This is my first time at an auction house. I came here with some items from home to have them appraised. On the first and third Wednesdays of each month you can bring five items to be appraised for free. I had heard about this from a friend. Unfortunately the five items that I had would be considered far from valuable. This did not stop me from emailing her with a few other items I have at home. Perhaps I'll have better luck with these other items not pictured here. She was very professional and candid. read more

Michaan's Auctions - Auction Houses Near Me - Alameda, California

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I wanted to say what a great experience I had with this company. I had wanted to offer a few things to list and Nick came over and looked at quite a number of items. Gave me his thoughts and was kind and informative. Tammie was my main contact and was also extremely helpful. She explained the process and I went ahead and had them list some items for me to sell in the auction. I also bought some items from them at an auc. I learned a lot about bidding on items! It was a first for me and will be doing it again! I should mention the other folks who helped but I did not save the cards. So I will say everyone was stellar. If you are someone who is looking to sell or buy I would highly recommend them! read more

High ratings for Elise Coronado who helped me sell a number of jewelry pieces awhile back. Professional, knowledgeable and wonderful to work with! read more

Here again for another Wednesday free appraisal (5 items maximum) This auction providing free appraisals is great if you have the time. There window for appraisals is from 10:00 am - 1:00pm. Definitely worth the time versus paying for an appraisal unless you need an appraisal for insurance purposes, doubt they will provide you with that unless you email Michaan which I have before so technically you could use the email possibly for your insurance company. One note I need to mention: they are in business so their appraisal will be lower than an insurance appraisal. read more

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I must admit I was naive about how auctions worked, but trusted them with my items. Let me just say that they are not out for your best interests. Their method of auctioning batches things together in "lots", so a rather valuable piece you may have, gets put into a group of items that may be less desirable to the potential buyer, lower the value significantly. Also, they told me they were going to have a "themed" auction. I sorted through my items (I had 9 storage units, so lots to move) and pulled out items that I thought would garner more from specific Buyers looking in that theme. Once they got my items, they canceled their "themed" auction, and integrated my items in with everything else. Not only did this dilute the value, but I felt betrayed in that some of these items I would not have parted with except for their approach of selling under a theme, which didn't happen. In general, if I were to auction in the future, I would deal with Bonhams, or one of the more respectable, national firms who sell items individually, and have a wider audience. Working with Michaans just left a very bad taste in my mouth, and I have my regrets. read more

Fun day out, Good People and Memories , easy viewing, pick ups are attendants are professionals with great personalities. read more

Zero response to my inquiry. Guess my item wasn't important enough for them. Have several pieces of Chinese art, Ginger Jar, Jade buckle and others that I wanted an initial evaluation about. The site claims that they would be happy to look at pictures and respond. I took lots of pics, sent them in and got crickets. read more

Our family knew very little about how appraisals vary depending on their purpose (for example, the insurance value, replacement value, donation value, and fair market value for a single piece can be very different numbers). Tammie helped us understand how the auction process works and went out of her way to help our family correct a misunderstanding over the value we could expect to receive for our art. read more

Great place you can find anything from antiques pictures Collectibles unreal stuff everything you've ever seen Under One Roof staff is unbelievable read more

Michaan's wanted to auction 15 or so antiques and original art I had but when asked a few questions the woman got frustrated and turned rude. I have a huge collection of highly prized wine and animation art to auction later but I am walking away from this house -, I am selling 15 or so pieces of art and Asian antiquities through CLARS instead. read more

Jill Fenichell from Michaan's came by to my Mother's house to look at antique silver. Man --- does she know her stuff! She was very efficient and told us what had value and what was better suited for an Estate or Garage sale. I learned a lot from Jill and her visit exceeded my expectations. I give Michaan's and Jill Fenichell the highest approval possible. read more

Great parking. Great staff. I went in for an estimate on a piece of jewelry, And the person who worked with me had a professional designation. read more

I am a longtime Kensington resident, and I highly recommend Michaan's Auctions, with special mention of the Trusts & Estates Department. I am really happy I decided to consign my parents' estate with them. They treated me with understanding and respect (which means a lot at such a painful time) and they really helped me out and acted speedily, so that I could clear out of my storage unit without incurring extra charges. I am forever grateful, and encourage my friends and neighbors to consign with them as well. read more

