Just off Montauk Highway, in a neighborhood of pizzerias and car dealers, is Amity Auction Galleries. The white clapboard house seems an unlikely destination for antiques collectors, but the monthly sale is a big draw.
Some of the crowd are milling about on the driveway, where the coffee vendor does a brisk business, but most are inside. The bidding starts in less than an hour, so this is the last chance to inspect the jumble of treasures - the flowery sconces and funny portraits, the boudoir chairs and bronze statuettes - that are for sale.
With all eyes on Sotheby's and Christie's, it is easy to overlook the local scene. For many years, though, a handful of auction houses have flourished on Long Island. These places are known to dealers, but are sometimes overlooked by collectors, for whom an auction suggests big bucks and mystifying expertise.
Click here to read the full article by Newsday's Amy Gale and learn tips for first-timers.
View photos from an auction on Long Island.
Pictured above: Thomas Cornell Galleries: Elk statue and mirror up for auction.
