This is a VERY reputable auction house. We have collected antiques for years, including many paintings. We placed many...many antiques for sale with Susanin's and everyone of them was sold..NOTHING was donated to charity due to non-sale. We were happy with the price received. Susanin was honest & fair with all of the items! However, a word of caution: Not all Chicago auction houses are honest. BEWARE BEWARE!!!! Go to an honest auction house...Susanin's read more

never returned phone calls or e=mails called several times never responded wanted them to handle my estate! remarkable incompetent why? they lost LOT OF BUSINESS FROM ME and friends i called three times. n ever got a call back I tis hard to believe in todays time with all the technology available that this is possible What is their explanation??? read more

Bad Experiences with this place...they discriminated against me on more than 1 occasion...last year I tried to consign a bowl..I was turned down when I brought the bowl into their office and when I emailed it to them..They Have Bowls there for as low as $25-$100...But they turned down my bowl as you can see in a email from them to me...the bowl eventually brought..Price Realized at $18,000 at an out of state auction house..Problem is...Somebody else reaped the benefits of the bowl...I sold it to somebody at a fraction of the price after Susanins told me it was nothing in this email...They also just recently Stopped me from Bidding on LiveAuctioneers blocking me when I brought up the racist picture prints upstairs to be sold on Saturday September 20th...if you buy and Support this Place...You Support their Views! read more

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I always had a good experience with Susanin's . Made some terrific buys there and the staff were very helpful and friendly. They even let me park my car there over a weekend once . That made me feel appreciated . Good luck. I'll miss them . Denis Chernyshov read more

Always a pleasure doing business with this great auction house. I learned today that they will no longer be conducting auctions in Chicago and have sold the building. That is so sad to hear as the antique business in downtown Chicago has become virtually extinct. I have done lots of business with Susanin's over the last fifteen years. Everyone on the staff has been top notch to deal with and I was always pleased with my transactions. I wish Sean and everyone else at Susanin's the best in their future endeavors. Your presence in Chicago will be greatly missed by all of us "antique" folk. read more

Sean runs the best high end auction house in the entire Midwest, IMHO. Seriously. Incredible attention to detail. Gorgeous catalogue photography. Friendly, helpful staff. Our "home away from home" when we're in Chicago? Pretty much. Yeah. read more

Why Auction houses have no hours for real people to pick things up is beyond logical. Esp for the buyers premiums they charge 25% - 30% on top of the hammer price but cannot offer an pick up time for real people. M-F 10am to 4pm. That is even less that Dr or banker hours. (they charge the seller 15-20% too). No service what so ever. Oh yeah they are especially rude on the phone and they will ban you forever from their auctions for pointing out bad hrs. read more

LIVE AUCTIONEER USERS OF SUSANIN'S BEWARE! I had purchased a 4 item lot of antique clothing from SUSANIN'S via LIVE auctioneer. I was successful in winning the lot. Spoke to the UPS company to get shipment. Upon receipt, only 3 of the 4 items were in the lot. The 1920s flapper dress, the only piece worth the money, was missing. SUSANIN'S blamed UPS, UPS blamed them. Ultimately it was SUSANIN'S fault and they wanted to refund me one forth of the lot. The rest of the lot was NOT my interest, it was the missing dress I was bidding on. They kept saying the situation was going to be taken care of, I had the lot ready to ship back but I wanted my over inflated $90 shipping charge back on the lot. I charged back my card , waited a year for them to organize shipment to get the items back which they never did The man working there is an idiot! It was a simple case, credit card ruled in MY FAVOR, and they have lost a good buyer for life read more

Do yourself a favor......before you purchase anything online at susanin's.....take some time and inspect any items you intend on buying. Good luck & take care. read more

From start to finish, Sean Susanin did exactly what he promised. Met w/me, had my auction items picked up (a houseload)) advertised the items (some as highlights), auctioned the items and paid me in a timely fashion, keeping me informed of each process. What more could I ask for? Thank you, Sean and Carrie for making this a pleasant experience! read more

