This is one of the worst auction houses. They allow online bidding, so I signed up, but even after verifying my identity and supplying my credit card number, it wasn't taking my bids on a series of "Russian" icons, so I went to the live auction. When I got there, I discovered that the preview period for the icons was over and that I couldn't carefully look them over. I relied on their description of one particular icon as "sterling silver with hand-painted image" circa 1870 and bid on it. You have to pay before you can touch the merchandise, so I paid and waited almost an hour to receive my icon, only to discover that it was aluminum, printed and probably made in China about 2010. Extreme disappointment, and no returns. Then I discovered that the online bidder who was bidding against me was...you got it, me! Suddenly the bids I left on the website were active during the live bidding and I had outbid my highest online bid. I complained and was told no refunds, no returns, no complaints. The 20% buyer's penalty was a killer, too. I felt cheated. I'll never go back. read more