For the week ended Saturday 19 December 63 sales were archived to the RBH database; 23 denominated in euros, 6 in British pounds, 1 in Mexican pesos, and 33 in US dollars.  Turnover was a stellar $48,465,294 as 17,715 lots were offered and 13,575 sold for a 76% success rate.  This is an extraordinary report.

11 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Pierre Berge and Associes. Library of Pierre Berge on December 11th: $13,017,168 
Sothebys. Robert Frank: The Americans The Ruth and Jake Bloom Collection on December 17th: $3,739,375 
Swann Galleries. African American Fine Art - Prints on December 15th: $3,136,382 
Christies. Maurice Burrus (1882-1959): The Library of a Man of Taste on December 15th: $2,692,791 
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on December 15th: $2,464,238 
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana on December 14th: $2,313,375 
Profiles in History. DocDave Winiewicz Collection Featuring the Works of Master Frank Frazetta on December 11th: $2,166,972 
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Rare Books on November 24th: $1,860,337 
Heritage Auctions. Animation Art on December 15th: $1,662,902 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 17th: $1,571,658 
Kedem Auction. Rare and Important Items on December 2nd: $1,309,950 

25 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale: 

Christies. MRS THATCHER - PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE BARONESS THATCHER OF KESTEVE on December 15th: 849.52% 
Carlsen Gallery. December Antiques Auction - Prints on December 6th: 176.88% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day2 on December 8th: 169.13% 
Profiles in History. DocDave Winiewicz Collection Featuring the Works of Master Frank Frazetta on December 11th: 165.17% 
Aspire Auctions. December Online Auction - Prints Internet bidstart 12/4 on December 12th: 163.55% 
Robert Siegel Galleries. Postal History on December 10th: 155.32% 
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Modern Art - Prints on December 5th: 148.48% 
Ader. Letters and Autograph Manuscripts - Regarding the Josephine Baker Collection on November 26th: 148.02% 
Christies. Maurice Burrus (1882-1959): The Library of a Man of Taste on December 15th: 147.23% 
Heritage Auctions. Civil War and Militaria on December 12th: 142.64% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day1 on December 7th: 140.40% 
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Selected Quality Pictures - Prints on December 11th: 138.84% 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 17th: 130.42% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day3 on December 9th: 124.87% 
Kedem Auction. Rare and Important Items on December 2nd: 117.74% 
Waverly Auctions. Rare Books on December 3rd: 116.35% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents: Science, Medicine and Cookery on December 16th: 108.75% 
ALDE. Binders, Original, Modern, Illustrated on December 14th: 108.58% 
Stockholms Auktionsverk. Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts on December 15th: 107.90% 
Swann Galleries. African American Fine Art - Prints on December 15th: 107.73% 
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on December 15th: 107.36% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Fine Art, Traditional Antiques and Contemporary Western Art - Prints, Maps on December 12th: 103.77% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Children's and Illustrated Books on December 17th: 103.63% 
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Contemporary Art - Prints on December 5th: 101.42% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on December 15th: 101.04% 


30 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell: 

