Cottone Auctions Sam Cottone Broken Agreement & Threatened Their Client Geneseo, New York

 I have experienced unpleasant dealings with Cottone Auctions.   I purchased an item after I asked detailed questions about regarding condition.  When I received it, it had damage clearly not done in shipping.  I did receive a refund but feel it would have been reasonable to also get return shipping since I never would have bid on this thing had the truth been told.  The problem was solely of their making but they didn't accept responsiblity. I made the return in one day but the refund took over a month and much rudeness from the auction house was endured. 

I want to show my appreciation for this great auction house. I am so happy with my antique 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe that I bought from them. I am attaching a pic here. Enjoy!

As the author of this report I was glad to have received a phone call from Sam Cottone at Cottone Auctions. He was apparently ill informed about the circumstances and hardship I was put through in dealing with his auction house. I was able to talk with him and explained what my concerns were. He also apologized to me for the way I was treated there, and also for the posting of fake reviews of me and my business, both here and on other sites as well, by his son and told me that they had been removed. I told him that I have no ill will against him or his business and I appreciate him taking the time to follow up with me and to apologize for these incidents.

I further explained that I was just trying to help an elderly person who was put into a bad position. Sam Cottone did also send a check to me to pay for my expenses in having to drive to NY to retrieve our property and I appreciate him doing that as well. I also had the occasion to play the recording of the incident as well which I am sure contributed greatly to his understanding of what was going on that day. I do appreciate him being fair minded here and coming through to apologize for what happened. I do wish them all the best and it's a positive sign of what will be hopefully good things ahead for and from this company. 

I read the report and would like to say I am sorry to see someone not happy with this auction house. However, I am a happy customer myself. Few months back they were holding a car auction and I bought an antique 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe from them at a very reasonable price. The car was in real good working order and was restored very well. I was expecting to find undisclosed problems, but there were no major issues. I was lucky to find this car in this condition but also happy that I dealt with this auction house as everything went smoothly.

Sounds like a great deal. I also enjoy auctions and car shows as well. I am glad you had a positive experience and there was really no reason why I and the elderly friend of mine should not have also experienced the same level of courtesy, professionalism, and service in our case. Again, not to beat a dead horse, but I am uncertain why they chose to conduct themselves as they did and not provide that same level of service that you enjoyed in your transaction with them. Mine was on the other hand not something I could personally recommend nor would I want to go through the same nightmare again that I was unnecessarily put through for whatever reason/reasons unkonwn to me. Regardless, Cottone apologized to me for the threat to my person and the way the matter was handled and though he had to borrow money to pay the taxes on his home I was able to find another auction house to sell his painting for him and managed to also get his taxes paid so he would not lose his home so in light of that I do consider the matter concluded and I wish you all of the best with your car. Sounds like a great purchase and thanks for sharing your experience. 

I have always appreciated your kindness to me and your friendship and will stand by you no matter what or who poses a challenge to that. You are a true friend and a great gentleman who has always served as a source of inspiration for me in my life. 

Wow. What a poor conman and criminal I must be. Are you aware oh anonymous poster of the criminal defamation statutes in my state? Are you aware that your post meets the definition of that crime and is a jailable offense? In other words you are now a criminal. Congratulations. Where did you glean this information. I have no criminal record and am in fact a sworn officer of the court. Oops. 

You have no idea who you are commenting on. I am such a disgrace that I was presented with an award by Donald Rumsfeld for service to our nation during the Cold War. I am such a disgrace that I aided the former President of the Czech Republic gain his freedom. I am such a disgrace that I have assisted law enforcement officers at accident scenes and in crises and even backed one up during an arrest. I am such a disgrace that I have volunteered at a soup kitchen and a homeless shelter. I am such a disgrace that I have volunteered to help a blind man with reading. I am such a disgrace that I sent humanitarian aid to Haiti. I am such a disgrace that I raised money for children's health and volunteered in a pediatrics ward helping sick and injured kids.

I am such a disgrace that for two summers I volunteered assisting kids with cerebral palsy with their summer camp. I am such a disgrace that I rescued two victims of domestic violence from their attackers. I am such a disgrace that I have rescued and rehabilitated injured and dying animals and given them loving homes. I am such a disgrace that my Mayor appointed me to serve two terms on a city commission. I am such a disgrace that I contributed money to the WWII memorial to our veterans. I am such a disgrace that I held an abandoned infant for four hours after it was abandoned by his mother. I am such a disgrace that I aided our DA with investigation of a murder case.