Awful, for an auction house to have this type of customer service and still be in business is beyond me. I had contacted a rep named Tammie and her boss Jill regarding some collectible dolls that I'd like to auction off for an estate. They reached out about 2 weeks ago and said they'd contact me back by last Monday, however it's been dead silent. Even after I followed up last week, still no communication. I guess they are not in the business to do business for customers. Terrible waste of time and communication. I'm glad I didn't proceed with this auction house. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL. read more

I came to Michaans to get a free appraisal on a couple of items I had. There were maybe a couple dozen others awaiting their turn. You are assigned to an appraiser depending on the items you have brought in such as European or Asian items and other options. It was interesting see what people bring in. I saw large displays of framed artifacts, Asian ceramics, artwork. Michaans can also be used to auction your items if they choose to accept it. The appraisers are very my professional and friendly. I learned info about my items. Sadly many items are probably not of interest to the younger generation even though they can have historical value. So it was good to hear that from the appraisers to make your decision of what's next for your treasure. read more

Absolutely wonderful staff, especially Tammie, Gabe, Joe and Desmond. I run a very busy and successful estate liquidation company and frequent their business with our client's finest antiquities. They always meet or exceed our expected outcomes at auction. They have handled $100k + worth of inventory for us in less than a year! They're fast to process and send preliminary estimates. If an item doesn't sell, they verify that we want it re-listed before they do so. The representative that I work with most, Tammie Chambless, is incredibly prompt in her responses to any and every question I have. I have also been a buyer from Michaan's and the process from start to finish was flawless. They care about their client's consignments and triple check every aspect to make sure the item has been paid for, and you are the actual buyer. It felt like a very secure transaction from start to finish. I'm greeted and exchange pleasantries with anyone I encounter. Even though I'm one of countless clients, they make me feel as though I'm the only one. They remember important details and genuinely seem to care about our well being. Your whole team is amazing and I can't say enough about how much we appreciate what you do! It adds an element to our business that we couldn't provide without the hard work and dedication you put into your auctions. Forever grateful - Rachel & A Clean Getaway Team read more

Michaan's Auctions - Auction Houses Near Me - Alameda, California

Michaan's runs two monthly auctions; a "gallery" auction of finer (ie more expensive) items, and an "annex" auction for items in the fleamarket to estate sale range. Items seem to be sourced primarily from estate liquidations and consignments. There are typically 3,000+ lots a month. It's possible to find buried treasure if you preview in person, or score a nice deal if you get lucky or take advantage of a listing omission, as items are not infrequently misidentified or misdescribed. Although volume definitely trumps quality in the annex auction, it's key to the scruffy charm of the place. The floor staff are generally helpful and friendly, if usually not expert on the items on auction. The auctions themselves move briskly, and a little loosely. The auctioneers can sometimes be strangely condescending, as witnessed recently when a bidder with an obvious hearing impairment was ridiculed for attempting to bid on an item before the opening bid was announced. That will teach him! In all, a decent place to treasure hunt as long as you preview in person and don't mind putting up with the occasional bit of misplaced attitude. read more

I took my sterling silver to them to be Auctioned off September 2021. It is now March 5,2022 and I have yet to be paid after my silver finally Sold in January 2022! So The communication and promises are not kept and I am very disappointed in this process. read more

I am a senior move manager and have been taking items of others as well as my own to Michaan's for a decade. In addition to Michaan's auction services, I appreciate their free appraisal day and their ability to do formal appraisals. The staff have been consistently professional and knowledgeable. In particular, Tammi Chambless in the Estate Division has been extremely helpful and quick to respond to any questions I might have. If you are in the process of downsizing or handling an estate, I recommend checking Michaan's out. read more

I supplied several times a requested drivers license to bid on LiveAuctioneer. There was no acknowledgment/response from the auction house. None. i buy and sell frequently at auction. I would not consign anything to a house that does not care to maximize the number of bidders. read more

The website cant load the pictures. They are up a short time before the auctions. The auctions are not professional, with glitches, freezes and outright crashes, in the middle of a bid. Do not depend on a phone bid. They often fail.. read more