Terrible auction business, dishonest on descriptions, conditions. Very poor customer service. A disgrace. Didn't used to be this way so I have to assume there's been a change in ownership and or management. Hope they change it around but right now they are one of the worst. read more

Susanin's is an auction house I have been dealing with for over 20 years. It is appalling to realize my trust was misplaced and Susanin's can discard a customer like an old shoe hurts. During the 20 plus years I have dealt with Susanin's, the staff and services have been impeccable till now. Like all auction houses, Susanin's does not actually sell goods that it owns itself. It merely facilitates the process of listing and displaying goods, bidding on items, and paying for them. It acts as a marketplace for individuals and businesses who use the site to auction off goods and services. its success depends on both the goodwill of buyers and sellers. I have had my identity compromised three times in last few year and waiting patiently for new cards, and everyone I have dealt with understands. This is a first, and Susanin's is the last place I expected a problem.The wait would only have been a matter of hours, till new cards arrived in mail or bank said they would give me a number, or merchant could call for confirmation. With this in mind. I called today in the AM to explain my new cards had not arrived but wanted to bid today. The very nice woman I talked with said no problem. Halfway through the auction, I received another call and was told could not bid without a card, even though earlier had been told I could. I have never reneged on a bid and been dealing with them for over 20 years. I gave her a number, but after thinking about it decided I would rather not do business, even minor business with a company whose management insisted she calls during an auction, let alone treated their customers as if they were trying to scam them, why else a card in advance? Customer service for an auction house involves both the seller and the buyer. If I would have bid more than the price realized for the items ultimate sale price, then Susanin not only did me a disservice but also their client, who consigned to them expecting to get the best price. Maybe it doesn't pay to have customer's who can no longer spend what they did, and therefore this is one way to weed them out, however, their job is to get the best prices for their consigners. When they treat prospective buyers this way they also harm their consigners. Susanin's is not the 'only game in town', especially with today's technology, they are an expensive alternative. Too bad, you never know where the next treasure will be found. I am open to any suggestions, as It sad to say goodbye to a place that has been part of your life for so long, But better to say goodbye than watch it slowly dies. read more

I would read the not so glowing reviews and lean towards them where this auction house is concerned. Their customer service is beyond horrible and their staff could apparently learn some things from a basic training class. My experience started a few weeks ago when I was bidding on a lot (through Live Auctioneers) that included 2 items which I won. I was shocked when I received an invoice from them telling me I had won 2 lots, when I had bid on only 1 lot. I called them immediately to find out what was happening. This is where it started to get nasty. After talking to "XXX" she said if I didn't pay, they would file a complaint with Live Auctioneers on me (oh so scary!!). When I told her I never bid on the second lot and had made one inquiry, for a condition report, on the lot I wanted and won. Here was their answer for that. They reached out to whomever was the unsuccessful bidder for that item, they bought it at a lesser price and then I was charged not only the price difference, but their insane 28% premium as well. I told "XXX" if I didn't need the one piece in the lot I won for my collection, she could basically do you know what. That's when the threat of we'll report you to Live Auctioneers, charge your credit card on file (I told her good luck. The relationship I have with the card issuer and the type of customer I am with them, again, good luck!). Today I asked a question about an item in an upcoming sale (I must be stupid) and this is the friendly reply I received from XXX; Susanin's Auctions sent you a conversation on May 8, 2019 Sale 219: Spring Premiere Auction Subject: Susanin's - All Sales Are Final Hello, Thank you for your interest in our upcoming auction! Please acknowledge that all sales are final, and no sales in the future will be cancelled. Kind Regards, HAD TO REMOVE THE NAME (YELP Guidelines) HAD TO REMOVE THE EMAIL ADDRESS BECAUSE OF THE NAME (YELP Guidelines) 312-XXX-XXXX I simply replied to XXX telling her there are too many auctions house out there and I've bought from many of them, through Live Auctioneers, without an issue ever until Susanin's. Told her they certainly don't need my business and they don't have to worry about me ever considering another purchase from them. This is how it starts. It may be only be one customer, but that turns into 10 customers and so on. An applicable quote- Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. Susanin's destiny will come in time with the loss of one customer at a time. According to Yelp guidelines no names can be used, thus the XXX's in the body of the review read more

