Maybe you've seen David, and his colleagues Suzanne Perrault and John Sollo on "Antiques Roadshow". Perhaps you've been, as I am, impressed with his love for and his vast knowledge of the art pottery world. Down-to-earth, professional, funny and accessible, David Rago Auctions also handles many basic estate auctions as well as period, genre-specific and general auctions, and attending one at his elegant and comfortable location in lovely Lambertville is a terrific time for all. His catalogues are available online for viewing, online, absentee and phone bidding are all available, and the auction atmosphere is collegial, fun, brisk and free of pretense or hauteur, making even the most novice auctiongoer comfortable. I have bought Roseville pottery, Craftsman furniture and other smaller items here at auction and I have never had a bad experience. The buyer's premium is a tad steep at 20%, but prices at auctions here tend to be reasonable and the value of items tend to run a little under what you would pay in a retail environment, so it all evens out. I trust their assessment of items. They tend to specialize in 20th century or late 19th century furniture, glass, pottery and paintings, but can handle any and all genres with the same deep knowledge of the market and the artists that they bring to Lalique or period jewelry. A trip here is a really nice day out, with numerous places to eat and shop within walking distance in the chic, interesting riverside hamlet of Lambertville. If you can stand New Hope any more, it's just over the bridge in the center of town. read more

My purchase was very smooth . Staff helpful and responsive. Would not hesitate to purchase from this Auction house again .

Very rude. Never open when they say they are open. I do not recommend going there. You will be disappointed!

I need to update my Rago Arts review. I was compensated for the expensive shipping and inconvenience. Slow but respectful. Nice to see them honoring commitments. read more

They always have such wonderful and unique items. I never leave here sorry with what I purchased. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Always a pleasure. read more

I bought a necklace from a Rago auction in May. I paid, signed the shipping waiver, and provided a credit card to the shipper. It's now the end of July. I never received the necklace, and Rago has not responded to my messages. While it was only $825.93, I am so frustrated that they will not respond to me or make any attempt whatsoever to resolve the matter. They either need to reimburse me for the cost or send the necklace to me, but they completely disregard my emails and voicemail. read more

I've bought with Rago for a few years now, and each time had issues - especially with shipping after quick payment. This last time I didn't even think I had won anything as I wasn't contacted for 2.5 week....did someone else not pay or what? And once again, a run around with shipping. I'm done with them. I've made payment and am now arranging for a third party to ship. Hopefully this will result in a better outcome. I will update my review if that is not the case. update #1....moved it down to one star as the smell rude and petty woman mentioned by others is being ridiculous. My items are lid for and now legally BELONG TO ME. When I asked to confirm the pick up location for my shipper she said I had to give them the name of the shipper before they would "release Location to me.". The while POINT of confirming pick up location is to make sure I am using a lock shipper. This woman has no business working with the public. read more

One of my favorite auction houses here in the US. As an international customer, they really treat you well. Can recommend them to all customers.. also, non local customers read more

April 2018 update: My grandmother passed away due to the infections caused by the constant attack of bed bugs. I called Rago to let them know she had passed away in tears and their "Chief Administrative Officer" named "Eliane," who they transferred me to, responded by saying after a good minute of silence "...Good riddance. Don't contact us again." Reading through the other reviews on here, I notice that there's a habit of telling customers "don't contact us again" when they have an issue. It seems "Eliane" has a modus operandi. I wonder if David Rago knows the extreme level of sociopath on his payroll? Either way, It's time for this place to be put out to pasture. Good riddance to my grandmother? No, good riddance to Rago with their overhyped, dirty garbage sold by sociopaths at an inflated price that may or may not cause disease and death to its new owner. read more

This auction house provided exceptional service and maximized the sales of my family art collection. Suzanne Perault was an invaluable consultant and art expert. The support staff was also exemplary. read more

As dishonest as any auction house I have dealt with in 30 years. Falsifies lot descriptions, stands by nothing no matter how blatant and will blame bidders when caught. Just the worst. read more

I have been in the antique business for over 45 years and have both bought and sold through different auction houses. Over the last couple of decades I have placed Items with Rago/Wright Auction 3 times. I have the highest regard for their communication and integrity. With all of their staff I have had excellent interchange and counseling. They have my highest recommendation for their services. read more

Don't buy from these guys on LiveAuctioneers. I have purchased thousands of dollars in merch on LiveAuctioneers over the last several years and have always paid on time. When I tried to bid on an item they had on LiveAuctioneers they required a deposit--a deposit for something I hadn't even won yet. I offered to give them a credit card number they could use if I won (with over $30,000 in available credit), but they lied and said they cant due that--even though I have done this with other auction companies numerous times. Sad part is that I went and bid on a similar item for another auctioneer and they didnt require squat (Rago just a lost a multi thousand dollar sale)!! Guess Rago and his wife let the press clippings go to their head and impede their judgment. read more

Nothing about Rago ia professional, from poor and misleading lot descriptions to horrific customer service. Avoid these clowns.

