doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Auction Houses?

Dave: Charlton Hall is serious about their Sporting Sale the third installment of which will be this December in their new facility. Dig Haddoke thinks enough of them to be involved. Jim Julia is also in the antique auction business. As for J.C. Devine I have not heard anything derrogetory about them.

Best Regards, George

George,

No way Charlton Hall is in the same league with James Julia for selling guns,the numbers speak for themsleves.Do your own DD with JCD.
If your looking to sell fine guns and have to use a auctioneer, the only way to go is with one of the big 2 or 3 that have a proven record to bring in buyers,present the items with full descriptions/photos in the catalogs (CH is lacking there)and stand behind the description.Thats what brings in the buyers.

Dave: As I previously stated, Charlton Hall has only held their Sporting Sale for the past two Decembers. No they are not yet on a par with JJ, RI,GM or AMOSKEG, but neither were they in their infancy and I've got the catalogues to prove it. Given time I believe that we will see that they will rank up there with the best.

Just My Humble Opinion......George

George,
I know you "bird dog" for CH and have high hopes,but there are lots of newbies and lots more further along (Alderfer for example),one thing is clear.

The top two or three that have the market and bring in the buyers.
The rest are way back and only pick up the crumbs.

You are all correct of course but cast your mind back to the early 1990s when a chap called Nick Holt decided he wanted some of the action when Christie's, Bonhams and Sotheby's had it all wrapped up.

Who knows how things will look five or ten years from now?

I hope Charlton Hall makes it in the gun auction business. Maybe with Georges" help they will I hope so as we need a good gun house. My friend went to both and said many guns went unsold. I read some of the descriptions and decide to pass bidding as I did not feel comfortable with the vague descriptions.

I do bidding at acutions house and one thing I have learned is that usually the gun is less than described and has something always need attention. ( I figure a screw job -on me- on every gun of $50-$125)

These auctions houses make big noise as to having great knowledgable gun people working for them, but if I described guns like they do, I would get many back.

I bid on an A-5 , 20 ga recently from one of the big named auctions house, said it was a belgium gun. When it arrived it clearly said on the bbls made in Japan.

How about the rifle I retured just a short time ago the had a large chip that had been poorly repaired right behind the top tang, not mentioed in the description, also had rust freckling all over the floor plate( I have the pictures) Called and sent the gun back and auction company in the letter sent back to me said as in the description of catalog, they consided that blue ware. Rust is blue ware!!

They all profess to have years of gun experience,maybe so but not at descriptions. I think I will have them teach me how to describe guns. I guess I will turn off the lights in the shop when I write up descriptions.

Climbing down from my soap box for now, but will jump back up soon


John Boyd

Here's the worst screwing that I got from a well known English auction house. This is on a Boss. The forend iron is cracked straight across and badly repaired. Of course the auction photo did not show this detail.







When I called the owner he said words to the effect of: "No refund as we do not have to describe all faults."

If you want retail service, go to a shop.

Gun auctions, like car auctions are there to sell what is for sale in the state in which it is consigned. It is up to the bider to make sure he knows what he is bidding on.

The auction house is acting for the vendor remember. They deliberately keep descriptions basic, the detail is up to the prospective buyer to satisfy himself on. that is just the nature of the business and why one needs to be careful. In this case Mike, the auctioneer was right.

Maybe in England but not here.If there is a material defect in lot thats not in the description I know of two,James Julia and Amoskeag,that will take the gun back.Several othere do not,that why I don't bid unless I can go in person.

If an article for sale is not as described, it can be returned. However some houses, especially British, claim ignorance. They should not be in the business.