About Us | Bodnar’s Auction

With five auctioneers and various antiques, jewelry and collectibles specialists as well as a full support staff, we can accommodate any size estate or individual needs. So whether you’re buying or selling, there’s always an expert to advise and help you.

Bodnar’s Auction personnel are some of the most knowledgeable in their respective fields with the combined experience of over 200 years in the antiques and collectibles industry. More than just auction staff, our main employees are life-long collectors with an extensive understanding of the antiques and collectibles markets. It’s not just a job for our experts, it’s a main focus of their personal lives, allowing them to see things from different perspectives, all leading to a profitable sale for our consignors while offering outstanding deals to the collector and dealer.

Our Staff

Joseph Bodnar Owner, Head Auctioneer

At age 17, Joe Bodnar worked at a local auction carrying furniture on and off a truck. 30 years later he runs Central New Jersey’s largest auction.

Joe began auctioneering at 18 for small auction houses and three years later, in 1994, conducted his first sale as Bodnar’s Auction in Bound Brook, NJ.

From there Bodnar’s Auction moved to East Brunswick, then to Somerset, having outgrown its original location and finally to The New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison, NJ as even more space was needed.

In 2020, when the global pandemic came, Joe and his wife Maureen had to quickly pivot and decide what to do in a world where they couldn’t conduct live auctions. This was something they were not used to, as the auction would see 800 to 1000 bidders at every sale! On top of that, they lost their location at the NJ Convention and Expo Center since it had become first a Covid Hospital and then a Covid vaccine center. There was nowhere to move to, they made the hard decision to move the furniture out of their house and into their storage facility and use their home as the auction. Immediately they started to catalog and photograph each item in their home, and sold them online in their home office. Joe wanted to still bring the auction atmosphere to the bidders, so he used a live feed from the very beginning.

About 2 months after they began online, they cleared out the warehouse they used as their storage facility, upgraded the building with climate control, and re-did the entire interior and exterior and turned it into their auction showroom where they remain to this day.

Bodnar’s was one of the first auction houses to conduct live auctions on eBay in 2004 and in 2012 was featured on the Travel Channel’s TV show The Toy Hunter as well as numerous times on AMC’s hit show, Comic Book Men with Kevin Smith.

Selling over 5000 items every auction for 26 years, as well as 500 items each sale online for the past 4 years as well as years of online selling prior gave Joe the experience to know what items are selling for in today’s market. His experience is more than just hands-on. He has also taken appraisal courses at NYU as well as many continuing education classes through the NJSSA and NAA in the auction industry.

Joe has been on the board of directors of the New Jersey State Society of Auctioneers many years and has been a member for over 25. He was voted President of the NJSSA for 2010-2011, is the current president of the NJSSA voted in a second time in 2023 and is a member of the National Auctioneers Association, New York Auctioneers Association, The Train Collectors Association and holds an apprentices Auctioneers License in PA.

Maureen Bodnar General Manager/ COO

Met Joseph Bodnar in 1999 at the Metlar-Bodine House/Museum when he was running a charity auction to benefit the Museum.

Worked from 2001-2006 at Rutgers NJ Museum of Agriculture as the event coordinator scheduling the Museum’s events as well as Rutgers events, and worked hands on with the collection at the Museum cataloging items, and working on exhibits.

Came to Bodnar’s Auctions in 2012.

Handles all day to day operations at the auction including meeting with new clients at house calls, inventorying and cataloging auction items, photography, and handling all contracts. Invoices all bidders and coordinates all the shipping and pick up appointments for all auction items as well as all administrative operations and social media.

Runs the online platforms during the auctions and manages the live feed.

Maureen has had a passion for history for as long as she can remember. During her college years, she took every history class she could get her hands on, and over time, narrowed her interest to early American history. She has been involved with many historical organizations starting in her teen years including the Metlar Bodine House/Museum, the 4th NJ Volunteer infantry, The Federal Generals Corps and many others. She has a passion for historical items that come through the sales and has a broad knowledge on the topic. She specializes in historical documents.

Has been a member of the New Jersey State Society of Auctioneers since 2014 and is a current member of the board.

