Bonhams & Butterfields Auction Gallery

I drove down to the LA auction for the 1^st time to bid. I have bid many times at the SF location. Jon King generously spent a long time with me discussing the items I was interested in and answering my questions. He is very knowledgable.

Crappy customer service and appraisers who want to rip you off. Are they actually art historians or just salespeople who could be working any other pretentious West Hollywood job? I couldn’t get a straight answer as far as how much they take in fees. And if you’re a mid-​century modern aficionado like I am, prepare for them to turn their nose up at you. I brought in valuable, well-​crafted Danish and Swedish items from the 60’s and could tell the appraisal girl (chubby, brown hair) didn’t think much of them. I will take my goods to people who actually know what they’re doing.

Bonhams Auctioneers & Appraisers — LA — SF — UK
I have had the ultimate BONHAMS experience.
3−28−2014_ BONHAMS — LA, attended the Los Angeles, CA. auction-​appraisal with 5 items.
BASED ON ATTENDING THE BONHAMS — LA auction/​appraisal, Everyone should know that no one seems to agree on values, which is not a Bonhams problem, This is a ‘People in general problem”. Meaning: Some people have varying degrees of knowledge as reason for wide range of worth, based on their individual knowledge.
THE OTHER CAUTION is that Bonhams Buyers receive additional hidden fees also, so the deal is wisely entered in to by asking many questions, of the fees.

All the bonhams I am reviewing I have had personal experience with this is no exception, plenty of mishaps with this crew was well. It’s funny when I was in there one time two different people came up to me and said will you sell this for me I really don’t trust these guys and I told them I wish I could help you but it would be unethical to do that you’re here you need to deal with them. I would tell anyone to pick one of the several excellent auction houses in So Cal good luck!!!
This Unilocal as with all my Unilocal are my opinion or from personal experience with BONHAMS AUCTIONS

My husband and I drove 2 plus hours up to la to have 2 paintings appraised. Our appraiser was a snobby Englishman who spent all of 2 seconds looking at them before pronouncing with a withering comment that my mom’s desert painting by Franck chilton was a tourist painting possibly worth $ 50 or so. But then he wanted to know how much we had paid? Why? The other painting was a landscape by French listed artist emile wegelin. He googled the name and pronounced one sold on eBay for $ 84. He didn’t seem to mention the other higher sales at auction. He ended up saying it was worth $ 200′ $ 300′ $ 500. Seems they are holding these so called appraisal clinics as a way to locate someone with a really valuable item that they can make a lot in fees and commissions. You will probably wind up sorry you came and ore confused than before. No information given. I could have googled and. Already had. Don’t go for an authentic valuation, just maybe an interesting experience.

Just sold some pens at their auction. It was highway robbery. They take an enormous amount via their fees. I am appalled at this and the lack of transparency. They did not fully explain all these fees before the auction. I feel hustled. Will never consign to them in the future.

If negative star is an option I would give them. If you want your collection to be ruined then go right ahead with this auction house. If you want anything else please walk away and don’t look back. they will sweet talk you into a deal and once you see that check and their reply… good luck on getting anything back.

As a seller, I’ve experienced great customer service. Despite the major hiccup of their entertainment specialist (the contact with whom I coordinated auctioning my piece) parting ways with the company, I was able to make a last-​minute inclusion into the auction. Their specialists respond quickly and concisely.

The lack of knowledge of their appraisers, stunning! I brought in a print from a very notable 1920’s print artist, in the original frame with the original gallery sales information. Before I could even produce the gallery information it was literally cast aside by the older gentleman who was doing the «fine art» appraisals for a small painting I brought (cast aside also). When the girl helping him recognized the artist & suggested he revisit the 1^st piece, he shrugged it of as «just a print» and asked us to move on. $ 20,000 dollars later and another auction house and all I can say is after I shopped around, I would NEVER trust them to do my estate appraisal.

Let’s be fair. The staff is nice. But the fact checking stinks. Bought two items at auction last year that I had to return because one piece of art was a fraud ($ 1500 worth) and the other (a ring) had the wrong stone (goodbye $ 1000). I’m bummed by their lack of knowledge. I can do better fact checking on google, which should serve as a humiliating sign for B&B. I love a good auction, but these cats need some professional help in the pricing and authentication depot. I won’t buy from them again. But I’ll certainly look, so one star. And never sell here… the % is ridiculous. And free appraisal day… fun for the beginners, but they’ve gotten it wrong so many times I can’t go back. Buy and sell online and do better research there too. This place is for folks who can afford to lose their skirts.

Wow. I am appalled by the ultimate percentage of the sale price of auction items that Bonhams takes on your items. I am left feeling completely duped. I sold two items valued between $ 600-​$ 1200 in a recent auction. The items sold for $ 875 and $ 1000, but after Bonham’s fees, commission and «buyers premium», my final profit was for $ 484.50 and $ 558 — just over half of the final sale price. This means Bonham’s takes almost 50%. Really? Never again.

Went back today for the Tony Duquette auction and actually bid on something and won. The prices went skyrocketing for his necklaces, but a few pieces weren’t as popular and therefore went for less. It was great fun, great mix of people. Bonhams put out coffee, soft drinks, pastries and sandwiches. I stayed 3 hours and really enjoyed myself.
As my cousin says, «Bonhams is like a museum that sells stuff.» And great stuff it is.

Bonhams is just another auction house — nothing special. They will tell you a high price to get you to agree to consign but the reality is always very different. Their fees are high as well. That being said, they do a great job at marketing themselves and their auctions so they are usually well attended. Just read ALL the fine print before consigning.

What a horrible experience. I sold a few items of my grandparents through their auction. The gentleman who came to my home told me what he thought the items would bring at auction. I was satisfied with what he said as he appeared very knowledgeable.
However, when I received the check was I ever surprised! The fees they charge seemed ridiculous including an insurance fee about which I was never explained. When I called to complain, the young girl who answered said I needed to take it up with someone in their San Francisco office!
Never again. I would rather give something to Goodwill than sell it with Bonhams.

i had been looking gor a 10X14’ rug for years but all the ones I wanted were over $ 12,000. Went to their persian rug auction and paid $ 1200 for exact same rug I had my eye on. First auction and not intimidating at all. Employees explained everything before hand. Previewed all rugs 2 days before up close. I will never pay full price for antique furniture, paintings, rugs or jewelry again.

This place has like an «open house» event every month where you are able to bring a couple items and get them appraised by a very well informed group of experts. Personally, I always enjoyed studying and making art than putting a price on it, but someone had kept on telling me the painting I had bought for my mom at a garage sale was worth «thousands»…yeah…thousands of pennies. The painting ended up being a copy of a forgery, but since it was «decorative,» the appraiser said it would run around 15 dollars in a store.
If you have an item that you would like to find the story about or get a rough appraisal, this is the spot. You can make an event out of it and go look at all the weird things people think is worth a fortune. You can go and learn something from the experts who put dollar signs in front of things. Totally worth it. Class service.

Every month they have an «auction appraisal event», like Antiques Roadshow, where you can bring up to 5 items for a free appraisal. The line to get in is long and you will wait inside also. But it’s OK because you will be fascinated by everyone else’s treasures/​junk. It’s great fun! Local street parking rules are enforced, be careful.