About us
By creating Australia’s first and, by far, most successful travelling art auction house, we regularly bring quality works of art to Australia’s capital cities and major regional centres. Why?
Art is for everyone.
From the very beginning we’ve acted on this tenet, making art accessible in price and in its acquisition. We strive to present our online auctions in an atmosphere that’s fun, entertaining and worth returning to on the merit of that alone.
We specialise in fine art from leading Australian, Aboriginal and international artists, but that’s not the be-all and end-all of what we’re about. We also specialise in quality bronze sculptures, as well as Persian, Oriental and contemporary carpets.
The other side to our business model is Home Content Auctions. We help people obtain high quality pre-cherished household items – from furniture to decorative homewares – at a fraction of store prices.
Our commitment to professionalism is renown. We are members of all the industry’s peak bodies, we guarantee the authenticity of our catalogues, we love what we do and we’ll go to exceptional lengths to ensure your experience and your purchase are completely satisfying.
Our Team
![Portrait of artist Danny Taibel](https://charlestons.com.au/storage/Danny-Taibel-300x300.jpg)
Hi I’m Danny Taibel. I’m the one who started Charleston’s back in 1997. Thanks for visiting our website.
Aside from my family I have two great loves in my life. I love the Rabbitohs and I love what I do. It’s no cliché; I couldn’t be a happier man. Well perhaps if the Rabbitohs moved up the ladder a little, but otherwise
I come from a long line of auctioneers. My grandfather cut his teeth in the trade back in South Africa, travelled throughout the continent honing his skills in tougher times. Whilst it was no shortcut for me I often think I was destined for this career. And I ‘m lucky I found my path at a young age.
I was born in South Africa, lived my early years in the US but moved to Australia for my formative years. I had a very typical upbringing on Sydney’s north shore and was an equally typical teen from Killara High.
I spent my 20’s and 30’ working around the world developing my skills, most significantly in Florida, California, and in London too. Each experience grew upon the last till I bundled them all together and returned home to build Charleston’s on these foundations.
It was the mid nineties and destiny or fate or whatever you want to call it again stepped in. This time it was 6 feet 2 inches, held a business degree from UTS and wielded an impressive knowledge of fine art. Adam Kant has the passion, energy and commitment that makes him both a great auctioneer and an invaluable business partner.
They say if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life. What a load of guff. I work hard, everyone at Charleston’s does. But because we love it we enjoy it and that’s the difference. I love the energy, I love the adrenalin, and I love seeing happy customers return time and again to find something unique, to set a fair price and to experience the thrill of an auction. There’s nothing quite like it.
Our success depends on your satisfaction. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.
Go the Bunnies!
“Working with Danny is fun, his enthusiasm and energy is infectious. Four hours of auctioning is nothing… he could go for 24 hours! He goes an extra`ten` miles to make every auction a success; he would climb mountains to overcome any hurdle to keep our customers happy.” Adam Kant on Danny Taibel
“After working in the auction business with many & various auctioneers for most of my working life, both in the country & the city, I will say that Danny Taibel is unique. He’s a quick wit on auction day & very generous with both his time & knowledge. He’s has the knack of making his auction audience feel comfortable.” – Pauline Barrington on Danny Taibel
![Portrait of artist Adam Kant in black and white](https://charlestons.com.au/storage/Adam-Kant-300x300.jpg)
Hello, thanks for stopping by, I’m Adam Kant and I’ve been an auctioneer my entire professional career.
I’ve thrown my heart and soul and head into becoming the best auctioneer I can be, in service and in knowledge. I invest my energies into giving you the best possible experience, because connecting with you through art is a pretty special exchange, we deserve for it to be positive.
How’d I get here? There was a bit of a plan, but it wasn’t a finely tuned plan. I was studying for a bachelor of business at UTS when a good friend took me to a gallery opening. It was an exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal art and it changed everything for me.
I did what I could to learn more about it and consequently learnt more about art in general. I fell in love with everything about Australian art (except for some of the snobbery), still I knew that if I could fit art into my professional life I could have a career I was passionate about. And I could possibly do something about making art more accessible.
I’d been friends with Danny for a few years. It was dumb luck that he was relocating to Australia as these art business ideas were formulating in my head. Fast forward and here we are. Charleston’s Fine Art Auctions was born.
Danny and I are great together. Our energies are very similar, our expertise is complimentary and in all regard to our standard of service to you, we are totally aligned.
With any exchange of art there comes an exchange of ideas and a sharing of knowledge. That’s why I’ll endeavor to spread the exchange of fine art to as many people as possible, to share in the experience.
Go the Roosters!
“I don’t know anyone who loves auctioning as much as him. I mean, I love it, but he takes it to another level. He also really enjoys seeing people get a good deal. He genuinely wants people to walk away knowing they did well. He’s a great team player and there’s never a dull moment. The perfect business partner.” Danny Taibel on Adam Kant
![](https://charlestons.com.au/storage/Sam-Fox-300x300.jpg)
G’day, I’m Sam and I’m the logistics and warehouse manager. I’ve been here since 2018 so I’ve had ringside seats to how the company is run. I’ve also enjoyed the friendships I’ve developed with my colleagues Danny and Adam.
I love my art, my tastes might be a little unconventional but that makes the world go ‘round. It’s one of the reasons I joined the team. I also couldn’t deal with an office job so managing the warehouse and the logistics of moving art around the country was right up my alley.
It’s a demanding role but I enjoy the challenge, plus I enjoy the people I get to meet. I do all the heavy lifting, literally and figuratively!
Like Danny and Adam, I’m a family man so I appreciate what motivates the average person and I like to think I make our customers lives as hassle free as possible. That’s my job.
“Sam’s like Oz behind the curtains in The Wizard of Oz. He’s pulling all the levers and switches making it all possible. Thankfully he’s part of our team cause he’s always full of energy and has a great attitude.” – Adam on Sam
![](https://charlestons.com.au/storage/Pauline-Barrington-300x300.jpg)
Hello, I’m Pauline and I do what I can to keep my two high-energy auctioneers able to perform at their best. As the team’s administrator and liaison I glue it all together so the guys can bring you some of the treasures they pick up around the country.
Brought up in the country, I’ve been involved with auctions my whole life. I cut my teeth at livestock auctions in northern NSW and moved into country realty before relocating to the big smoke in the 90s for the next chapter in my life.
I still wanted to be involved in auctions so I took a role at Lawson’s as secretary to their onsite valuers, specialising in insurance, auction and family law matters. It was quite a change from livestock but I found myself increasingly attracted to quality porcelain and silver artworks. I switched over to their Decorative Arts/Silver department where I further developed an appreciation for Australian masters painters.
Since I joined Charleston’s we’ve grown into a very good team. A little quirky at times perhaps, but we share a level of professionalism, knowledge and insight that has allowed the company to grow and given the guys a respected reputation.
I’ve worked for various auction houses so I can tell you Charleston’s stands out for its commitment to customer service and its genuine passion for creating positive experiences.
Visit us at a Charleston’s auction and you’ll know exactly what I mean.
“Pauline is the glue that holds this place together. The vibrancy of Danny and Adam’s auctioneering skills are balanced by her profound knowledge of the auction environment. She holds her cards close but I know she loves being a part of Charleston’s and she plays no small part in its legacy.” Paul Howell, Logistics Manager.
“We love Pauline! We love Pauline!” Danny & Adam