Their business model has changed due to our current world situation, but their service continues to be outstanding. In particular I need to mention their staff. The hiring manager has done a great job with the current team. In the office that's are two fantastic ladies. Tammy who has alwAys been helpful, knowledgeable and cool. Now Regan who has just the right disposition and attitude for a service position with face to face interaction. She is a gem! In the warehouse I need to acknowledge Desmond who is outstanding as well. Always helpful and always on point. I appreciate your efforts in continuing to make Michaan's a wonderful experience. Carry on read more

This review is for the excellent experience I had with Ms. Elise Coronado and her assistant Meredith in the jewelry department. I emailed Ms. Coronado re several jewelry items, and she responded promptly and set up an in person evaluation (following all COVID safety precautions). Elise was very generous with her time, and it was quite a treat listening to her give thoughtful explanations and extensive knowledge re the history behind certain gems, etc, etc, even though my items were by far "small change" and not high value items. She gave me estimates on the spot which seemed reasonable. I was also given copies of paperwork to review. I felt like the entire process was very streamlined and transparent and inspires confidence. Although in the end I decided not to consign simply for the fact that my items are of lower value and perhaps not worth going this route, I felt that it was entirely well deserved to give this shout out to Elise. For the folks in charge at Michaan's, you've got a real gem in Elise! read more

I bought a lot from Michaans this week and was shocked to see they charge a 30% buyer's premium. This is higher than Sotheby's, Christie's, Phillips, Bonhams, and Rago -- by far, better auction houses than Michaans. So what do we get for paying more? A better web site -- HARDLY! A beautiful exhibition area -- HARDLY; that space hasn't been updated for YEARS. Free wifi in the exhibition area -- NOPE. If they have higher overhead costs than a Sotheby's or Christie's, management needs to address this!! It's obvious that they don't realize the dampening effect this ridiculous buyer's premium has on bidders. I certainly will be less inclined to bid higher, knowing that I'm being ripped off by the buyer's premium!! read more

I put a Chinese calligraphy, which is famous Chinese artist' C C Wang' work, at Michaan's Auction house for an auction in March this year. I did some research for the price of similar works sold by Christie's which arranged about $2500- $3300. After 6 months, l finally received a check from the auction house, the amount is about $350. Of course, during the 6 months period, there's a series process happened and in the end l had to agree the price being sold due to the circumstances. The whole thing is that I felt the person who handled my item had no idea about the artist and the value of his artwork. And l felt that the item l put for an auction was devalued a lot! I felt so sorry for the artist who created this artwork! And l'd never put anything for an auction at Michaan again! Fay By the way, C C Wang is one of the 20 century Chinese art masters lived outside of the China, seeing his work being significantly devalued makes me very sad! Fay Sometimes I doubt if it's not because of lack of knowledge, then it might be something else, inside trade? read more

This place is an absolute joke. First off I could have sold my items for way more than what they said they sold for. Second of all my items sold well over a month ago and I still haven't received a nickel. I received a papper that said congratulations your items sold and that was over three weeks ago, well if they sold wheres my cash? Instead of sending a letter saying my item sold maybe you should have sent me a check. The lack of customer service makes me wonder how people like this stay in business. Never ever again will I waste my time dealing with people to make a living off my items and don't have the courtesy to take care of me or keep me in the loop. Don't believe me we'll go ahead and try and sell with them. And after you're done dealing with the headache tell me it was worth it. Hahaha you won't be able to and you can take that to the bank!!!!!! Note to self I should have looked at the reviews before I took my stuff here seems like I'm not the only one that's getting screwed here. Hey jackasses when you take someone's stuff and you sell it you pay them their money f#$k tards read more

Just too much to say. If your estate liquidator doesn't label your valuables appropriately, michaan's staff isn't going to do a 2-second Google lens search and you'll lose a LOT of money, like a "wooden samovar" from June 2023 that was estimated by michaan's at $30-$60, it did actually sell over $3k, and other auction realized prices for similar were $5-9k. Only a possible $1,000+ loss to their client. They only accept clients, supposedly, that are estate and trusts, but the annex will have TONS of $1 junk lots that they'll put estimates of $40-$100 on. Luckily for them a lot of new people to the auctions are overpaying at the moment (it's cyclical in uncertain financial times). One $5 junk lot I bought contained an item I sold wholesale for $175. Newbies go for the wrong stuff luckily. Michaan's take is 60% realized, 30% from client, 30% from buyers premium. They don't give a rip. Sellers beware, buyers beware. Sellers audit michaan's descriptions and go to preview to see how much shrinkage has occurred (they're not liable for theft or damage to your stuff) buyers, go to the preview as there are MANY damaged and broken items that aren't always noted in the minimal catalog description, which is usually just the item title. Just because it's in an auction doesn't mean it's valuable! read more

