I've only bid with them a few times because it's a ways up the coast from us, about a three hour drive from Gloucester, but each time has been sheer pleasure! This is an old school auction house. I was listening to the sale last week, and it was like listening to Bob Eldred - a great auctioneer and dear friend. You want to know that auctioneers know something about the things they sell, and these folks do that. read more

The owner really knows his stuff! Free appraisals on Tuesdays and when they run an auction there is always a wide mix of items up for bid. They run a variety of auctions throughout the year from high end to the dude next door variety. There is something for everyone. They make it easy to bid online if you cannot be present. Shipping costs are reasonable and auction costs are in line with industry standards. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. It is a must to drop by and peak at the next group of auction items when in the Thomaston area. Their marketing campaigns are clever and epic as well. I have giggled aloud a few times when reading the emails. read more

Lots of quality items, extremely helpful and knowledgeable staff, easy to register to bid.

Examine every piece in person! Just preview before buying and you'll be okay, but be sure to examine IN PERSON before bidding. This auction house is fallible and is sometimes less than careful in their catalogue descriptions. read more

Purchased a firearm which was stated as stovepiping a second round and never stated that the barrel is not right. Having never fired the weapon. The weapon was previously purchased from them and then returned. Thy keep information and pick and choose what they want to tell the customer. Not transparent of known issues. Would never purchase from this auction house again and know why their ratings as so low. Buyer beware. They stand by their right to be wrong. Will not even take it back to be reconsigned. This is not an auction in good standing. They keep information so you do not become an informed bidder. read more

Purchase clocks very ofen Never been disappointed. Very honest descriptions. Very straight forward bidding Don't feel bidding is rigged as I do with other auction houses read more

Warm friendly staff, knowledgeable expertise by the owner/auctioneer - I always find treasures during their auctions. For those who collect, I highly recommend you explore any one of their upcoming auctions. read more

WORST OF THE WORST I deal with dozens of auction houses through Live Auctioneers as well as directly. This auction house is the absolute worst of all. They are uncooperative in assisting with any shipping logistics, and when they wear you down, they sell what you bought. RUN don't walk away from this group! read more

First, they charge a whopping 25% buyer's premium which is among the highest you will ever see. Second, they tried to charge me $32 to ship a single currency bill. When I called to complain they said there was a $10 handling fee (not in the terms of service) and a charge for the box (they used a free USPS box). Postage and insurance for my single item should have come out to $17.20. To put this in perspective, the most I have ever paid in shipping fees for currency was $22 and that came from Canada. They did eventually take off $10 after I complained but this was still an overcharge. Even considering this, their attempt to gouge by a much as they did was unethical. read more

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries - Shipping box they charged me for. - Antiques Near Me - Thomaston, Maine

We received a credenza as inheritance and did not have a place for it in our home. It was an expensive one of a kind piece of teak furniture. We came in and met several people from the auction house including the owner and everyone was extremely kind and efficient with us. We came in, filled out a form about the item we had, and had a conversation about how their process works. The owner could see the value in our item right away and offered to have it in their large upcoming auction as well as a minimum amount they'd accept for it, which was $750. The credenza was a bit large and heavy and they sent people to our house to take it off our hands for us. We were worried we'd have to transport it on our own. The experience was very positive and we know this family item is in good hands. It recently sold above the estimate for $2100! read more