I am such a disgrace that I was given a scholarship for community involvement and leadership. I am such a disgrace that I worked with at risk kids in their classrooms. I am such a disgrace that I have given of my time to historic sites across the state to educate the public. I am such a disgrace that I have served as a volunteer to clean up our local river. I am such a disgrace that I have aided current and past members of our military who needed help. I am such a disgrace that I have raised money for cystic fibrosis care and research. I am such a disgrace that I have worked with inner city kids and taken them fishing for a positive experience outside of their neighborhoods. 

And yes. I am such a disgrace that I tried to help an 89 year old man not lose his home from being taken advantage of after Cottone Auctions violated his trust. 

If you are trying to help the Cottone's out of their situation here it's a very poor reflection on whoever you happen to be as a person by making a very poor and generalized effort at attempting to impugn my character. I assure you that I had many other things to do with my weekend. Matt Cottone has since phoned me and apologized for their actions and that's good enough in my book and I told him so. The entire affair was their fault and their fault alone and never should have taken place. I am still unaware why they could not just do what they were supposed to do but in my opinion the matter is concluded.

I accomplished what I wanted to accomplished and retrieved this painting for this elderly man and helped him get it sold. He had to actually borrow money to pay his tax bill as a result of this unnecessary fiasco which is not a good thing as he was counting on that money. Whatever the reasons may be the matter is concluded. I retrieved his painting. I helped him get paid for it. His taxes are paid. The Cottone's have apologized to me. That's it. Done. I wish them the best and hope they will not undertake this course of action in their future dealings.

By the way not to go off topic here? But who exactly are you? Or are you too much of a disgrace to opently disclose your own identity while making spurious and wild accusations about someone you have never met? I am very happy to have helped my friend and if in your opinion that equates to criminality or disgraceful conduct I am very happy to stand guilty as charged. I hope whoever you are that you are embarrassed enough to realize that whatever your motives you have presented yourself as something much less than a man and that you yourself are the criminal, shameful, and untruthful liar on this page. I will pray for you and that you find some redemption and character to call your own. 

That should be about right. Let's do some match here. That's 23 complaints in three years out of 4,624 customers during that time period. That would be a .005 percent of complaints. That means that while I might not have as high of a satisfaction rating as GEICO (let's pretend that there are 23 more who never filed any complaint no matter how spurious or revenge oriented it was for not being able to get us to ship an item which was illegal where they were located or because they wanted to use a credit card of a relative or because they just did not like a return policy for example. That's still in the 99% range and I am d**n happy about that. Any business should be. I personally don't take the BBB seriously anymore anyway as they will take money from anyone to make any reports go away and give you a high rating which in my book is just blackmail. Thank you though for giving me the opportunity to work that out. 

Exactly what auction did you attend? Your powers of observation are incredibly dubious at best and your account is a pure fiction and not only demeaning and insulting to me but also to Matt Cottone as well. You owe both of us an apology Sir. Matt Cottone was man enough to call me and apologize to me for this incident and how I was treated there. That's good enough for me. No one at any time used vulgar language including either Matt Cottone or Sam Cottone.

Was I threatened on their premises? Absolutely. And yes that is completely wrong but I am enough of a gentleman to know that mistakes can be made and forgiven. So you are 25 years old and were wondering if you "should have stepped in"? That's called cowardice. You may not be as much of an idiot as you appear to be so perhaps it's self-preservation. Making myself sound "tough"? It seems that New York is filled with bellicose and posturing individuals, like you,  who prefer to relate to circumstances with threats or potential violence.

Let me assure you that I am more than a match for anyone who was drawing breath within those walls and even if I did not win a physical altercation from being outnumbered any attackers would sure as hell never forget me for the rest of their lives. "Fluffy and old"? May I suggest you read Sun Tzu's "Art Of War". What auction did you attend again? Get a pair of glasses and tune up your hearing aid youngster. Might also want to work on the spelling there as well. You are right in noting that no business is perfect. But this was a gross mismanagement and an uncalled for incident that should never have taken place.

Do you think I had nothing better to do with my weekend? Who cares about the appearance of a place if it's the item of a friend being held their without any communication or follow up and your friend is 89 years old? I am glad you enjoy going to auctions and antiques. I do as well so we have that in common. I also see that were selling a crock which makes sense because your fabricated commentary is just that.....a crock. Go sell that crock, and its contents, someplace else Junior. The matter is concluded and Cottone apologized to me. That's all you need to know. 