I have been dealing with this auction house for many years. I have found the staff amazingly helpful, and I have never found a problem that they were not willing to quickly address and solve. I have bought many items here, and intend to do so in the future. I have also sold several items here, and also found this process very professional. I would recommend giving them a try. read more

I have been purchasing items through Susanin's for two years both online through Live Auctioneers and in person to furnish our inn. the quality of the items I purchased was excellent unless disclosed otherwise and they have a range of styles and price points. I've found some really unique items. Staff are professional and friendly. I've never had any issues with many purchases in multiple auctions. read more

With the buyer's premium now 25%, I stay away. Otherwise, not a bad operation, but caveat emptor.

I've been buying from Susanins for about 12 years. I find it well run and they have an interesting mix of items (I usually buy oil paintings, small furniture and jewelry.) They do charge a buyer's premium (I'm pretty sure it's 25%, one yelp review said 28% which isn't what I paid last time I bought something from them), but that's clearly noted in the catalogs. Merchandise is definitely what you see is what you get. I make it a point to visit in person and see items before I bid. They sometimes offer a condition report, which is better than nothing, but if you are looking to spend significant money, I'd suggest you inspect items in person. Or bid low enough that you won't be disappointed if something isn't what you are expecting. To Susanin's credit, they are pretty blunt that they are not trying to represent merchandise for anything other than what it is. And everything I've bought from them 100% lives up to the descriptions they've offered. I have no concerns they are passing of merchandise as fake. if you've not been to an auction, this is an easy one to start out with. Go in person, go a bit early so you can see the merchandise you are considering, and have some fun with it. And yes, ideally you pick up merchandise the same day you bid on it/win it. Their hours during the week are slim; it'd be great if they did one evening hours opening each week post the auctions. I do like that they take credit cards for smaller purchases (less than $5k I think,I've not maxed over that.) Some other auction houses I've tried are wire transfer or cashiers check only - I learned that the hard way. The personnel can seem a bit standoffish, but I chalk that up to formality versus rudeness. I'd give 5 stars, but the sometimes limited open hours combined with the lack of in-house shipping services are a minor inconvenience. But net net, I've bought a lot of stuff from them and continue to go back. My favorite auction house in Chicago. read more

I love this place. I have picked up some very unique pieces over the years I have been attending the auctions. Sometimes I break the bank, sometimes I get the most amazing deals and, sadly, there have been times I walk away empty handed but it is always fun. The staff has always been wonderful to deal with and knowledgable. Yes, there is a buyer's premium but all auction houses do. read more

Everyone must be very careful with this auction house. They are very unhelpful. If you buy an item for 200 USD, shipping will cost you almost the same. Even if you buy two spoons, they are not able and willing to pack and send. unbelievable. read more

An overwhelmingly warm and welcoming reception greets patrons as they enter this powerful space of unique works of art and antiques. The lots are well distinguished and the space is easy to navigate. Susanins acts as a incubator for lovely events, as well as a phenomenal center of business. They are consistent and well organized, and always have new items coming in and out. In terms of the actual auctions, they seem to cater to the clients in every manner possible. Customer service is exceptional and the experience utterly unforgettable. I gladly recommend this auction house to any individual aspiring to enhance their collection, meet interesting people, or enjoy the thrill of a live auction. read more

These guys are a scam. I tried to register for a print and they denied me bidding. (BTW, I bid all the time and buy piece regularly & never been denied on a singe auction) The piece went for the initial bid. I bid more than triple the initial bid. You figure out what is going on? Ever seen the movie " The Best Offer"? read more