In my 45 years as a member of the coin dealing community, I have rarely suffered as thoroughly UNSATISFACTORY an experience as I recently endured at the hands of the Thomaston Place Auction Galleries. Two examples from a recent purchase: 1 -- The lesser of the problems: One of the coins I bought, a Morgan dollar, was severely damaged . . . yet the damage was NOT noted in the description. Now, in advertising and selling a coin as "BU," any cataloguer worth his salt is compelled to identify a serious deformity which would serve to diminish that coin's worth (in this case, to mere melt value). A numismatically experienced and truthful cataloguer would immediately spot and note a defect as critical and obvious as, in this instance, graffiti (which occurs when a coin is marred by intentional carving or writing in the fields or across the devices). Such a notation, sadly, was not provided. Alright, a single issue occurring in a purchase -- that could be mere laxity. But read on . . . . 2 -- A much larger problem: It's fine and good to list an NGC-slabbed coin as a "CH BU 63" (Choice Brilliant Uncirculated), (in this case, a $20 Liberty Head gold dollar worth about $2,650 wholesale) if, in fact, that is the representation on the label as provided by the grading service. But if the coin is harshly cleaned and actually labeled as "UNC DETAILS, Obverse Cleaned" by the grading service, the value of the coin drops to about $1,838. That's a difference just north of $800, and a reasonable firm would both highlight the defect in its listing and RESPOND, after the sale, to repeated attempts at communication (and at least thereby CONSIDER the grievance). 3 -- So this brings us to the greatest problem by far: After several unsuccessful attempts to communicate with a principal at Thomaston (or, failing that, someone at any level who could rectify the situation), I was shunted to the shipping department; and then, subsequently, by email, was informed that the coins were sold "as is, where is" and that all sales were final. Such terms can only be enforced, of course, if the items are actually in the condition as described in their listings; such errors and omissions as I have detailed clearly negate the terms of service. In point of fact, the credit card company evaluated all of this information and VOIDED the sale; Thomaston -- finally responsive to the situation -- then engaged with me, but (regrettably) in a highly disputatious manner . . . and then called the police to report this "theft". Talk about a draconian response! When I spoke to the detective in charge of the matter, he brokered a reasonable solution: Thomaston ultimately agreed to accept a return of the coins, and, to their credit, to even provide a return-postage label. Summary: Simple sloppiness can lead to forgivable mistakes; after all, we're all human. But there's a slippery slope from sloppiness to misleading representation. When that slope is compounded by NON-COMMUNICATION and SURLINESS and AGGRESSIVE attitudes, you have the perfect storm where, in the auction community, an unwillingness to admit (much less, until under pressure, rectify) inaccurate descriptions results in TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. read more

Tried to get additional pics of a lot for two weeks and never received any. Oh, let me correct myself: the day of the auction they sent me the same staged pics from the website. I wanted the additional and non-staged pics because I had previously purchased a lot that arrived in far worse condition than the one pic on the website suggested. read more

Buyer Beware I have bought several pieces from them over the years and trusted in their attributions until my last purchase when it became apparent to me that the attribution of the piece was solely to raise the price of an inferior piece which I wouldn't have purchased otherwise. When I repeatedly called and emailed them over a period of two months and asked for specific reasons for the attribution they could not come up with any other than "the consignor thought so." There was not one specific thing about the piece that would indicate such an attribution. Per this excuse if I tell them I want them to sell my "Rembrandt" then that is the attribution they will make. There are many reputable auction houses out there, patronize those. I won't be burned again here and neither should you. read more

Fantastic buying experience across the country. Company went out of their way to save me both time and money. Very much appreciate it.

Great auction house. Friendly and helpful staff. Only one shipper. Global Packing & Shipping. Shipper knows they are the only game in town and are charging high fees and almost double the UPS rates. Use caution if bidding online. You are held hostage by the shipper. read more

On top of that one of the items they described as Silver and Turquoise nuggets turned out to be Nickel and dyed Howlite! Now they have the same Squash Blossom up for sale with very little change in the wording. Guess they hope to screw the next person who buys it thinking it is real silver and turquoise. Can't be trusted, I would just pass on them completely and buy from auctioneers who say they have tested their goods. read more

I have been dealing with the Gallery for several months to liquidate estate assets. It has been an excellent experience. John Bottero has been very honest about the appraisals of the art and very much level set my expectations. I was pleased with the results of the auction and have recently provided a second collection. I found the entire process and support staff to be highly professional. From a seller's standpoint, I could not be happier. read more

I bought some very cool collectibles from Thomaston Place. The items were as described, no surprises. When I explained to them that their process for getting the items shipped involved a lot of paperwork and hassle, they immediately accommodated me and came up with a simple solution that made everything easy. I'm happy with them. read more

Never again will i buy from this auction Only two shipper recommended. charging $250 to send a 22 inch felt doll more than what i pays for the doll just for standard services , double the UPS standard rate. On line Bidder beware you are at the shippers mercy here. Do not buyer you get rip of with the shipping i think they are in it together read more

Great auction house or friendly staff are relative to what you bought and who you are dealing with. As confirmed by Greg the inventory manager, they hired Global Packing & Shipping as the only shipper, so that they can charge you double and triple the UPS rates. If you want to use other shippers then you have to pay sale tax for out of state purchases. Now this is down right illegal. The tax board of Maine should really look at their books. I agree with Thomas C. Use caution if bidding online. You are held hostage by greedy auction house! read more

I have purchased several items through Thomaston Auctions. I have found their descriptions to be accurate. Excellent customer service.