I have attended two live auctions and two gallery previews through MIchaan's and have enjoyed the experiences as well as obtained a few new items for my business. Michaan's is clear and upfront about the auction "details" so there are no surprises about fees and payment. My first experience with Michaan's was the Playland Not At The Beach auction which was fun. When the pickup day came around Michaan's staff was front and center to ensure that everything was smooth for the buyers. I want to give a special "Thank You" to Tammy Toban who is always so informative, helpful & kind. Her professionalism and friendliness has ensured that my impression of, contacts with, and purchases from Michaan's have gone smoothly. read more

DO NOT USE THIS AUCTION HOUSE!!! Fair Warning to anyone that has something at this Auction House or plans to have something @ this Auction House. I had an Original Painting that my father paid over $12,000 with proof from the Gallery he bought it from and I took it to this Auction House in 2017 - it was never sold and they put a price of $400 to $600 on it. So in 2019 I took it back and I never knew until recently when I was trying to sell it again myself that they gave FALSE INFORMATION to Artnet.com stating my painting SOLD in Auction in July of 2019. So when I had 2 different people interested in it: 1 for $3,000 Cash and the other for $5,000 Cash once they saw the Posting on Artnet.com they pretty much called me a Scammer & a Liar!! How could I have an Original if it Sold in 2019? I called Michaan's and they lied to me and told me they do not give information like that to 3rd Party Websites, but Support @ Artnet.com said I could not get it removed until they heard from the source that gave it to them which was Michaan's. It is going to be removed because of my constant phone calls & emails to both parties advertising False Information/ Misrepresentation of the Art Work I have. I am glad it is being removed but I am out 2 different Sales - I repeat DO NOT USE THIS AUCTION HOUSE - I asked them to make things right and they have offered me nothing!! So they Lie, they Misrepresent, they make False Statements, and people are losing money because of them!! If they would have offered something to make it right I would not be doing this review but Jenny Wilson the Senior Fine Art Specialist emailed Artnet.com telling them to please let her know when this has been removed so I will stop Harassing & Attacking her - those were her words in her email she wrote. I am out money - and she lied to me on many occasions and I have it all in email, wouldn't any normal person be upset - I have contacted an attorney. read more

Auctions By The Bay is more than an auction house. It's a huge auction house in a restored Art Deco theater! They occaisionally show movies there and rent out the place for special events, like weddings. The venue is worth visiting even if you don't intend to bid on anything. Auctions take place in the movie theater, but the preview areas are large warehouse-sized galleries. You can stroll through the galleries at your leisure; it's like going to a free museum. And best of all, everything is up for sale! If you look at the pictures on their web site, you'll see a auditorium in rich reds and purple lights. This is not a retouched photo! It really looks like this. The lobby/anteroom is done in metallic Art Deco friezes. Upstairs, the entry to the balcony is The Egyptian Room, complete with Art Deco gold Egyptian motif. What is funny is this theater is "restored," but it never looked like this. It used to be a plain box theater for the people living on the base. When the owners got ahold of this venue, being from an antiques background they knew they wanted the theater in-theme and proceeded to make it a movie palace. It's beautiful. How do I know all this? My wife and I got married there! Our reception was in the lobby, and seated about 150 people. We had the procession down the aisles and the ceremony on the stage-- the wedding guests were the "audience." Many remarked it was the most comfortable seat they had ever had at a wedding! read more

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Beautiful and upscale stage and seating center. Lots of leg room and bathrooms easy to access too. Looks like a barrack from the outside but fabulous inside. read more

Michaan's Auctions - Beautiful theatre for graduation ceremony. - Auction Houses Near Me - Alameda, California

