For the week ending Saturday November 10^th 13 auctions were archived to the AED, 2 in British pounds, 3 in euros and 7 in US dollars.  Four thousand and twenty-four lots were offered and 3,061 sold for a 76% success rate.  Total turnover was $6,771,611, 70% of the aggregate high estimate of all lots offered:  $9,701,371.  The uncertainty associated with the American fiscal cliff seems the likely culprit for softness in the rooms.  Representative Behner’s quickly enunciated willingness to cooperate, after the election of President Obama, may ultimately lead to a grand bargain but until such an agreement is reached the auction rooms may be held hostage.  The hearty will look past the short term economic uncertainty toward what is shaping up as a good to very good 2013 if the Congress does not bury the economy alive.

Two sales reached a million dollars:

Doyle New York.  Photographs and Prints on November 5^th:  $2,532,960

Swann Galleries.   Old Master through Modern Prints; including Salvador Dali Prints, Drawings, Art Books:  $2,068,542

Two sales saw their sales reach 100% of their aggregate high estimates:  

Remy Le Fur & Associes.  Bibliotheque de Pierre Lacam on October 31st:  210%

Doyle New York.  Photographs and Prints on November 5^th:  119%

Four sales saw 80% of their lots sell:

Remy Le Fur & Associes.  Bibliotheque de Pierre Lacam on October 31^st:  100%

Aspire Auctions.  Prints internet sale ended November 2^nd:  96%

Doyle New York.  Photographs and Prints on November 5^th:  86%

Leslie Hindman.  Fine Books and Manuscripts on November 7^th:  85%

For the week ahead 38 sales are scheduled.  Most are currently searchable in the AE Upcoming Auction Search.  As to today 12,392 of these lots are available.

Monday Nov. 12^th  Artcurial Bries-Le Fur-Poulain. Tajan.  Historic Memories and Antiques Arms [19575].  7 lots

                                    Bonhams.  Prints [20069].  126 lots

                                    Christie’s.  Andy Warhol Benefit [2766].  356 lots

                                    Neret – Minet & Tessier.  Comic Strips [14093].  390 lots

Tuesday Nov. 13^th     Bonhams.  Books, Maps and Manuscripts [20139].  248 lots

                                    Bruun Rasmussen.  Dan Fog Music Book Store [1246].  1 lot

                                    Burgersdijk & Niermans.  Books [336].  1,110 lots

                                    Galerie Koller.  Books [651].  66 lots

Wed. Nov. 14^th           Bloomsbury Auctions.  Old Master to 20^th Century Prints & Drawings and Vintage
  Posters [35990].  463 lots

                                    Burgersdijk & Niermans.  Books [336].  1,110 lots

                                    Dominic Winter Book Auctions.  Printed Books, Maps and Documents [111412]

                                    Freeman’s.  Pennsylvania Sale [1446].  125 lots

                                    Freeman’s.  Historic Muhlenberg Property from a Private Collection [1446A].  27 lots

Thurs. Nov. 15^th         Bloomsbury Auctions.  Old Master to 20^th Prints & Drawings and Vintage Posters [35990].  463 lots

                                    Gonnelli Casa d’Aste.  Books, Manuscripts, Autographs:  790 lots

                                    Dominic Winter Book Auctions.  The Collectors Sale:  Aviation, Motoring and other Transport [111512]

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Comics and Comic Art [7066].  2,025 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Rare Books Internet bidding ends today.  392 lots

                                    Neret – Minet & Tessier.  Photographs and Books [14094].  278 lots

                                    PBA Galleries.  Rare Manuscripts and Archives [493].  174 lots

                                    Piasa.  Ancient and Modern Prints [19944]

                                    Profiles in History.  Historical Documents [111512].  174 lots

                                    Skinner, Inc.  Fine Books and Manuscripts [2620M].  137 lots

                                    Sotheby’s.  Travel, Atlases, Maps and Natural History [L12405].  339 lots

                                    Swann Galleries.  American Art * Contemporary Art [2294].  171 lots

Friday Nov. 16^th         Christie’s.  Photographs [3514].  196 lots

                                    Gonnelli Casa d’Aste.  Books, Manuscripts, Autographs:  790 lots

                                    Dominic Winter Book Auctions.  The Collector’s Sale:  Militaria, Railway Part V [111612]

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Comics and Comic Art [7066].  2,025 lots

                                    Sotheby’s.  Photographs [PF1222]

                                    Romantic Agony.  Books and Prints [49]

Saturday Nov. 17^th    Addison and Sarova.  Rare and Fine Books [1002].  225 lots

                                    Christie’s.  Photographs [3514].  196 lots

                                    Gonnelli Casa d’Aste.  Prints and Drawings [11b].  394 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Photographs [5119]

                                    Romantic Agony.  Books and Prints [49]

Sunday Nov. 18^th       Bonhams.  Prints [20070]

                                    ERA Encheres.  Rare and Ancient Books about Regionalism [18804]

                                    National Book Auctions.  Books, Art, Ephemera, and Collectibles [111812]

                                    Piasa.  Herge:  Comic Strips [20011]

                                    Skinner, Inc.  Fine Books and Manuscripts [2621B].  704 lots

What with the American elections and hurricane damage in the New York area it has been a complicated two weeks.  Sales, long scheduled, are coming up.  The opportunities are appealing, the chance to support both consignors and auction houses equally important.  At moments like this we are reminded that, while acting individually, we are also part of a complex unique community.

Bruce McKinney

AE

November 11^th, 2012