Charlton Hall Galleries Purchaser's Nightmare! W Columbia South Carolina

I purchsed a beautiful antique table at an online auction and called on a Friday to pay for said purchase and ask if the auction house would kindly hold the table for me for 3 weeks until I could pick it up, when I would be driving through that particular state. I was told no, it would need to be paid for and removed within 5 days.

I then offered my credit/ debit card number and learned surprisingly that they only take personal or cashier's checks! Stunning in this day and age, but I thanked them and immediately went to work arranging for a mover who, by a stoke of luck, was in SC and could pick it up on his way through that day. The table would be released to him if I wired the money to them,but only if I paid an additional $30 fee!!! I mailed a check that day and he left without the table.

The following Tuesday I was 2 1/2 hours down the road towards retreiving the table when I called to let them know I was on my way. The auction house told me the check had been received and deposited, but they could not release my table for 14 days because it was an OUT OF TOWN CHECK!!!! No mention was ever made of this in the first call. I explained that I was well on my way to SC, but the response was, "I'm sorry, that is our policy". No effort was made to verify funds. No effort was made to please me as a customer. They were happy for me to turn around and come back in what would end up being the exact same week that I asked to pick it up in the beginning!

I told them to resell the table. I stopped payment on the check. I beg of you, do NOT do business with these people. The flying monkeys have taken over the building....