I am an antiques collector with over 5 decades of experience. I have worked with most of the…read moresignificant auction houses, from the largest (Sothebys. Christies, etc) to the middle tier (Doyle, Bonhams, Heritage, etc) to the smaller auction houses including Toomey & Co Auctioneers. Although I have only purchased from Toomey a few times, the transactions have been flawless in all meaningful ways. High quality items, upscale but still reasonably priced, professional, friendly, responsive, trustworthy. I do not hesitate to rate Toomey & Co Auctioneers as 5/5 *****. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AUCTION HOUSE

Unprofessional. Despite charging top dollar for the buyer's premium, the auction house provides no…read moreservice. I received billing for shipping through Wright Shipping, which uses only third-party shippers. They recommend shippers and then you pay separtely. Fine. I went with UPS. When the package was routed to the wrong place, I was left twisting in the wind and told that I would have to pay additional charges to actually get it delivered. Wright made no attempt to resolve the situation, help me, wave repeated additional fees, or intervene. I had an account at Christie's in NYC and London for decades and, trust me, they did not act like this. I would suggest that they either provide minimal service (like reading emails) or waive one-of-the-heftiest-in-the-business buyer's premiums. I copied Kevin in their shipping deprtment on all correspondence and he did not contact me. When I called him, his attitude was . . . "well, what do you want me to do." I made several suggestions including calling his colleague Julie at the UPS store . . . "oh, I spoke to her this morning . . . she says just pay a charge and they'll refund it to you." Right, because they've been so honest and so proactive all along. God knows if I will ever get my auction item and God knows if Toomey's description will be halfway accurate.

We needed some quick cash between paychecks and were able to put two rings up as collateral for a…read more$140 loan, which, since we paid it off in just a month, though it had a high interest rate, wasn't too bad ($28 total). It really helped, and they were really great about explaining the process to us. The rings were worth much more in sentimental value than they were worth probably, and though we weren't excited about the whole thing, they were so friendly and non-sketchy, that if we ever ended up in the same situation, I can't imagine going anywhere else.

Rude Very…read moredisappointing customer service. My dad and I went in to have a ring checked for authenticity. When we entered, there was no one visible, so I opened the door and stepped partly inside while trying to figure out whether the store was actually open. The employee came over but did not greet us and instead told me to close the door in a noticeably annoyed tone. My dad showed him the ring and asked whether it was authentic. Rather than actually examining or verifying it, the employee simply said he was not sure but that it was 'probably real' When my dad asked a few follow-up questions, the employee remained dismissive and did not provide any meaningful information or service. The interaction left a very poor impression. We were treated as if we were being an inconvenience to him it's the most rude cold interaction i've ever had at a place of business. I would not recommend anyone to come here. A business who fails to do the bare minimum in treating customers with basic respect is not worth your time.

Went here to celebrate my 70th birthday! Menu had printed Happy Birthday on the top. Everyone from…read morethe parking to the wait staff were amazing. Great steak! I really liked how it was paced. Salad and appetizer was served first With a little time before ordering your main entree. I believe they really wanted us to enjoy our experience. The birthday cake came out with a huge sparkler, a torch! Didn't know what to do with it; still very nice. The restaurant has complimentary parking; a big plus! The restaurant itself was beautifully decorated and fun to look around at all the artwork. Highly recommend.

The recent Buffalo Grove sale we attended was SOOOO much fun!…read more It was clean, well organized, beautifully photographed, and well marketed. Lines were long, but by no means unmanageable.

Consigned 2 items for sale and within 40 days they were marked down. The price point was…read morereasonable. I had been reluctant to list the items at the suggested priced but did so. And although the contract allows for it, there was no reason to reduce the price of the items other than wall space. Consider the operating model and motivation when consigning.

Anna's has an incredible selection of unique furnishings and antiques and accessories. Full…read morevintage dining room tables and chairs, living room sets and plenty of individual items to accent your rooms with style. There is also vintage jewelry!! What a treat! Totally worth the stop and is a hidden gem in Highwood. For decorators and designers, it's big deal and I know why!

Richard's store is a lot of fun. He displays a wide variety of items from various family estate…read moresales in Chicagoland. I've personally had Richard sell some of my items and I was very happy with my proceeds after his commission. He is friendly and welcoming and has tremendous knowledge about antiques and collectibles. The store is neat and doesn't have the look or smell of a rummage sale. Items are displayed tastefully. Richard is a valuable contact to have if you need an honest estate sale professional. Besides me, two of my friends have used Richard's services in the past and have been very satisfied. He provides great value.

