Rago Auctions

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.

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 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!

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’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.

I have brought items to the Monday appraisal several times. It is a mob scene, expect a long, long wait. Save yourself lots of time, do some research yourself on the internet before bringing your stuff for the MOnday appraisal day. Very bad set-​up. They had scratched my name off as having left, but they never called me! I sat there for 2 hours. I figured something happened, and went up to check as to why others who had the same stuff as me but came in after were being seen to right away. They checked and the older man who was checking folks in had just crossed my name off. This has happened 3 times. If you go to the Monday appraisal, make sure you check that your name has not been just scratched off. I have sold through them, so it is not like what I brought was junk. The people I dealt with had something of an attitude problem, not so much with me, but I saw it being given to others there. With the internet available to everyone, there is no reason to put up with that nonsense. Unless you really want to waste your time and enjoy dealing with IMO rather arrogant people, just list your stuff on the Internet yourself. David Rago himself was very nice. And to be fair, the staff must get discouraged/​overwhelmed having to look at a lot of mediocre, low– end items and surely disgruntled people who discover their treasures are, well, not valuable.
No need for anyone to get uppity. not with the Internet and its various resources and selling venues available. On the plus side, it is a good place to bring good quality items that for some reason would be difficult for you to sell yourself on the Internet, or if you have a truly high-​end item.
Also, while I was waiting, I took a seat near the gal with the computer. She was in charge of looking into values. HA! I managed to peer over and look at her screen. She was looking at some sites that anyone could have gone to themselves. Oh, and in between doing that, she was shopping for shoes for herself!

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 20^th century or late 19^th 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.