We've had nothing but good experiences with Michaans Auctions. We've both bought and sold through them and found it to be a great way to liquidate the items we don't want to keep (like through their estate auctions or annex sale (not sure what they call it) and trade up into better items, like with their antique auctions. We've found them to be well-organized and an easy way to buy and sell antiques and collectibles. I would highly recommend them to anyone. Although, to be clear, we haven't used their estate liquidation service, which I understand to be a somewhat different but related kind of service, like geared towards liquidating whole estates and stuff. We've only bought and sold small groups of items... not an estate liquidator kind of thing. I imagine it's a good service and that they put the better items in the antique auction and the other stuff in an estate auction or kind of a lower end salvage auction in a warehouse out on one of the runways at the former Alameda Naval base. Even if you're not going to buy or sell, it's worth it to come see one of their auctions in process. read more

Michaan's treated our family very shabbily. We had them appraise our art collection and paid for the appraisal. There were some issues with missed appointments and errors in the documents but we were willing to overlook that and give them a fair comparison. We decided to go with another auction house who took the best and most expensive pieces. They were upset by this naturally, but assured us we could come back. When we went back to them to sell the remainder they said they would not take "sloppy seconds." Since we had selected the other company they would not do business with us and we should go with the other company. Certainly it is with in their rights to choose who they do business with, but the reaction and treatment was very immature and showed an unenlightened attitude. read more

Ok, first of all , I am VERY surprised about the negative feedback. I have been working with auction houses for more than 15 years. SF, NYC, China and Europe... I worked with Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, Ketterer Kunst and many, many more and I must say that Michaans is one of the VERY best ! They are very professional, extremely knowledgeable and always happy to go the extra mile for their clients. I have been working with Michaans for more than 10 years and I always had very successful transactions. Always 100% satisfled. Their team is always helpful and they will make sure their clients are satisfied. Give them a shot, you will NOT regret it...Small or large cases, they will make sure you get the best result possible. I would give them 10 out of 10 !! HIGHLY recommended ! Try Bonhams if you are looking for a negative experience... read more

Love a good bargain? Auctions By The Bay has awesome stuff and good prices. They are a bit younger than the other auction houses but are super nice. The annex auction they have every month is full of crazy stuff. I got a pretty diamond ring for $20 and a beautiful painting for $10!!! I love walking through the main building where they have the estate sale ... wonderful antique furniture! read more

Michaan's Auctions - Auctions By The Bay Main Gallery - Auction Houses Near Me - Alameda, California

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Great customer service..overwhelmed at trying to sell items from an estate. When transporting a diningroom set to the Auction house, we tied it down improperly. The man receiving the goods saw that the leg of the hutch now been broken. He was so good with us; calmed me down , took the hutch and said they would take care of repairing it. They sold all the pieces at a realistic price; they were extremely efficient in getting us our payment check promptly. Greatly appreciated the burden they took off us. Chris D. read more

We were totally and pleasantly surprised when we attended Michaans drop in appraisal event. The receptionist was efficient, courteous and went out of her way to provide chairs for people waiting. The experts we talked to - Annie Zeng and Paul Novak - were both informative and very respectful of the items we brought in. We'd definitely recommend their appraisal service to anyone curious about the origins and potential value of a treasured item. read more

Michaan's Auctions has something for everyone. With a big auction house like this in the area no one ever needs to shop retail again. Weather you are looking for housewares ( the best values in my opinion) or Fine Art, you will find it at a reasonable price at Michaan's. The Main Gallery has some screaming deals, especially on furniture, and the Annex (or Warehouse) Auction has EVERYTHING a girl could ask for. Vintage Clothes- GOT IT! Dinnerware- GOT IT! A sofa for the front room- GOT IT! Bracelets, rings or watches for Valentines Sweetie- Go GET IT! Even with the buyers premium and sales tax I got everything a whole lot cheaper at Michaan's than at Target, or Macy's or any Boutique shop. A careful and thrifty shopper could outfit an entire apartment, wear designer clothes and still have money to spend. Do yourself a favor and go shopping there first! read more

I have attended and purchased at many of Michaan's auctions over the last 10 years. My experience in dealing with the company / it's employees has always been extremely positive. I have enthusiastically recommended their auctions to friends and family, as there are lot's of wonderful treasures to be found, treasure hunting is always fun :) read more

Michaan's Auctions was very helpful when it came to liquidating my parents estate. The people were friendly and knowledgable about the items sold and we just can't believe some of the prices we got for our fathers furniture! It made the whole process easier for us. Three thumbs up for this auction house!!! read more