I've been visiting their website for years, looking for stuff that interests me, always lurking, never participating. Recently something irresistible was listed. Registering as an on-line buyer was a cinch, bidding was easy, and before I knew it I had won. I drove down to their location and was greeted by two of the friendliest people ever, paid for my items and drove home as happy as a clam. I'll definitely be doing business with them again! read more

I was a "newbie" to auctions but after looking at the online pictures and descriptions decided to attend one. I have since purchased several things and found the experiences interesting and fun! Really nice staff and I look forward to again finding that "something special". read more

I don't see how they can call themselves 'Appraisers' , when their auction 'estimates' are sooooo far off (under) of what the item sold for , in 80+% of the cases !! Incompetence or just wild guessing. Or maybe a ploy to get bidders going. For instance; Lot 6067, 4/5/14 est. $6-10K went for $24K , not bad enough , Lot 3029, 4/26/14 est. $3-500. went for $5,500. ! , to low , Lot 6242, 1/18/14 est. $800.-$1200. went for $7000. !! , Not Bad Enough? , Antique Chinese Screens-Lot 3009, 12/7/13 est. $200.-$300. went for $7,500. !! (you could buy new ones at Woolworth for $200) , a Cartier Clock+ Lot 2086, 4/27/13 est. $500.-$700. REALY ? ! where do you live in fairy land ?, Went for $11,000. ! ! ! , 3 Chinese Vases (not Even just one) Lot 3046, 6/25/11 est. $100.-$200. went for $60,000. !!! and so on , and so on . . . . . oh! I can't leave this one out , Cesare Laurente painting 1881, Lot 6011, 3/26/11 est. $10-15K went for $75,000. !!! And Lot 2074, 12/11/10 est. $2-400. (that's right hundred) went for $45,000. .. And Just One More please .. Lot 6123, 12/11/10 est. $6-10K went for .... and the drum roll $180,000. !!! .... so much for their estimating & appraising skills. read more

Susanin's is fantastic. Through Live Auctioneers, I have bought some nice pieces through them. I trust them.

I love these guys. Every month it's a new adventure . Furniture, decorative objects, antiques and contemporary pieces, not to mention an amazing assortment of oriental rugs. And the best part is that they post photos and descriptions of everything online so you can check things out in the middle of the night. Yes, there's a 25% buyer's premium but you know that going in and there are definitely bargains to be had. My only word of advice is to definitely go and look at the items you're interested in before you bid (you can leave a written bid or bid online so you don't have to actually go to the auction itself). It's hard to really be sure about an item's condition - or size - without seeing in the flesh. (They have free parking). read more

Most efficient auctioneers (lots per minute) in the city. A more spacious and welcoming live environment than Leslie Hindman.

Susanin's Auctions never fails to offer an assortment of wonderful items. They comb Chicago for only the best items and strive to assist people in need of their assistance and experience in dealing with fine art and antiques. On line bidder registration was a snap and they even called to make sure I was going to arrange a shipper. Lucky for them I'll soon be in town to collect my items and who knows, maybe find another treasure or three! read more

The owner & staff at Susanin's are knowledgeable, friendly and have always been generous with their time and expertise. It's been great working with Carrie and Patrick over the last year. Always fun to visit the auction house and see what they have coming up for sale! read more

Failed to honor a winning internet bid and were very rude when I called to pay for the item. They claimed they sold it to someone in the room instead for the same price. This was especially unbelievable because I received a winning bid confirmation and 2 hours after the auction an invoice. Whoever runs their online bidding needs to learn how to run a computer. They could of at the very least admitted they made a mistake and were sorry. i wouldn't be leaving this review here if that was the case. They never even had the courtesy to send an email before I called them telling me there was a mistake on their behalf. read more

The best! A great place to find that unique item, or sell it if you need some $$. Very helpful employees, much better than any other auction house in town I have dealt with. Love em! read more