We have been using Richard Alan Estate options for quite sometime and are pleased 100%. He is…read morehonest and his service is very valuable. Richard's shop is very clean with a wide selection of items to choose from. He treats his customers like friends and knows the value of a wide variety of collectibles. He's a lot of fun to do business with.

I am adding another positive review to the collection! I came in with several coins from my father…read morein law's collection, and had been looking for a place to help me. They were really kind, patient and honest. I'm also in a business where I constantly have to explain complex values to my clients and their patience was personally instructive. I am so glad to have found my place!

I went to Oakton Coins and Collectibles to have my collection appraised and get a second opinion…read more My collection consists of several PR70 DCAM coins, older Japanese coins, and an 1808 Admiral Gardner shipwreck coin, among other pieces. Unfortunately, I felt very rushed and was quickly made to feel as though I should be on my way. The gentleman assisting me spent quite literally less than two minutes looking over my entire collection. Rather than discussing the individual pieces or explaining his assessment, he essentially took a quick glance and told me, "Yeah, you only have $20 here." I understand that I don't have the most lucrative collection in the world. However, I know enough about what I own to know that the collection is worth more than $20 and contains pieces that warrant more than a cursory glance. What particularly bothered me was what happened when I pushed back regarding an 1853-1865 Japanese Kaei Isshu. The gentleman then took another look at the coin, checked its metal content, and rather than explaining what he thought it was or having a conversation with me about the piece, asked, "How much do you want for it?" It suddenly felt as though the focus had shifted toward trying to purchase the coin rather than helping me understand what I had. To be clear, I did not come in intending to sell my collection. I was primarily looking for a knowledgeable second opinion and hoped to have a conversation with someone who shared an interest in coins and collectibles. I cannot say with certainty why I was treated the way I was. I'm young, Mexican, walked in wearing casual clothes, and carried my collection in a backpack. Whether any of those things influenced the interaction, I obviously cannot know. What I can say is that I did not feel welcomed, taken seriously, or particularly wanted in the store. I left feeling as though I had been generalized as a young, naive Mexican rather than treated as someone who genuinely enjoys collecting and wanted to learn more about his collection. The experience bothered me enough that I downloaded Yelp specifically to write my first review. I see that Oakton Coins and Collectibles has many positive reviews, and I recognize that my experience may have been an outlier. I can only speak to how I was treated during my visit, but unfortunately, the experience left enough of an impression that I will not be returning.

I'm in NJ They are in California…read more I had to rely on pictures and Potter and Potter absolutely minimized the damage . The pictures were EXTREMELY misleading. Buyer beware.

NEVER a problem and always an enjoyable remote auction experience. The items always match the…read moredescription, the hammer instantly acknowledges my bids (But you do have to be attentive, aware and quick to follow the auctioneers intuitive pacing, not waiting too long to bid), and communication and service have always been above par. I do love the selection and variety of auctions. Yes, some items with quite high opening bids, but that simply means those auctions are not for me. I am happy with my won items. Shipping is fairly quick and items are always packaged well. Five stars from me over the last two years.

Besides being a supreme craftsman, Ray is a purveyor of marvelous oddities like the…read morerecycled-aluminum creatures--flamingoes, penguins, pigs, roosters--that I've collected over the years. These all-weather friends "hide" in plain sight, peeking out from behind trees & shrubs, delighting toddlers, amusing passersby. Yesterday as I turned onto Ridge in Wilmette, a green dinosaur in front of Ray's shop flagged me down & asked where I've been! He & his brilliant friends, peacock & owl, made me laugh--& for a moment I forgot about Covid 19, my husband's stroke, the war in Ukraine, global warming. Who could resist that? And so our menagerie grows--in size & popularity. Thanks to Ray

I stopped in for the first time as I was driving thru our…read moresmall antique section of town off Ridge Rd. Studio 817 was exactly like an antique shop should be! A seemingly completely unlimited selection of whatever you never thought you needed but now cannot live without. The owner walked me thru the store showing me wooden tables, measuring to see if it was the right size, and saying "I have this one also..." He was so thoughtful, even offering to build a tabletop top to my exact measurements. Don't miss stopping by this cute store for what he has and what he can build.