Posting a follow up to my previous review. A different representative from Michaan's (T.E.) reached out to help remedy the situation. She was awesome and exactly the type of person one would want to speak with when trying to address a problem. Long story short, they ultimately made the situation right by me and for that I am grateful. After speaking with her, I am left with a much more positive feeling about the company and would 100% consider dealing with them in the future. I just wish I didn't have to go through this experience in the first place. It could have been so easily avoided (and they could have gained so much good will from the start) by having the right person deal with this issue from the beginning. Anyhow... onward and upward! Have a nice day. read more

I helped an attorney clean a persons estate and the owner had several antiques and pieces of art. I know little about this so called michaans at recommendation of a friend who had good experience with them. I spoke with tammie and she was efficient, knowledgeable, and so very helpful. I was able to have all the pieces transported to them and hopefully much of it will sell. Great customer service and highly recommended to take antiques and art! read more

I had a terrible experience trying to have coins appraised as well as an official ML baseball signed by a hall of fame home-run king. The coin appraiser was rude, brusque and did not even try to look at the coins. He said he needed a microscope. Why didn't he have one available? In the end I was more of an expert than he. I waited an hour and half for the baseball appraiser to show up. When he did he told me all about the player but said he did not know what his signature looked like. Why not? Shouldn't an appraiser have resources? This is a business apparently filled with amateurs. read more

WARNING DO NOT TRUST THEM WITH ANY OF YOUR VALUABLES!!! This place is a NIGHTMARE! I brought in a coule paintings of my mother's, who has been struggling with Alzheimer's and been needing a great deal of care. The staff here is arrogant, rude, unprofessional, and ruined one of our paintings. After repeated attempts to contact them and get an update after one of the pieces sold at auction 3 voicemails to get an update on the status went unanswered. I then made an appointment to go in person. When I got to Michaan's for my appointment with the "Fine Art Manager" Kyrah Reddy she wasn't there that day to meet with me. I asked the very rude and impatient staff if I could just get my painting and be done with them. After much time they finally brought out my painting which was now ruined with a cracked frame that looked like someone had tried to pry it out with a crowbar... Great way to handle with care. When I commented on the condition of the painting they were extremely apathetic and offered no apology. For a business that prides themselves in dealing with luxury pieces, I wouldn't even recommend someone sending their most invaluable trash! Do yourself a favor and never do business with Michaans!!! read more

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I sent two emails with pictures for an online elevation, no response, after two months I sent an email to the head of the department, they got back to me briefly and didn't follow up to my reply. read more

I have read all of the bad & good reviews & must say I had a Five Star experience dealing with Appraiser Paul Novak, Fine Art Department member Kyrah Reddey and today Sylvia at the desk. It's an off day yet she was able to locate & return my painting. I say this even though my painting attributed to Arthur B. Carles did not sell despite being offered in two auctions. While I admit to being a small-time player in the local art market I co-owned a gallery in Abington, PA in the early 1970's, dealt with private dealers & gallery owners in Philadelphia & New York & have done a bit of buying & selling at Sothebys New York & LA. Christie's NY was a frequent stop & Butterfield's years ago in San Francisco. Bonhams a bit. Been buying & selling prints & an occasional drawing or painting since 1971. Michaan's treated me well & I will definitely return. Special thanks to Kyrah & Paul! read more

I consigned an expensive, high end set of mid-century modern flatware to them. It didn't sell. When I went to pick it up, I ws appalled to see how they had just thrown the pieces in the flatware box. AS a result many of them now have scratches. When I got home and did the count there WERE PIECES MISSING. I called to complain and the witch I spoke with insinuated I was lying. Obviously they let people root thru things before the auction with no one watching. Someone helped themselves to the pieces they wanted. read more

I found the free appraisal days great. I thought they were very professional, knowledgable and trustworthy.

Yikes! DO NOT COSIGN YOUR ITEMS HERE! Their "experts" knowledge is based on what information they can find on the internet, I did a better job on my own. I went to a local website( coincidentaldiscovery.com) and emailed them photos of my items, they sold the items for me and ended up with 5 times more than Michaan's said they could do for me. Michaans wasted my time, they wasted my money. Run as fast as you can form these hacks. read more