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

People are people. And at Michaan's, appraisers are no different. You will meet with all kinds of appraisers, ones that are kind, friendly, polite, informative, and knowledgeable of history in one capacity or another. Appraisers that should keep in mind should you need their assistance again, because many are not just Michaan's appraisers, but are learn-ed individuals with a breadth of history and details that when you hear them talk it's like if someone was reading from a great book to you, and many of these appraisers move on to bigger and better things and aren't there for long BECAUSE they are so knowledgeable and helpful and people gravitate towards them and want them around. But I did say that people are people, and appraisers are no different. So I have found that there are those appraisers that provide little to no information about the item you're having appraised and make little to no effort to assist you. One case in point which prompted me to write this review is an encounter I had with their jewelry appraiser. I had brought a friend down because he had some old pieces of jewelry thay he wanted to Michaan's Auctions to take a look at and see if they could tell him more about them and find out if they were of notable value. So we planned our day, went on down, and waited about 30 minutes to see the jewelry appraiser. She walk up to us from behind and had us pass her the jewelry over the folding chairs. She then she held it up to the florescent lights above to examine the stones. One of the stones she wasn't sure what kind it was at first, but she ran no other tests. The only observation she provided about all the different colored stones in the different jewelry is that they all had the same type of stone, a stone I had never heard of before or knew how to spell it. It felt like I was in the midst of a April Fool's prank. She then passed it back to us over the back of the folding chair we had been sitting in. We tried to ask her questions, but apparently there wasn't time even though it was around 11 am. We tried to hand her a fourth piece of jewelry because we were bewildered that she claimed that all the different colored gemstones were the same type of stone that we've never heard of that she determined so quickly by holding up to the florescent ballasts above. She then said you reached your limit of 4 and she needs to move on. This all transpired over about 2 minutes after we had waited more than 30 minutes. The appraisal felt rushed and haphazard and her demeanor seemed very dismissive. If she wasn't a jewelry appraiser, I would've sworn she was the host at a party and we were taking up too much of her time. But she is a jewelry appraiser and after seeing her method for how she inspects jewelry and her findings, she comes across as a mediocre gemologist that makes rushed conclusions. So, remember that people are people and you ought not expect to have a pleasant experience with every appraiser, every time you go to Michaan's Auctions.There are many delightful appraisers that have so much knowledge and are a joy when they help you find out more about your antique. Though you may encounter an appraiser or two that will leave you feeling like you item is a thing that has no use to them. read more

If you're an adrenaline junkie, this is your place! We just spent two days at Michaan's Annex auction. Rarely have we found better prices, more eclectic items, or more helpful staff. We're already planning our next visit! read more

An update - this past month all of my purchases were still there when I went to do my pick up and only one thing had been broken between purchase and pick up. Big change, thanks Michaan's! And I love, love, love the women on the floor, they are the best. And Emily - what can I say? She's the best, too. read more

Michaan's Auctions - It's really cold in the warehouse but there are so, so many bargains today. Thanks Michaan's! - Auction Houses Near Me - Alameda, California

I love the annex (general stuff, antiques, furniture, art, etc ) auctions! My routine is to preview the auction on the weekend, then leave absentee bids (because these auctions are held on weekdays when I work, and besides absentee bidding keeps emotional bidding in check). I have made.a lot of money reselling hidden gems that turned up in lots I bought cheap! I love the staff - so helpful and nothing is too much trouble. This weekend I lost my phone somewhere in the warehouse and you would think the guys had nothing to do but help me look until the phone turned up. Thanks again. read more

Great custom service!! They hold appraisals for the public free of charge every Sunday. We will be utilizing their services soon!!

Based on my experience, Michaan's Auction is a shiester organization. I am still awaiting payment on a lot that was consigned in January 2020. I will never do business with them again. If you want a reliable and credible auction house, I would recommend Heritage.com in Dallas. read more

An amazing service! We never had to use them until now. We needed an appraisal done on an art piece. We did it over email got the appraisal within days. They saved us time and money! Efficient and effective! Many blessings for your help. read more

This company has a great buying experience with a really sleek app and cool bidding interface. However, after making a purchase you are in for a few unpleasant surprises. First of all, you can only pick items up on weekdays between 9 and 4:30 so anyone with a job needs to take time off work in order to purchase which is a real hardship for their customers. Secondly, there is a 23% buyers premium that is explained somewhere in the fine print on the app that you will be surprised with upon pickup unless you have methodically combed through the terms and conditions. Thirdly many photos on the app are not representative of the items. I bought a pile of plates. They had put the only attractive plate on top and every single one underneath was the same and completely from the the one on top that was the only one visible in the photo. So I had to take time off work, pay more than I thought and got a different item than I was sold. Such a shame, never buying again. read more