Recently I purchased a piece of fine art from Rago. In my many years of dealing with service organizations I have never experienced the high level of service they provided. If gives me great hope that there are still organizations that understand the concept of great service. I have been dealing with Suzanne Perrault one of the partners in the firm and all I can say is she is amazing. I barely finished writing an e-mail to her and her reply was waiting in my inbox. Thank you you Rago for everything! read more

I purchased a mirror from Rago in February and began arranging shipment with them in early March. Do I have the mirror? Nope. Do I have any idea where it is? Nope. They said they'd arrange to have a trucker deliver it to L.A. and I would get invoiced. Do I have an invoice with a shipping cost? Nope. Oh, and they said the truck would be on its way 7 days ago. Is it on it's way? Your guess is as good as mine. No one from Rago has told me anything. Do they have my money? Yep. That really says it all. Well intentioned but unprofessional, unresponsive and unreliable. Stay away. read more

Buyer beware and very careful to look at your items IN PERSON. The photos on their websites and catalogues hide lots of issues and you risk being stuck with a very expensive poor quality item. They rarely describe the issues in their listings. You won't notice the issues until you've paid for it and taken delivery. They are also quite adept at mixing in near worthless pieces with very inflated estimates to pass off to less educated buyers. And to Kate E. who says we should not complain as we should read the fine print...Rago takes nearly 25% from the buyer and probably 20% from the seller...so they are supposed to take care of the vetting process so that buyers are not stuck with poor quality items. Especially since most deals are done online and not in person. read more

Have done business with Rago Arts for years and have always been pleased with their level of customer service and quality of of offerings. It's easy to get personnel on the phone, and found them to be most accommodating whether providing additional information on a lot, or in solving shipping issues. read more

This is among the best auction houses I've encountered in the last 15 years of doing business of buying and selling. They have a great staff for doing research, and are already extremely knowledgable about contemporary studio arts & crafts, which is what I am interested in. The web presense is great, their photography is top notch in the indistry, and their customer service is 100% from my experience. They take good care of their buyers and sellers. I have never had a problem with Rago, so I don't understand the complainers: everyone, buyers and sellers both, always need to read the small print. read more

Who describes an auction item's provenance as "from an important private collection" without specifying whose collection it was? That's not provenance, it's meaningless hype. A seller could claim anything as "an important private collection." C'mon, Rago. read more

I don't know why there's 2 listing for Rago--here's what I posted on the other called Rago Auction Rago has been my go-to auction for over a decade. I've furnished and accessorized 3 homes-including one in Palm Springs. They have a variety of auctions that range from traditional arts & crafts to mid-century modern (my preference). I've been successful buying at their higher end reserved auctions and their "no reserve" auctions. The staff is consistently courteous and, more importantly honest in their condition reports and, if they know, provenance. I've recommended Rago to friends who have become regular buyers. I've also sold items through Rago without any issues or regrets. The great thing is you can buy in person, on-line or on the phone so you don't have to live close to the auction house. read more

I have bought and sold things from Rago over the past 25 years and have referred literally hundreds of customers there. But in light of the auction house trafficking in US concentration camps items for personal gain and profit, I am ashamed to now have done these things. The Japanese American community and others have made their concerns known and have continually been ignored, rebuffed and lied to. I am shocked and horrified that a predominately white auction house, with affluent white customers would take precious artifacts from another ethnic group to sell to the highest bidder like it was a pile of Fiestaware. If this is the future of American craft collecting - count me and my money out. Not another dime to Rago - ever! read more

Terrible experience with this auction house. Its as if no one knows who is running the show. I won an auction, paid for it, sent numerous emails and phone messages inquiring about the status of shipping. Not only did I receive no response but next thing I know THEY filed a dispute with Liveauctioneers which prevented me from bidding on any of my numerous saved auction items. I had to dig deep into their website to find the emails of people with supposed "power" who eventually cleared my account with Liveauctioneers. Did they even offer to cover shipping or extend a discount for the inconvenience their ineptitude caused me? Didn't even occur to them. read more