MARK IS MY FRIEND AND HE DROVE TWENTYFOUR HOURS FOR ME TO GET MY PAITNING BACK FROM THE COTTONE AUCTIONS. THOSE PEOPLE AGREED TO SELL MY PAINTING ON A CERTAIN DATE AND THEY DID NOT DO WHAT THEY AGREED TO WITH ME AND SELLING MY PROPERTY LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. YOU ARE NOT PRIVILEGE TO ANYTHING BETWEEN ME AND THSOE COTTONES UNLESS YOUR NAME IS COTTONE. SO YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT UNLESS YOU ARE TRYING TO COVER UP FOR HOW BAD THE COTTONES WERE TO ME AND TO MARK. YOU HAVE A BAD CHOIC OF FRIENDS. I GOT HUNG UP ON TWO TIMES BY MATT COTTONE AND MY FREIDN MARK WENT ALL THE WAY FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO NEW YORK TO GET IT BACK BECAUSE THEY DID NOT DO WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO AND I NEEDED MONEY LIKE THEY KNEW TO PAY TAX PAYMENT ON MY HOUSE. WHAT WOLD YOU DO IF SOMEBODY TOOK OFF WITH YOUR PAINTINGS AND WOULD HANG UP ON YOU. I AM TOO OLD TO BE DRIVING TO NEW YORK AND MY FRIEND MARK DID IT FOR ME ON HIS OWN AND BROUGHT TI BACK AND SET IT DOWN IN MY LIVING ROOM SO WHEN I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS WAITING FOR ME THERE INT HE LIVING ROOM. HE PUT HIS SELF IN RISK FOR ME GETTING IT BACK WITH THOSE COTTONES THREATENING HIM ON TAPE. HE GOT ANOTHER AUCTION TO SELL IT FOR ME TO GET MY MONEY. BECAUSE OF THOSE COTTONES I HAD TO BORROW MONEY TO PAY MY TAX PAYMENT AND KEEP MY HOUSE. MARK GOT MY PAINTING SOLD WITH A CHECK MADE OUT IN MY NAME AND PUT IN MY BANK TO PAY MY TAX PAYMENTS. SO YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT. MARK IS MY GOOD FRIEND AND NEVER ASKED ME FOR ANYTHING BUT HELPED ME. HE IS A HONORABLE HONEST AND FAIR MAN AND YOU HAVE GOT NO BUSINESS SAYING BAD THINGS ABOUT SOME BODY YOU DO NOT KNOW ANY THING ABOUT BUT YOU ARE FREINDS WITH THOSE COTTONES WHICH SAYS LOTS ABOUT YOU FRIEND.

I HEARD THIS WHOLE THING ON TAPE AND NONE OF WHAT YOU SAY YOU HEARD WAS SAID. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKINGG ABOUT. I AM SORRY YOU HAD PROBELMS WITH COTTONE AUCTION AND I AM NOT SURPRISED AND I AM GLAD YOU WORKED IT OUT BUT I AM 89 YEARS OLD LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME AND THESE PEOPLE DID THERE BEST TO IGNORE ME AND HANG UP ON ME AND SWITCH MY PROPERTY TO ANOTHRE SELL WHEN THEY NEVER AKSED ME FOR MY PERMISSSION. I DO NOT THINK YOU WERE THERE OR WERE NOT LISTENTING. NO ONE ON THIS TAPE SAID ANYTHING POTTY MOUTH NOT MARK OR THOSE COTTONES. THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT LOUD WAS SAMUEL COTTONE AND HIS SON MATT. I HEARD BOTH OF THOSE COTTONES THREATEN HIM WHEN HE TOLD ONE OF THEM THAT THEY HAD TREATED US BADLY AND THE OTHER ONE THREATENED HIM AND THREATENED TO PUT HIS HEAD DOWN ON THE GROUND. HE WAS NOT YELLING OR BEING DISRAPTIVE AT ALL AND HE DID NOT THREATEN A SOUL. THOSE COTTONES NEED TO RUN THEIR BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS MAN SHOULD AND BE GENTLEMEN. MY FATHER WAS A METHODIST MINISTER AND IF I HAD BEHAVED THAT WAY AND THREATENED A MEMBER OF HIS PARISH LIKE THAT MATT COTTONE HE WOLD HAVE SKINNED MY HIDE. HE SOUNDS LIKE A BAD APPLE TO ME THREATENING A MAN WHO CAME TO HELP SOMEONE AFTER HE WAS THE CAUSE OF ALL THE TROUBLE. THEY HAD BETTER LEARN TO DO BETTER. YOU DO NOT THREATEN A MAN LIKE THAT AND EXPCT A GOOD OUTCOME. BUT YOU I HEARD IT ALL ON THE TAPE AN DYOU DO NOT KNOW SQUAT ABOUT IT. 

