Charlton Hall

Biography

Founded in 1929, Charlton Hall is the oldest auction firm in the Southeast and among the best known in the region. Located in West Columbia, South Carolina, Charlton Hall offers all the warmth and approachability of a regional auction house while maintaining an extensive global reach by advertising heavily to a wide client base of international buyers in more than 130 countries. Charlton Hall evaluates an astounding 30,000 items each year. In 2014, Charlton Hall offered nine auctions online through Invaluable.com featuring antiques from museum vaults and private collections.

In 2013, Art + Auction magazine listed Charlton Hall among the Top Auction Houses in North America. The industry publication shined a light on some notable lots that passed through Charlton Hall, including a pair of circa 1883-84 Vanderbilt armchairs with mother-of-pearl and carved giltwood that sold for an impressive $250,000. Charlton Hall has also secured significant estates, such as those of Francis McNairy and Henry Moog.

Charlton Hall is best known for its fine art and antique auctioneering and appraisal services, including jewelry appraisals. The auction firm's skilled appraisers and evaluators are sought after by bank trust departments, attorneys who work in estate planning, and fine art museums across the globe.

Among Charlton Hall's most notable staff is President, Senior Auctioneer and Appraiser Ronald D. Long, who gained much of his extensive industry knowledge while traveling across England, Europe and the U.S. obtaining antiques for Charlton Hall's retail division. During this time, he cultivated lasting relationships with top international antique dealers. Today, he teaches college courses in antiques and auctioneering at Midlands Technical College.

Even though Charlton Hall is steeped in history, it's always striving to provide leading-edge services. Charlton Hall was among the first auction houses in the country to provide an interactive website with high-quality digital photography of auction items. Online buyers from around the world can peruse illustrated catalogues and e-newsletters as well as participate in live online bidding powered by Invaluable.com through the Charlton Hall website.