Auction Update Review
The lights never go out anymore
For the week ending Saturday May 19th,
2012 19 auctions were archived; 5 in euros, 7 in British pounds and 7 in US
dollars. Five thousand one hundred and
twenty-three lots were offered and 4,043 sold for a 79% success rate. Total sales were $18,108,279, 86% of the
aggregate high estimate of all sold and unsold lots offered. Auctions are continuing to provide an
efficient outlet for converting paper collectibles into cash.
For the week 5 sales reached or
exceeded 100% of the aggregate high estimate of all lots offered:
Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F.
Tajan. Modern Books on May 15th: 154%
Alde. Original Editions, Prints on May 16th: 130%
Sotheby’s. Books and Manuscripts on May 15th: 111%
Swann Galleries. Early Printed and Travel Books on May 15th: 106%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on May 16th: 100%
Seven sales sold 80% or more of
their lots:
Christie’s. Photographs 1840 – Present on May 16th: 100%
National Book Auctions. Books and Ephemera on May 6th: 100%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books Internet bidstart May 11th: 98%
Heritage Auctions. Space Explorations online bidstart May 12th: 97%
Swann Galleries. Early Printed and Travel Books May 15th: 94%
Skinner, Inc. Fine Prints on May 18th: 84%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Important Books and Manuscripts on May 15th: 80%
One house, Swann Galleries, made
both lists for the same sale, an unusual, even exceptional, performance.
For the week ahead 18 sales are
scheduled:
Monday May 21st Ketterer Kunst / F. Doerling. Rare Books [391]. 1,157 lots
Tuesday May 22nd Ader.
Manuscripts, Prints [18359]. 421
lots
Bloomsbury
Auctions. Photographs [35919]. 280 lots
Bonhams. The Angling Library of Alan Jarvis [20289]. 488 lots
Bubb
Kuyper. Books, Manuscripts and Graphic
Arts [56a]. 1,679 lots
Ketterer
Kunst / F. Doerling. Rare Books
[391]. 1,157 lots
Wed. May 23rd Bonhams. The Stuart B. Schimmel Forgery Collection
[20136]. 253 lots
Bubb
Kuyper. Books, Manuscripts and
Graphic Arts [56b]. 1,725 lots
Old
World Auctions. Maps [140]. 922 lots
Sotheby’s. The Gunter Sachs Collection Day Auction
[L12026]. 9 lots.
Thurs. May 24th Bubb Kuyper. Books, Manuscripts and Graphic Arts [56c]
Heritage
Auctions. Rare Books – internet bidstart
5/17 [201221]. 339 lots
PBA
Galleries. Literature and Books in All
Fields [480].
Friday May 25th Bubb Kuyper. Books, Manuscripts and Graphic Arts [56d]
Osenat. Books – internet [18946]
Piasa. Ancient, Modern and Contemporary Photographs
[18226]. 279 lots
Saturday May 26th Northeast Auctions. Historical Americana [52612]. 148 lots
Sunday May 27th Northeast Auctions. Historical Americana [52612]. 148 lots continued
The pace of auctions, approaching
summer, declines a bit but this year should continue, by historical standards,
to be brisk.
Bruce McKinney
AE
May 20th, 2012