Clars Auction Gallery

Clars Auction Gallery is the preeminent auction house of the San Francisco Bay Area, a firm with roots stretching back to 1948 that has grown into one of the most active and respected regional auction operations in the western United States. Located in Oakland, California, Clars conducts monthly two-day auctions of roughly two thousand lots, offering collectors and dealers an extraordinary volume and diversity of fine art, decorative arts, jewelry, Asian art, and estate property throughout the year. The firm's origins date to 1948, when eighteen-year-old Harvey Clar began conducting industrial auctions across a range of sectors including machine shops, woodworking operations, and automobile dealerships. As demand for his services in evaluating and auctioning personal property grew—fine art, furniture, jewelry, and the contents of substantial Bay Area estates—Harvey and his wife established their own auction gallery in Oakland in 1972. The transition from industrial to fine art and antiques proved prescient, and the gallery quickly became a fixture of the Bay Area collecting community. In 1996, Harvey Clar sold the business to Redge Martin, an Oakland resident who has continued to build on the firm's legacy of integrity and expertise. Today, Clars operates from a spacious gallery at 5644 Telegraph Avenue in North Oakland, a location that provides ample room for previewing the large, diverse sales that are the firm's hallmark. The gallery's proximity to San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and the broader Bay Area tech community gives Clars access to one of the wealthiest and most culturally sophisticated collector bases in the country. Clars' specialist departments reflect the diversity of its consignor base and the collecting interests of the Bay Area market. The Fine Art department handles American, European, and California paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture. California art—including plein-air Impressionism, Bay Area Figurative painting, and contemporary works—is a particular strength, reflecting the firm's geographic identity and the deep local market for regional artists. The Asian Art department is one of Clars' most important, conducting regular sales that attract bidders from across the Pacific Rim. The Bay Area's large and established Asian American community, combined with its proximity to Asia, makes Oakland an ideal location for the sale of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian art and antiques. Clars regularly handles jade carvings, Chinese ceramics and porcelain, Japanese woodblock prints, screens, bronzes, and scholarly objects. The Jewelry department presents fine estate jewelry, diamonds, colored gemstones, signed designer pieces, and luxury watches in dedicated sales and as part of larger general auctions. Furniture and Decorative Arts encompass everything from eighteenth-century European and American pieces to twentieth-century modern and contemporary design. The firm also handles estates, deaccessions from institutions, and corporate collections. For consignors, Clars provides a comprehensive service. The firm offers complimentary estimates and consultations, and its specialists regularly visit homes and estates throughout Northern California to evaluate collections. Clars handles the full logistics of consignment, including pickup, photography, cataloguing, and shipping. Seller commissions are negotiated on a per-consignment basis and are competitive within the market. The firm's high auction frequency—monthly sales—means that consignors benefit from fast turnaround times compared to houses that conduct sales only quarterly or biannually. Buyers pay a buyer's premium on top of the hammer price. The rate is tiered and consistent with industry standards, typically starting at approximately 25 percent. California sales tax applies where required. Complete terms are published with each auction catalogue and on the firm's website. Online bidding is fully supported through Clars' own platform and through partners including LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, and Bidsquare. Absentee and telephone bidding are available for all sales. The firm's online infrastructure is robust, reflecting the tech-savvy expectations of its Bay Area client base. With decades of experience, Clars Auction Gallery has become a cornerstone of the Bay Area auction community, known for integrity, expertise, and commitment to excellence. What distinguishes Clars from many competitors is its combination of high volume—roughly two thousand lots per month—with genuine specialist expertise across fine art, Asian art, and jewelry. The firm's monthly cadence ensures a steady supply of fresh material, making it a habitual destination for dealers and collectors who want to browse and bid regularly rather than waiting for occasional marquee sales. Frequently asked questions include what Clars sells (fine art, Asian art, jewelry, furniture, decorative arts, estates), how fees work (tiered buyer's premium starting at approximately 25 percent; negotiated seller commissions), how to consign (complimentary in-home or gallery evaluation), whether online bidding is available (yes, on every sale), and what makes Clars stand out (monthly two-day sales, strong Asian art department, and deep Bay Area roots).