BEWARE OF THIS AUCTION HOUSE!
In August, 2017, we took a van…read moreload of items to Palm City Auction, to be included in their next auction. We were told that the they were going on vacation, and that our things would be stored in the corner of their 'warehouse' until the next auction.
I was surprised at a comment made at the time and after only looking in one box while being unloaded. 'I'm only taking this stuff because I want the good stuff later.'
Well, the stuff to which he was referring were wonderful smalls, having closed down two booths in an antique mall soon before.
I have been in the antique business many years, having had several shops and going to the U.K to fill containers and to search for the unusual.
Granted, the things left with them, were not your usual 'high-end', but nice none-the-less.
To make a long story, short. We got a call from the auction house the next day after the auction, telling us that the antique, cane bottom, ladder back chairs did not sell. I then told the office person who called, that we would pick them up the same week.
We drove over an hour to do that, to find that they only had five of the six chairs. The story that we got, was that the thrift store had picked up the missing chair. We drove to the thrift store to reclaim the chair, only to be told, that no such thing had happened! While sitting in the parking lot of the thrift store, we call the auction house and told them of this. The lady answering the phone, was extremely rude, saying 'Well, they didn't sell, so they couldn't have been worth much, then promptly hung up on my husband.'
We then drove back to the auction house to hunt for the chair, which was not there. But what was there, were some of the items we had left for the auction, sitting in the back room....? They never made it to auction.
Upon receiving the listing of things 'sold' there were two box lots, one for $10.00, one for $8.00.
I have been around antiques all of my life. I know the value of things, as well as the cyclical values that have taken place over time. I am an honest person, thus this soon become an ethical issue for me rather than financial.
There is more to the story, but suffice it to say, we should have heeded the warning others had given us about this Auction House.
I tend to be a trusting person, but this particular situation reminded me, that not all people in this world are trustworthy!
Please know that what I have just written is true and factual!