Janet Wojcik Auction Manager

Janet is the first person you talk to when you call us and is always ready with a smile and positive attitude!

In 2006, Joe hired Janet to expand the auction’s jewelry sale, taking it from 50 lots of jewelry to a full-featured sale in its own room that sold men’s and women’s apparel along with jewelry, selling over 1,000 lots every month in East Brunswick and at the NJ Convention and Expo Center.

Janet now answers the phones and speaks to each and every customer, sets up all appointments, and helps answer questions of every shape and size. From what we take, to how online bidding works, questions from consignors, and bidders looking for more information on an item in an upcoming sale. She also helps catalog the jewelry sales that Bodnar’s sells online.

Her background includes decades of buying and selling antiques through local and international auctions.

Janet has over 30 years of experience in the antiques field, having collected various time-periods of furniture, jewelry, porcelain and objects of virtue to name a few.

She has experience selling women’s apparel, clothing and jewelry through various retail outlets and was employed to purchase, merchandize and sell high-end European children’s clothing and accessories at a specialty boutique in both Short Hills and Metuchen, NJ.

Janet also worked at Metuchen Antiques, specializing in decorative antiques and jewelry as well as merchandizing and selling her own antiques and jewelry at various antique co-ops.

From 1996 through 2006 Janet ran numerous estate sales throughout NJ.

Is a member of the New Jersey State Society of Auctioneers.

Darren D' Amato Comic Book & Toy Specialist

Darren came to Bodnar’s Auctions in 2014.

He has been a life-long collector of comic books, comic related memorabilia and pop-culture related memorabilia.

Darren runs his own comic book store in the Collingswood Market.

His knowledge of comics and toys made Darren the perfect choice as our head caller in the toy sale. He and Tommy together make a superhero style dynamic duo.

Darren’s work on the radio at Brookdale Public Radio as well as being an English professor at Brookdale Community College gives him an edge while on the microphone at Bodnar’s.

Kevin Scott Jones Auctioneer

Was introduced to auctions as a young man by his father.

Came out of Missouri Auction School in 2007 and landed his first job auctioneering for Bodnar’s Auction the same year.

His work on the radio at Brookdale Public Radio gives him the edge with his auctioneering style.

He has a vast knowledge of many areas such as military and collectibles, as well as the auction business.

Has worked closely with Joe on many charity events such as the Metlar-Bodine House auction.

Tom 'Superman' Graves Auctioneer

Tommy came to Bodnar’s Auctions in 2007 and after being bitten by a radioactive auctioneer, discovered he had the ability to sell toys and comics.

He worked closely with Joe doing estate pick-ups and worked his way up to auctioneer after learning the craft from Joe in 2009.

Has been a life-long collector and has a vast knowledge of comics, superheroes, and pop-culture memorabilia.

Tommy is the 2014 NJSSA bid calling champion.

Erica Brotschol Disney & Collectible Expert

Erica came to our auction over 15 years ago and loved sitting in the audience watching, bidding and learning about live auctions. As a Disney fanatic, when she would win an item she would jump up a down and couldn’t control herself with the joy of bidding and winning that unique item she wanted! One day we were short-handed and asked her to help us as a runner and the rest is history! Erica is a power eBay seller, sells on Etsy, Amazon, and other platforms, and has a clear understanding of the E-commerce side of the business. She graduated in accounting and was heading to a CPA Firm but got hooked on the auction profession. She is detailed in cataloging and research prior to the auction. She is an expert in collectibles, Disney, Sports Cards, and Newer Toys & Dolls!

George Kummer Auctioneer

George came to Bodnar’s Auctions in 2011 when we were expanding.

He has 35+ years experience in the auction business.

He graduated the Harrisburg Area Community College with an Auctioneering Certificate.

He is a licensed auctioneer in Pennsylvania.

George works with many PA auction houses, as well as runs his own auctions including cars, new merchandise and surplus food auctions.

George has an ease about him that makes him indispensable at Bodnar’s.

Our Staff

Do you want to sell your property?

Kim F.

Michal F.

Art F.

Carry G.

Frank D.

Debbie B

Samuel P.

Armand P.

Anthony D.

Michael L.