Auction Update Review
The World is Ending, at least for a few weeks
For the week ending Saturday December 22nd
46 sales were archived to the AED; 13 in US dollars, one each in Canadian
dollars, Mexican pesos, and British pounds, and 32 in euros. Total turnover was $13,294,744, or 60% of the
high estimate of all 16,880 lots offered - $22,330,538. The volume has been
extraordinarily and finally, as the days extended deeper into the month the pace has slowed.
The major sale for the week was Profiles in History’s The Property of a
Distinguished Collector on December 18th. Eighty-five percent of all lots sold and
$5,,883,185 changed hands. The sale was
widely described as important and fresh.
In the trade these are code words for desirable.
Three sales saw their totals reach one million dollars:
Profiles in History. The Property
of a Distinguished American Private Collector on December 18th: $5,883,185
Sotheby’s. Important Judaica in
New York on December 19th:
$2,014,126
Minerva Auctions. Books,
Autographs and Prints on December 13th: $1,118,042
Ten sales saw their total proceeds go beyond 100% of the total of their
high estimates for all lots offered:
Artcurial Briest. Historical
Memories on December 17th: 528%
Pierre Berge & Associes.
Library of the Epyptologist Roger Khawam
on November 29th: 255%
ERA Encheres. Books about
Teratology, Curiosa, Documents about Cinema on December 15th: 165%
Ader. Letters, Manuscripts and
Autographs on December 13th:
161%
Ferraton. Ancient Books and
Prints. First Vacation on December 14th: 133%
Heritage Auctions. Music
Memorabilia and Autographs on December 14th: 127%
Ader. Letters, Manuscripts and
Autographs II on December 14th:
123%
Ader. Letters, Manuscripts and
Autographs on December: 116%
Tajan. Ancient and Modern Prints
on December 13th: 116%
Profiles in History. Dreier
Collection on July 28th, 2012:
116%
Ferraton. Ancient Books and
Prints. 2nd Vacation on
December 15th: 102%
Nine sales sold more than 80% of their lots:
Pierre Berge & Associes. Library of the Epyptologist Roger Khawam on November 29th: 100%
ERA Encheres. Books about Teratology, Curiosa, Documents
about Cinema on December 15th:
93%
Profiles in History. Dreier Collection on July 28th,
2012: 91%
Profiles in History. The Property of a Distinguished American
Private Collector on December 18th:
85%
Ader. Letters, Manuscripts and Autographs on December 13th: 85%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books online auction ended December 20th: 84%
Addison and Sarova. Rare and Fine
Books on November 17th: 82%
Ferraton. Ancient Books and Prints. 2nd Vacation on December 15th: 82%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern Prints on December 18th: 80%
For the week ahead 3 sales are
scheduled:
Thurs. Dec. 27th Dirk Soulis Auctions. Terry Redlin Signed Prints online bidding ending today [28789]. 50 lots
Fri. Dec 28th Rupert Toovey and Co. Prints [1091]. 35 lots
As we head toward the end of the
fall season there are 4,052,091 records in the AED. It has been a busy fall season. Change is in the air.
Best wishes for the
holidays. The days off are well
deserved.
Bruce McKinney
AE
December 23rd, 2012