I HAVE NEVER KNOWN A BETTER MAN THAN MARK OR A MAN WITH MORE HONOR WHO DID WHAT HE DID FOR ME WITHOUT ANY PROFIT AT ALL AND LOOKD OUT FOR MY PAINTING. I DO NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUT UNLESS YOUR NAME IS COTTONE YOU DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THE COTTONES DID OR WAT THIS YOUNG MAN DID TO HELP ME. HE DROVE FOR TWO DAYS TO BRING MY PAINTING BACK AND THE COTTONE PEOPLE WOUD NOT EVEN TALK ON THE PHONE. THEY WOULD HANG UP ON YOU. I CALLED THEM TWICE. MARK WENT TO GET MY PROPERTY BACK BECAUSE COTTONE REFUSED TO RETURN IT TO ME AND TOLD ME TO COME AFTER IT IN NEW YORK. I AM 89 YEARS OLD AND I CAN NOT DRIVE FROM NORTHCAROLINA TO NEW YORK. YOU TRY TO DRIVE THAT FAR AT MY AGE SON AND SEE WHERE YOU END UP. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOUA RE TALKING ABOUT AND I AM THE VICTIM HERE NOT YOU. MARK DID HIS BEST FOR ME AND AFTER HE BROUGTH MY PAINTING BACK HE PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LIVING ROOM FOR ME SO WHEN I WOKE UP IJN THE MORNING THERE IT WAS WAITING FOR ME. MARK GOT A NEW AUCTION COMPANY FOR ME TO AUCTION MY PAITING AND THEY DID AND I GOT EVERY PENNY IN A CHECK MADE OUT IN MY NAME. YOU OWE HIM AN APOLOGY AND YOU MUST BE WORTHLESS IF YOU ARE STANDINGUP FOR SOMONE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A MAN ON A FIXED INCOME. I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND I NEEDED THIS MONEY FOR MY TAX PAYMENT. DO YOU LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME? YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT HAPPENS TO BE LIKE. COMMENT ON SOMETHIGN YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT AND DO NOT INSULT MY FRIEND WHO HELPED ME. COTTONE DID NOT HELP ME. 

Mark A**** is a true disgrace of a human being.

If any of his outlandish claims were true he would be pursuing other options than internet slander.

Anyone who has come into contact with Mark A**** knows he is a fake and a fraud.

I've heard from a couple antique dealers around the area "you should see the review cottones got". I logged on to check it out, as far as what happened leading up to the event described I cannot speak to. However, I was there when the event described occurred..

the gentleman (and I use that term loosely) came the day of an auction during the preview. As myself and a bunch of elderly old women stood around viewing paintings he stormed in demanding a painting from Cottone. Sam went to the back room and got the painting, the guy was screaming things like "this guy never f**king returns calls!" At Matt Cottone, then he flung the painting over his shoulder bowing the canvas, and slammed the double divider door. I was standing next to a statue that nearly vibrated off it's wooden base. Paintings on the walls rattled and I'm shocked nothing was damaged. 

Then the man was in middle of the galleria by the entrance..... Those "goons" he described were security guards on site for the auction. Matt did in the heat of the moment tell security to "If he don't get out of here put him on his f**kin head"..... Which I don't blame him I'm 25 and I was wondering if I should have stepped in. The guy was liable to break something and he had all the elderly patrons scared. As for the guy making himself sound "tough" with training etc. He was fluffy and old. Security would have mopped up the floor with him.

Im unbiest I'm a young antique dealer and had a crock in that auction myself. No buisness is perfect and I've had problems of my own with Cottones, which we've resolved in a calm manner. Simply put its a beautiful auction house, Sam has done well for himself. Cottones is a valuable asset to local dealers and the community as it brings people and revenu into an otherwise econoimcally deprived area. I enjoy going you get to see museum worthy pieces every auction.

Mark A in three years has 23 complaints through the better business bureau. His "F" ranking should speak for itself. His comments in regards to this  business with a impeccable 35 yr track record and false and merit less.  you will find all you need to know about Mark A by  searching Mark A better business bureau (((REDACTED)))

23 complaints with BBB in last 3 years |

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