I worked with Annie in the Asian art department to sell a number of art pieces and furniture. Annie was so helpful and the auction process was well beyond what I expected. Everything sold and the return was much larger than I expected. A very positive experience! read more

We are new to auctions and were uncomfortable about what to expect. We found the employees at Michaan's Gallery Auction so helpful and approachable, the quality of products excellent, the prices quite reasonable, and the experience to be a blast . . . after we got over our nervousness. We will be returnees. Victoria read more

I have consigned several pieces to this auction house, and am saddened by the cavalier and careless way my items were treated. Antique glass stopper returned broken rendering the decanter useless. Tapestry commode cover frayed at the ends, woven chair seats frayed, scratches on wooden furniture. One piece, a lovely Victorian shaving stand, was returned with the adjustable mirror rod missing, rendering it useless. If you value your items, do not consign here, as they have NO respect for your property. If it doesn't sell, it will most likely not be returned to you in the condition you last saw it. If, however, you do consign something and it is returned broken, parts missing, or damaged in any way, make a claim and give them hell. In one case, I was issued a check for the reserve price. In another, their in house restorer did a cursory repair. In the other cases, however, just a shrug and silence. read more

Watch out! This place like to make money anyway they can from both sellers and buyers! Nickel and dime you to death. Super high buyer premium at 22% which is pretty unheard in these parts. Do not even think about having any items shipped to you! You will pay unheard astronomical shipping fees. About 6 to 10 times what the actual shipping cost is... hate feeling ripped off and scammed. read more

I called Susan Paffrath (Fine Art Appraiser). I requested if I can send via email pictures of the art objects just to get an idea of the value before I travel to their location for a formal appraisal. Emailed the pictures and voila, Received a reply via email from Susan within 3 hours. Very customer focus, easy to talk to and felt that she gave me an honest appraisal for the arts I sent via email. Kudos to Michaan's Auctions. read more

I've submitted images for an appraisal several times over the years to Michaan's through their website. In not a single instance was there a response. Not sure why they are so non responsive. read more

Only auction house I know of that won,t help you remove stuff from their bulilding much less load it, so plan on hiring help. They also won't let you pick up at 5PM even if auction continues till 6PM. With them being in such an out of the way location it means you might have to make an extra trip to pick up 1 small item. No carts were available for loading today. They leave them 300 feet from the building in a pile and tell you not to use them. Makes no sense. Guess I will stop buying the large pieces that sit here month after month. read more

Online bidders beware!!! I gave them a shot a few times and had enough. Doing business with this company is like a Real Bad trip to the Dentist! read more

Michaan's is great! Welcoming when you arrive, very friendly and informative. They do an amazing job from start to finish! I recommend checking them out, whether you're looking to have items appraised or if you're wanting to sell or buy. We loved everything about them!!! read more

On behalf of my family, I would like to commend the entire staff at Michaan's Auctions for their courteous service and expert advise in the selling of my late father's Chinese antique and art collection. Kim and Harry have been great, with their knowledge of the market and strategies on how to maximize realized prices on the pieces. Sincerely, Duane Tom read more

Great staff, take the same extreme care and precautions with a beat up chair as they do with a 250k Tiffany lamp. The staff is helpful and friendly, then you can get some awesome deals on all kinds of things. read more

Wonderful Staff, Lovely Treasures. The Owner Allen Michaan is wonderful ! He is completely hands on. Michaans staff works very hard to get the best price for the consigners . The Staff at Michaans is very knowledgable and professional. They go the extra mile to make sure the Consigner and Bidder have a great experience. I love to Shop and Sell my items at Michaans ! read more

Great spot to buy and/or sell practically anything. As a consigner, I was very happy with their extremely low fees. The employees are wonderful and knowledgable. Every month, I find a new plethora of treasures for sale at unbeatable prices. read more

Nice place to stop by and take a look at cool, old stuff. Guy behind the jewelry counter was very nice and helpful as we've never been into an auction house before. Gave us many option on how to bid and answered all our newbie questions. read more

