Established in 1845, Halls is one of the UK’s most esteemed auction houses.
Located in the heart of Shropshire in a purpose built saleroom, our team of experienced and qualified experts make it their goal to provide clients with informed and impartial advice on all aspects of the valuation and auction process.
The first step to selling with us is to request a valuation. We offer free auction advice to help you make the right decision and a free valuation service for silver, jewellery, pictures, works of art, ceramics, glass, furniture and more. Whether you are looking to sell a single item or a collection, our team will guide you through the process.
There are two ways to receive a valuation from us; in person, at our head office in Shrewsbury or at one of our valuation events around the county or via email with images of your item(s).
Book an valuation with one of our specialists at a time to suit you Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Call us +44 (0)1743 450700 or email fineart@hallsgb.com to arrange an appointment.
Send us images and details of the item(s) you would like valued by emailing our team at fineart@hallsgb.com
for a free valuation.
You’ll receive a response within a few days, including an estimated value, whether we can sell the item for you, and which of our auctions it would be suitable for.
If we need to see the item in person, we’ll be in touch to arrange a suitable time.
We hold free valuation events around the county and beyond. Take a look at our Valuation Days & Events to see if we'll be hosting one near you.
Our vendor commission charges are 18%+VAT per lot plus a £12 marketing fee.
Once you have agreed to sell your item you will receive a receipt by email or post outlining your contract to sell. This will include a brief description and estimates of your item(s).
Your item will be catalogued, photographed, and placed in the most suitable auction to maximize its sale potential. We will send you a pre-sale email with the auction date, title, full lot descriptions, estimates and link to our online catalogue.
If we successfully sell your item(s) at auction you will receive a post-sale email with the sale results. You will receive the proceeds of the sale of your item 30 days after the sale.
Halls Fine Art has a proven track record of handling sensitively and successfully selling single owner collections of fine art. For example, the single owner private collection of Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe artwork (hammer total £43,400) on the 15th of September 2021 and another private collection that included the portrait of Princess Mary, Circle of Sir Peter Lely that sold for a hammer price of £22,000 and a Sir Kyffin Williams that made £13,000 on the 18th of March 2020.
In other disciplines we were pleased to offer The David Bowie Collection of Artist Edward Bell.
A comprehensive marketing campaign will be undertaken, encompassing national and international press, including the Antique Trade Gazette (ATG), along with other relevant newspapers and periodicals selected to suit the nature of the collection. Editorial coverage will be actively sought, targeting the Midlands press and magazines, as well as specialist titles such as Apollo and The Art Newspaper. Halls also provides regular editorial content to Shropshire Life and similar publications.
The collection will be promoted across the Halls website, including a homepage banner image and a dedicated news feature highlighting key works. Additional cross-marketing will take place through Halls’ eight regional offices across the West Midlands.
Targeted e-shots will be sent to our database of prospective buyers and bidders to promote the sale. Where appropriate, we can also liaise with you regarding additional contacts or interested parties you would like notified, subject to GDPR compliance.
Depending on the nature and size of the collection, Halls often hold an evening/weekend viewing at our salerooms in Shrewsbury, in combination with a reception/talk for invited guests and VIPs. Normal viewing days open to the general public are Monday and Tuesday prior to a sale.
Halls Fine Art is committed to maintaining the highest standards of photography, regularly receiving praise from both vendors and buyers. One such example is vendor Lindsey Knapp of Victoria Gallery, who commented on how impressed she was with the presentation of her collection.
We have made significant and ongoing investment in this area, upgrading our cameras, lighting, and studio equipment to ensure consistently high-quality results.
Every lot is illustrated online, with multiple images provided where appropriate to give buyers a clear and accurate representation.
All Halls auctions are hosted on the-saleroom.com, EasyLive, and Barnaby’s, giving each sale extensive international exposure. Additional investment in targeted email campaigns, using ATG’s unrivalled audience segmentation, can be incorporated into the marketing package for your fine art collection, ensuring it reaches collectors worldwide.
Online bidding continues to grow rapidly, with approximately 70% of works sold at Halls purchased by online bidders—most of whom do not attend the sale in person. This upward trend underscores the importance of detailed condition reports and high-quality imagery in achieving the best possible results.
Halls specialists routinely research every item they handle, incorporating footnotes and provenance where required. Our cataloguing reflects a high standard of scholarship and a clear house style, tailored to an international market.
We host monthly Fine Art, Antiques and Jewellery auctions, offering paintings, furniture, ceramics, jewellery, watches, militaria, coins, silver and more. This broad mix allows for effective cross-marketing and increased buyer interest.
Halls has the expertise and experience to handle significant collections. Combined with the strength of the ATG (the-saleroom) online platform, targeted digital marketing, and dedicated public relations support, we ensure each collection is widely publicised and effectively promoted.
When I decided to sell my collection back in June, my first thought was Halls Fine Art. I have bought a number of items from them in the past. I was immediately put through to Paintings Specialist Abigail Molenaar who asked all of the right questions and was very enthusiastic about evaluating what I had. I immediately knew that I had found the right place to sell my collection and arranged to come in and see her.
Abigail has kept me informed of the impressive promotional work over the past few months and I am sure the results of the two recent auctions, which have far exceeded my expectations, are due to her enthusiasm and attention to detail. I can't thank her enough.
Mr N, Liverpool
‘My late husband and I had great fun accumulating a vast quantity of children antique tea sets, dating from c1810- 1870. Over a period of 20+ years, we thoroughly enjoyed a shared passion for searching for these little pots and the subsequent detective work to identify the manufacture. When my husband died collecting wasn’t the same, and I moved to a much smaller house. Our two children didn’t share our interest, so I had no-one to pass them on to.
After researching and talking to representatives of the many auction houses, I chose Halls to auction off what, to me, are very precious items. Each one packed with fond memories and interest.
Caroline Dennard instinctively realised how difficult parting with these items was going to be, and helped me through-out the process with support and good advice. Recommending an excellent carrier to collect these precious items, ideas on how best to lot them, selected appropriate lots, and saw the collection through the inner workings of Halls Auctioneers to the final sale date.
Sadley, I wasn’t the easiest of customers, fretting over how they would be lotted, taking out and adding items, concerned to achieve the best outcome as these were always going to be part of our pension scheme. Caroline always responded to my questions promptly and sensitively, taking on board my suggestions, and was as delighted as I was when the majority of pieces sold and I achieved a good outcome.
I would thoroughly recommend Halls as the auctioneer of choice. Well organised, prompt attention to the clients need, and, without fail very supportive.’
EM of Buckingham
I’d never bought at auction before and to be honest found the idea of it incredibly daunting! I didn’t need to be worried though. Your team made the process so exciting and held my hand through telephone bidding to making the payment on my dresser once I’d won! I’ve now got the bug. Thank you for taking me from nervous bidder to experienced bidder!
Miss N, Ludlow