Business ProfileforAlexander Historical Auctions LLC

I purchased an item at auction for an item signed 18 **** doctors on trial in ********* on 1-27-23. Several months earlier, I purchased 2 other items from the auction house where the bids did not match what was online: The final bid on a *************************** autograph was $650 but I received an invoice for $900, my maximum bid; on a ******************* item, I bid $15K, but the "winning bid" was $16,000. I called the auction house and they told me that there were other bids I couldn't observe that resulted in a $900 hammer price. I mentioned that I had bid but lost the Mao item and 3 weeks later they called to say the "winning bidder" did not pay, so I purchased the item as well for $15K. On their website, they previously stated it had been sold for $300K. There were concerns regarding the authenticity, which I resolved myself. For the ********* doctors item, I bid $3500 but the "winning bid" was listed as $3750. Two days later, I received an invoice for $3500 + auction fees. I called the auction house where "*****" told me she'd check with the boss, then she came back and told me she confirmed that I won. I paid the invoice but did not receive the item. 1 week later on 2-8-23, I received an email stating I in fact did not win it- someone else did (though I paid). I called the auction house, was told they'd call me back but never did. I checked contractual law and indeed the item became mine when I paid for it. I sent an e-mail to the ********** ********************* who told me he had the right to withdraw the item at any time (though I owned it when I paid for it). He also told me that the reason the ******* item was $900 is because that was the reserve price (a different reason then I had been told). He refused to speak to me but wrote "You are free, of course, to pursue any legal course you choose, but be forewarned that such actions will carry unpleasant ramifications in the auction world. I do not take threats lightly."