Best of Boston

Collectors know that the best way to score something both reasonably priced and unusual is to skip the boutiques and go a-paddling at Skinner. The company’s many themed auctions (Persian rugs, art, rare books, midcentury modern) allow buyers to bid on everything from nearly priceless works of art to common Victorian armoires. Hunters without a specific agenda should attend Skinner’s eclectic Discovery Auctions, held every month at the Marlborough location.