Rago is auctioning off a priceless collection of artifacts created by Japanese Americans during the time in which they were interned at the Heart Mountain Wyoming relocation camp during WWII. Having rejected appeals from the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (the non-profit dedicated to preservation of the site) and from thousands of Japanese Americans, Rago are unsympathetic to the history, meaning, and appropriate treatment of the invaluable community legacy this collection represents. The value of these precious objects cannot be measured in dollars; their value instead lies in the suffering, resilience, spirit and dignity of those who created them while wrongfully confined behind barbed wire for four years, many of whom lost all all of their pre-war belongings and property. The fact that Rago will not consider working with the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation to preserve and protect the collection in honor of its many creators and as a symbol/reminder of our spotted past is mind-blowingly disheartening; clearly this is a money run on their part. The people that run this company have neither heart nor soul. When pure greed trumps conscience it's a sad day. I give them zero stars. UPDATE: I've read that they've decided not to auction the items. I'll raise my rating to 3 stars since they apparently do have some integrity and reverence (when pressured to do the right thing). read more

I have purchased items from three different auctions, and I could not be more impressed with their professionalism and customer service. They bend over backwards to help accommodate tricky shipping issues, and the quality of items they curate to auction is truly impressive. I am thrilled every time I see they're listing new items!! read more

I love this auction house. It's an auction so "Buyer Beware". Furniture items are used. Go to the preview and check it out before bidding. They take 25% fee so you need to know that a bid of $100 will cost you $125. It is a lot of fun to be there in person. The trick is not to get carried away which can happen... read more

I've been dealing with the most arrogant man, Timothy Andreadis, who made me feel my art doesn't have enough value and the commission has to be HIGH for them to consider having my art for auction there. I definitely don't recommend them unless your art has a lot of value and they can make a lot of money on your behalf. read more

Some bargains to be had but it takes patience and a good eye. Buyers premium is high. Its difficult to get past the answering machine and leaving a message doesn't always work. I like the live auction and it is easy to connect with a shipper for won items (auction house is in NJ). read more

Great service. Professional and extremely helpful in appraising my pottery. Highly recommend

I have dealt with David Rago and RagoArts for over 20 years. In all that time David and Suzanne Perrault his partner have been a valued source of information, care and attention. When I first began collecting ceramics I contacted David after seeing a George Ohr pot in Kovel's Antique Price Guide (pre internet days), David spent many hours on the phone with me, instructing and guiding me eye for over a year. I'd contact him regularly with questions about various ceramic studios and he was patient and understanding. He never pushed or tried to hustle or hurry me into making a purchase or bidding in an auction, just a constant stream of solid information. When I decided to participate in auctions I was always pleased with my acquisitions, the condition of the lots always matched the written and verbal descriptions. Eventually my collecting shifted to furniture and other decorative arts and there again David helped and took time to guide me through the process and understanding. In an industry rife with smoke and mirrors it's a treasure to find an honest dealer willing to tell you exactly what's what. It's never been about trying to sell me on a piece, but always about building a relationship. Sidebar: whenever it came to selling an item purchased through RagoArts I always came out ahead, making a nice profit. Thank you David and Suzanne for your guiding hand and valuable insights. read more

A few years ago, I bought a rare George Nelson coffee table at auction from Rago Auctions. I talked with a person on the phone about a condition report. I asked if it had the original finish and if it were in good condition. I was assured it was in great shape and all original. When it arrived, I was very upset to see a crude refinishing job had been poorly applied over the original finish of the wood. You could see brush strokes in the finish, and it was thickly applied in some places and thinly in others. It was poorly packed and came severely damaged. It was very difficult to get reimbursed and to return it. read more

Just plain RUDE. The assistant to David Rago- Rude-took my call -heard my voice and transferred me to voice mail. Had a similar experience with them many years ago when I went to an appraisal day at their Lambertville location. Waited a ridiculous amount of time to speak to someone only to find out the expert was not "in". Later they sent someone to my home under the guise of accepting the piece for auction but tried to buy it from me instead. Apparently Mr. Rago does not read nor care about all these negative reviews. read more

