The Furniture & Decorative Arts Department specializes in fine furniture and decorative arts which comprises American, English, and Continental pottery, porcelain, glass, textiles, mirrors, lighting, clocks, bronze and marble sculpture, tapestries, and carpets from the late 17th century through the 21st century. Clars has realized record results in all categories of property included in this very broad department of decorative art and furniture auctions.
Deric Torres
Deric is a seasoned acquisitions specialist and appraiser with over 15 years of experience in the auction industry. Since joining Clars Auctions in 2009, he has played a pivotal role in elevating the gallery to national prominence. Deric’s expertise and relationship-building skills have secured multi-million-dollar estates and institutions as well as Clars’ clients from coast to coast. Many of his clients consigned property that has resulted in world record-breaking sales across various departments within the gallery. Among his notable achievements are securing property from the esteemed Metropolitan Museum of Art and discovering an important Japanese cloisonné vase, long thought lost, executed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Deric’s passion for the industry extends beyond the gallery walls. He shares his knowledge and insights as a regular guest commentator on California and Washington state PBS stations and has been featured on the internationally syndicated television series Pawn Stars on the
Elizabeth Dalton
Elizabeth Dalton is a Senior Specialist in the Furniture & Decorative Arts Department at Clars. Elizabeth has had over thirty years of auction experience in the Bay Area. Prior to joining Clars in 2019, Elizabeth headed the Furniture & Decorative Arts Department at Michaans Auctions where she was responsible for their Fine and monthly Estate auctions for fifteen years. During the 1990s Elizabeth worked at Butterfield & Butterfield as a Cataloguer and an Inventory Controller for Asian, Furniture and Decorative Arts departments. Prior to moving to San Francisco, Elizabeth worked as a curatorial researcher at Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington DC and in the Education Department at National Gallery of Arts during The Treasure House of Britain exhibit. Elizabeth received a BA in art history from University of Southern California and a postgraduate certificate from Sotheby’s Works of Arts, London.
Suzy Pai
Suzy Pai is a specialist in the Furniture & Decorative Arts Department at Clars. She has over 20 years’ experience in brick-and-mortar auctions and luxury online resale. Suzy began her career at Bonhams in San Francisco in 1999, and worked there for 17 years as a cataloguer, then specialist and auctioneer for the Decorative Arts Department. Prior to joining Clars, she was the Account Manager for Galleries for Sotheby’s online, and Luxury Manager for private consignors at The RealReal. Suzy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Boston University.