
Our People
BA(Hons) MA, MLitt, RICS
Lucy Charles began her career with Christie’s auction house progressing to the Guggenheim Museum, Venice before becoming an independent Curator, Art Dealer and Art Market Professional (specialising in art market law and economics). Lucy has been providing art advisory services for her clients in order to build private collections (including commissioning art) in a career spanning thirty years experience. She established Galerie Betty Charles in 2025 building on her work in central Europe within smaller private Foundations and Collections.
As a RICS registered Valuer and Mediator, she is able to help clients who need help with probate valuations on pieces of art and decorative art within her specialism of Modern and Contemporary art (approximately 1882 - present day). She advises galleries and museums worldwide, negotiating fees and commissioning, acquisition and deaccessions of modern and contemporary pieces. She is called upon as an expert witness and regularly advises on a high profile cases of title and authentication. Her experience in researching, exhibition curating, authenticating and cataloguing is wide ranging and her workload is often varied.
Lucy’s career as a Curator includes curating individual exhibitions across Europe, preferring to work with smaller museums and galleries with interesting permanent collections, breathing fresh life into the space when juxtaposing Modern pictures with more contemporary pieces. She has a passion for working with artists who are in mid-career and established and have honed their skills as an artist. She also enjoys breathing new life and bringing back into the market, Modern works which have been previously overlooked .
Lucy’s contribution as a NED includes the Charity Committee of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, (a London Livery Company) which seeks to distribute funds to individuals and institutions which align with the principles of art scholarship.
Lucy is also on the Art Market Steering Group of the Association For Art History which assists in helping to raise awareness of career opportunities in the art trade and to facilitate entry into it. The focus of the Group’s work is on pre-university students, undergraduate students and those interested in making a career transition into the commercial art sector.
Lucy E. Charles
BSc (Hons) MA, M.Phil, SFHEA, FRSA Solicitor
Oliver holds an MA in art history and an M.Phil concerning the money laundering regulation imposed on the art market. He has also lectured extensively in art history and art fraud with his specialisms being ancient antiquity and pre-impressionist European paintings. Oliver is published in the areas of deferred prosecution agreements and money laundering. He has collected extensively German KPM porcelain.
As a legal consultant Oliver is a qualified solicitor and has run his own general practice for almost 30 years. He has experience in the areas of property, wills and probate, company commercial, charity, tax & tax planning, together with matrimonial and family. He acts for clients not only in the UK but offshore and residing abroad. Oliver has worked on a number of cases involving high value assets. These cases have ranged from assisting with the acquisition of such assets, through to complex title issues and recovery in the event of fraud.
In 2025 the firm expanded to become a legal and tax consultancy covering UK and European clients. Oliver is published in the areas of deferred prosecution agreements and money laundering. He is a member of the Institute of Art and Law (IAL) and also the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
He spent 27 years as a NED with the YMCA. He is now a Liveryman of both the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London and the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars and acted as the Hon Secretary to the charitable trust. In 2019 he was granted the Freedom of the City of London.
Oliver P. Charles
Galerie Betty Charles
Suffolk House,
High Street,
Yoxford,
Suffolk IP17 3EP
Tel: +44 (0) 7398 160650
Opening Times
Wednesday: 10am - 4pm.
Thursday: 10am - 4pm.
Friday: 10am - 4pm.
Saturday: 10am - 4pm.
Sunday: By Appointment
Monday: By Appointment
Tuesday: By Appointment