Made an appointment on the phone and talked to Kim the manager. She asked I e-mail her pictures of the item to make sure we didn't drive all the over there to find out the item was worthless. Sent those to her, she had one of the art appraisers look at and he said to go ahead and come on in. When we got there, we were greeted and all the staff were friendly. Kim came up and greeted and said the 10 o'clock appointment ran a little over, but we were free to browse and told us which table we would meeting at. So we browsed for about 15 minutes. Harry, the art expert apologized for the delay and after taking a look at our scroll said it was a nice copy. He was very careful inputting the scroll back in the box and was very helpful. read more

Michaans Auctions provided a very mixed experience to this seller. The items that were selected for the Asian Specialty auction sold well. But after that, the entire Estate Sale and Annex sale were handled very poorly. We were told that many items would be put into the Estate Sales, but in the end, only three were selected out of about 60. I don't know how they sold there yet. The Annex auction sold only a few items that sold for what we were told they would be worth. I couldn't believe the items that were sold for $1. If your items are designated for the Annex sale, do not expect to receive any real value for them, judging from our experience. I decided I would gain more value by giving them to Good Will and writing them off as a deduction than to waste my time taking them to their Annex warehouse. Again, I experienced good results with the Specialty action, but most of our items were basically ignored for their value once I dropped them off at the Annex, except for 3 items that were put in the Estate sales, the results of which I do not know yet. read more

A great estate liquidator - I can't comment on the "auction house" aspect of the firm. Back in 2012, they sold thousands and thousands of dollars of my ex-wifes abandoned things, including top shelf level designer hand bags, fashions and shoes, for pennies on the dollar in huge grouped lots. Many antique items sold for near 1/10th the value I'd paid at the Alameda Flea Market where we'd purchased many of them - but I was soooo thankful for the lack of effort I needed to put into this process - it was totally worth it. I didn't have to answer any annoying phone calls or emails, they were great. In fact all communication was USPS mailed to me... Often these letters listing out lot groupings and prices, or discussing cost reductions would arrive days after the listed sale date so there was nothing to even respond too - the items would be sold. In fact, I'd suggest the tagline for this company be - "Poof gone." But I'll put my copyright on that first: © 2015 David M - but it is for sale if anyone at Michaan's is interested? Really this is the place to go to ship all of your ex's abandoned junk.. They'll sell anything, for anything they can get... and you get a few bucks in your pocket and you don't even need to talk to anyone about it. Just perfect! Just what I needed. Thank you Michaan's. read more

I referred my friend who had a house full of items. She and another friend took their china, art, WW2 and miscellaneous items to Michaan's. Their items were sold and they were very appreciative of the service, the staff and the company! read more

I went to their appraisal clinic w my grandmothers diamond ring, the jewelry appraiser quoted me $600, and offered to buy it. Then I took it to a private appraiser, the value of the diamonds and gold alone was $3,625.00. They don't appraise, they buy cheap in hopes that you don't know any better. read more

Buy or sell antiques and fine art with this esteemed California auction house that provides a seamless experience from appraisal to sale.

Beware of online auctions that this auction house offers through Liveauctioneers: I understand every business has to make a profit but where is the line between profit and responsibility to the customer come into play. This place charges the consignor (person selling the item at auction 17% to 25% of the selling price, they then charge the buyer 18% commission which is all good if it was not for the relative running the shipping company who then charges $45 an hour and marks up the postage cost all in the name of profit. The last time I looked honest auction houses reputations are built the customers buying the items not the internet or the seller. Without people buying there is no business. We stood up to Ebay and changes were made for the better. Its now time to stand up to all these fly by night online auction companies and auction houses and tell they your tired of being ripped off. SAY NO TO ONLINE AUCTIONS Find an honest local Antique dealer that will work with you to get you the items you need and want at the price you can afford. Big Business does not need to monopolize and once honorable Antique profession. read more

I sold gems and minerals through Michaan's Auctions and found that there commissions were excessively high ( up to 35%). Read the contract before signing. The amount they kept made it uneconomical to sell. In one case I had to go back three times to get my money. The cost for small auctions is high. I do not recommend Michaan's. read more

Drove all the way over to Alameda from Santa Cruz for an appraisal. Had some art and some crystal. The gentlemen who examined our art was friendly and knowledgeable, however the "woman" who looked at our crystal had zero personality zero professionalism and took literally 2 minutes, looking up crystal online that wasn't even our same set. She then tells us that our Saint Louis Cristal Set is worth $5.00 a piece. At that point we knew she had no clue, nor did she care about what she was doing. Not at all surprised reading the reviews here. Do NOT waste your time or gas money for that matter with this joke of an establishment!! read more