I went to the Charlton Hall auction last year and will not go this year. I find that the owner of the auction is a nice person, he knows almost zero about guns. He has some very nice furniture and art to sell during the remainder of the year and he has excellent knowlege of art and furniture. It was a nice venue and was an excellent opporunity to meet old friends and make new ones, but that was about the whole value of the auction to me.
My take on the photos this year is that they are not as good as last year. The descriptions of the guns are so so, such as the Remington 1100 "pump action".
There were hardly any bargains there last year and I expect less this year. Sellers paying sellers premium of 15% as well as paying insurance premiums while the guns are at Charlton Hall; and futher buyers paying 15% buyers premium does not leave much room for bargains. Sure as George notes there are some guns of prestige there, however you can drive 175 miles west of Columbia, SC to Philip Futrill's shop in NC and see many times more best quality English guns than you will see at Charlton Hall and buy them for less money.
Small Bore had a Purdey non-ejector at Charlton Hall last year for sale (I think it was the same Purdey as he wrote about in one of the English shooting magazines--that rivelled the barrels on the first attempt at re-proof for him at London Proof House) and it brought $13,000.00. This was $1,000.00 more than I though it would bring retail, however it was a nice old Purdey, and I hope that Small Bore sells more guns this year. I suspect, however he does not have to pay the 15% sellers premiumn, or at least he should not have to as he is the main draw to the auction.
There was a nice Stephen Grant there also and a nice pair of Purdey's--neither the Grant or Purdey's met reserve, I believe. I also seemed to remember that Small Bore at a good Lang SLE there last year. I do not recall if it brought minimum--or even if it has a reserve.
Now with the US$ at $1.46/UKPound Sterling the tables have turned as the USdollar was $2.00 to the pound at last year's auction. If Gordon Brown continues borrowing money to support the UK economy, we will see the US$ at $1.25 to the pound soon(it was $1.45 yesterday).
I saw several nice old Purdey's and Boss's a couple of weeks ago while I was in London. I may buy one soon as the Pound slips. I would have been better off to have taken some of my 401K out in August and bought several new Purdey's. As it is my 401K is now a 201K.
Good luck to all of you that may go to Charlton Hall. It was fun watching the activities there.
