team for over a decade, and have had nothing but positive experiences with everyone at the auction house. In addition to being great educators and professionals, they are incredibly charitable, constantly hosting events to raise funds for both local and national organizations in need.

Rago Auctions has been profitable and reliable for BertoiaStudio sculpture sales throughout past decades since the 1970's. The team at BertoiaStudio works to make beautiful sounding-sculptures and other styles for indoors and outdoor settings. Rago has kept up with the expanding market and increasing values of Bertoia sculptures. We are happy to be part of the on-going sales events with people enjoying the wide variety of artworks. It's typically a wonderful surprise to get an e-mail with good news of sales amounts. As a tradition, Bertoia follows up with a title, or certificate of authentication, for the piece sold; a copy sent by e-mail and the original title sent by postal mail when payment has been received in full from Rago. The team at Rago is great to work with, reaching the level of friendships. A big Thank You to all those making it possible every time. And may we continue the good team-work throughout this year. (Val Bertoia, Bally, Pa.)

About 5 years' ago, I cancelled a purchase from Rago because the item didn't match the written description. Yesterday, I was the high bidder on an item of theirs. When the auction closed, they refused to honor my high bid because, to my amazement and surprise, I had been "blocked" from bidding on any of their auction ever since my misadventure with them in 2012.....When I phoned them, they impolitely and in a truly nasty tone told me never to contact them again. By the way, the item in question 5 years' ago was described as "acrylic on canvas". There was no mention of the unfortunate fact that a major element of the piece was glued on and not painted on. When I questioned them about it at the time, they advised me that my issue was one of "condition" and that I should have brought it up before bidding. That was just downright dopey......It had nothing to do with condition. It was a question of the accuracy of the description.

I have dealt with over 20 auction houses in the US, Canada, and the UK. Rago Auction ranks by far as the worst. The people you deal with on the phone are extremely unfriendly and don't return phone calls. I encountered four instances where I did not have my call returned. Getting someone on the phone to help seemed nearly impossible. For a high buyer's premium of 25% they sure do not earn it. I'm not quite sure what work exactly gets done there or how this place continues to function. Just a look at their facebook page will tell you how unprofessional it is. It's full of random unrelated posts about chewing gum, bicycles, etc. With so many choices out there, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere for an auction.

Very poor customer service. They act like they are doing you a favor when you speak with them. Call backs are not timely from Rago or they never happen at all. Great estate items, sadly trained employees. Get a handle on it David!

I took items for appraisal there and it was interesting to see that dealing with other people and items within their expertise, they were quite skillful, but outside of that skill set they are rather inept. I had high end Li (Chinese minority) textiles, which they did not have any idea what they were and brushed them off as worthless. I dont expect them to be experts in everything, but a good appraiser would notice universal things such as age and refinement of weave. I was surprised that I knew much more about these and other items than their experts.

I have both bought and sold at this auction house. Yes the buyers' premium is a bit high, but usually the hammer prices are reasonable. They have taken care to catalog my higher end items well and I have been most pleased with the results. If you have an item that has value in the low $100s, then this is probably not the best venue. But if happen to be fortunate enough to have items in the four figure range then you should be pleased with the results. Best to do as much research as you can in yourself and send photos and info to them via the internet. All in all, good people and a good venue to sell Arts & Crafts movement, art pottery, and Modernism pieces.

I've been to the auction house both as a buyer and a seller. Felt like everyone was straight forward. I've always trusted there assessment of a piece and condition. Been happy with results.

This is a well known and perfectly fine place to buy American arts and crafts and modern furniture. They are not all that versed in European furniture, though even if it is 20th century. No matter. They are good in the areas in which they specialize. An auction house of this size cannot be expert in everything so they do a good job of sticking to what they know well. You have to laugh at the reviewer who was miffed that Rago did not appreciate his Li items. It was silly to take Asian things to Rago. They make no claims of expertise in this field. It is also amusing to read a couple of the other negative reviews, The reviewers probably had things of little value. An auction house has limited time to gather up enough lots for each sale so they cannot linger on items which have no potential for them either because they are not worth much or because they are in a field that Rago does cover. Believe me, if you have something nice and its in their area of expertise, they will react very quickly and very positively. It's a tough job to look at a lot of junk searching for the few pearls that the auctioneers do find.

After reading the articles in various newspapers including the New York Times that this auction house is planning on selling artifacts that were gifted to historian Allen Hendershott Eaton by interned Japanese Americans during World War II for the sole purpose of educating people. Rather than help facilitate these priceless American artifacts to museums they are planning to profit from the sales. Very disheartening and sad to take advantage of people who have gone through so much.

28% buyer's premium. Really? Can't remember ever paying that much. In my opinion, online bidders are a low priority for this auction house. For a 28% fee they should AT LEAST provide good service. Their item descriptions for online bidding were painfully vague. I was very interested in several lots that had vague item descriptions so I called for additional information. I was dumped into some guy's voicemail. Two days before the auction I left a detailed message asking for a call back - no one ever called back. My self-imposed budget for this auction was $15,000. My bidding style is such that for every lot I win I probably bid on (and don't win) two other lots. Auction houses love me because I push up prices on my losers. For laughs I checked the prices realized on my lots of interest after the auction. I (probably) would have won several and would have certainly pushed prices up on several others. Oh well. I'll spend that $15,000 somewhere else. Probably a good thing anyway - based upon the poor customer service I received I probably would have been disappointed with other aspects of the process after the hammer fell. Short story: Online bidders beware.