If you want (or need) to sell virtually any item of decorative arts or fine art, Rago Arts and Auction Center should be on your list of auction houses. If you're a buyer, you'll find that there's something for everybody in every price range. A few facts: * Rago has some of the best terms in the business for sellers. Why it matters: You'll end up with more money in your pocket. * Rago has bidders all over the world and knows who is interested in buying what. Why it matters: International reach creates bidding competition, which translates into excellent prices for sellers. * Rago is cutting edge--selling in-house, on the internet, and over the phone. Why it matters: Your consignments get as much exposure as possible and real-time competition. * Rago is constantly evolving and innovating. In addition to modern design, jewelry, art, pottery and glass, and coin sales, they've recently created such new auction categories as Remix (contemporary and classic in a single sale) and Curiouser and Curiouser (just weird and wonderful stuff). Trust but verify. Check out their website. Compare the range of objects sold. Compare realized prices. Compare terms. You'll get the idea. read more

My Daughter gave them her wedding ring which was appraised by Hamilton Jewelers for 11,000 and also Dimond Ear Rings and a Dimond pendent, which was purchased for $3000 and Philip Stein watch purchased for $2600. All sold at Rago Action for a total of $4,500. Now does that sound right!?? Someone got a good deal. But not my daughter !#!#!# I would not recommend auctions! read more

I have dealt with over 20 auction houses in the US, Canada, and the UK. Rago Auction ranks by far as the worst. The people you deal with on the phone are extremely unfriendly and don't return phone calls. I encountered four instances where I did not have my call returned. Getting someone on the phone to help seemed nearly impossible. For a high buyer's premium of 25% they sure do not earn it. I'm not quite sure what work exactly gets done there or how this place continues to function. Just a look at their facebook page will tell you how unprofessional it is. It's full of random unrelated posts about chewing gum, bicycles, etc. With so many choices out there, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere for an auction. read more

About 5 years' ago, I cancelled a purchase from Rago because the item didn't match the written description. Yesterday, I was the high bidder on an item of theirs. When the auction closed, they refused to honor my high bid because, to my amazement and surprise, I had been "blocked" from bidding on any of their auction ever since my misadventure with them in 2012.....When I phoned them, they impolitely and in a truly nasty tone told me never to contact them again. By the way, the item in question 5 years' ago was described as "acrylic on canvas". There was no mention of the unfortunate fact that a major element of the piece was glued on and not painted on. When I questioned them about it at the time, they advised me that my issue was one of "condition" and that I should have brought it up before bidding. That was just downright dopey......It had nothing to do with condition. It was a question of the accuracy of the description. read more

I took items for appraisal there and it was interesting to see that dealing with other people and items within their expertise, they were quite skillful, but outside of that skill set they are rather inept. I had high end Li (Chinese minority) textiles, which they did not have any idea what they were and brushed them off as worthless. I dont expect them to be experts in everything, but a good appraiser would notice universal things such as age and refinement of weave. I was surprised that I knew much more about these and other items than their experts. read more

I have both bought and sold at this auction house. Yes the buyers' premium is a bit high, but usually the hammer prices are reasonable. They have taken care to catalog my higher end items well and I have been most pleased with the results. If you have an item that has value in the low $100s, then this is probably not the best venue. But if happen to be fortunate enough to have items in the four figure range then you should be pleased with the results. Best to do as much research as you can in yourself and send photos and info to them via the internet. All in all, good people and a good venue to sell Arts & Crafts movement, art pottery, and Modernism pieces. read more

I've been to the auction house both as a buyer and a seller. Felt like everyone was straight forward. I've always trusted there assessment of a piece and condition. Been happy with results. read more

This is a well known and perfectly fine place to buy American arts and crafts and modern furniture. They are not all that versed in European furniture, though even if it is 20th century. No matter. They are good in the areas in which they specialize. An auction house of this size cannot be expert in everything so they do a good job of sticking to what they know well. You have to laugh at the reviewer who was miffed that Rago did not appreciate his Li items. It was silly to take Asian things to Rago. They make no claims of expertise in this field. It is also amusing to read a couple of the other negative reviews, The reviewers probably had things of little value. An auction house has limited time to gather up enough lots for each sale so they cannot linger on items which have no potential for them either because they are not worth much or because they are in a field that Rago does cover. Believe me, if you have something nice and its in their area of expertise, they will react very quickly and very positively. It's a tough job to look at a lot of junk searching for the few pearls that the auctioneers do find. read more