Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont

Susan Farley, New York Times

I've been planing to take the train up to Larchmont and check out the monthly C&C Auction. But The New York Times beat me to it. Here's a link to the story they published last week.

According to The Times:

Clarke’s is a retro kind of auction house, low key and quirky and about as different from Sotheby’s as it is possible to be.

“They’re low on the food chain,” said Leon Castner, who, since selling his own auction house, teaches courses in antique appraisal. “What they sell is going to be turned over three or four times.”

In other words, Mr. Castner says, much of the merchandise at Clarke’s consists of “virgin items” — estate furnishings that haven’t been resold before (or recently) and whose value may be unclear. These goods are at the beginning of the process by which one person’s old chair, for instance, eventually becomes another’s fabulous find.

Junk, some might say. Or, just as easily, undiscovered treasure.

You can preview some of the lots on line. Live previews are Saturday, Sunday, and on Mondays, the day of the sale, from noon until the auction starts. For we New Yorkers who don't own a car, Larchmont is a half hour away by train, and the gallery is a short walk from the station.

The Times also published a list of auction houses in the suburban New York City region. Check it out.

Comments

[tom]

The section quoted from the Times offers generic comments from an expert in North Carolina who's never been to this auction house. While he's right about the 'virgin' or fresh-to-market aspect, the fact is that Clarke does get strong prices for items in the $500-$20,000 range. In fact, better prices than the big Manhattan auction houses since good items here are highlighted and consignor's and buyer's fees are far lower - it leaves more cash in play for buying vs fees. But there are still bargains here. And there is certainly incredible variety here.