Christies. MRS THATCHER - PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE BARONESS THATCHER OF KESTEVE on December 15th: 100.00% 
Aspire Auctions. December Online Auction - Prints Internet bidstart 12/4 on December 12th: 100.00% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Fine Art, Traditional Antiques and Contemporary Western Art - Prints, Maps on December 12th: 100.00% 
Carlsen Gallery. December Antiques Auction - Prints on December 6th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/6 on December 13th: 99.52% 
Heritage Auctions. Animation Art on December 15th: 99.33% 
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/10 on December 17th: 98.73% 
Alaska Auction. December 11th Auction on December 11th: 98.11% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/6 on December 13th: 97.92% 
Profiles in History. DocDave Winiewicz Collection Featuring the Works of Master Frank Frazetta on December 11th: 94.57% 
Heritage Auctions. Civil War and Militaria on December 12th: 93.36% 
Waverly Auctions. Rare Books on December 3rd: 92.62% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day1 on December 7th: 92.05% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day2 on December 8th: 91.99% 
Grogan and Company. December Auction on December 6th: 90.91% 
Michaans Auctions. Estate Auction on December 12th: 90.00% 
Sothebys. Robert Frank: The Americans The Ruth and Jake Bloom Collection on December 17th: 89.61% 
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on December 12th: 89.22% 
Christies. Maurice Burrus (1882-1959): The Library of a Man of Taste on December 15th: 86.90% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents: Science, Medicine and Cookery on December 16th: 86.72% 
Cowans Auctions. The Golden Age of Travel - Internet bidstart 12/3 on December 14th: 86.36% 
Kedem Auction. Rare and Important Items on December 2nd: 85.84% 
Bloomsbury Auctions. The Bibliophile Sale: Books and Works on Paper on December 17th: 85.41% 
Winter Associates. December Sale - Prints, Books, Ephemera on December 7th: 85.29% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on December 15th: 85.07% 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 17th: 84.85% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day3 on December 9th: 84.15% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Children's and Illustrated Books on December 17th: 83.33% 
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Modern Art - Prints on December 5th: 80.95% 
Swann Galleries. African American Fine Art - Prints on December 15th: 80.00% 


63 total sales reported this week: 

Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Rare Books on November 24th: 64.06% 
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Modern Art - Prints on December 5th: 80.95% 
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Contemporary Art - Prints on December 5th: 64.29% 
Profiles in History. DocDave Winiewicz Collection Featuring the Works of Master Frank Frazetta on December 11th: 94.57% 
ALDE. Letters and Handwritten Autographs on December 16th: 56.23% 
Sothebys. Robert Frank: The Americans The Ruth and Jake Bloom Collection on December 17th: 89.61% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Children's and Illustrated Books on December 17th: 83.33% 
PBA Galleries. Rare Americana with Manuscript Material on December 17th: 76.40% 
Bloomsbury Auctions. The Bibliophile Sale: Books and Works on Paper on December 17th: 85.41% 
ALDE. Binders, Original, Modern, Illustrated on December 14th: 67.15% 
Minerva Auctions Roma. An Important International Prints Collection on December 10th: 46.34% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Fine Art, Traditional Antiques and Contemporary Western Art - Prints, Maps on December 12th: 100.00% 
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Fine Prints on December 15th: 63.82% 
Alaska Auction. December 11th Auction on December 11th: 98.11% 
Heritage Auctions. Animation Art on December 15th: 99.33% 
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/10 on December 17th: 98.73% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents: Science, Medicine and Cookery on December 16th: 86.72% 
Cowans Auctions. The Golden Age of Travel - Internet bidstart 12/3 on December 14th: 86.36% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Photographs on December 15th: 66.95% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on December 15th: 85.07% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Old Master Prints on December 14th: 66.67% 
Waverly Auctions. Rare Books on December 3rd: 92.62% 
Ader. Modern Prints - Henri M. Petiet Collection on December 10th: 67.38% 
Ader. Letters and Autograph Manuscripts - Regarding the Josephine Baker Collection on November 26th: 78.15% 
Pierre Berge and Associes. Edition on December 15th: 38.35% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day3 on December 9th: 84.15% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day2 on December 8th: 91.99% 
Profiles in History. Morris Everett, Jr. The Auction Part II - Day1 on December 7th: 92.05% 
Profiles in History. Animation and Disneyana on December 10th: 47.95% 
Aspire Auctions. December Online Auction - Prints Internet bidstart 12/4 on December 12th: 100.00% 
Pierre Berge and Associes. Library of Pierre Berge on December 11th: 78.72% 
Hauswedell and Nolte. Contemporary Art - Prints on December 12th: 59.26% 
Hauswedell and Nolte. Modern Art - Part 2 - Prints on December 11th: 64.40% 
Hauswedell and Nolte. Modern Art, Part 1- Prints on December 11th: 54.55% 
Cowans Auctions. Works on Paper - Prints on December 11th: 63.33% 
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Selected Quality Pictures - Prints on December 11th: 35.90% 
Morton Casa de Subastas. Auction Year of Graphic Art and Paintings on December 10th: 41.03% 
Binoche et Giquello. Science Books on December 9th: 38.17% 
Grays Auctioneers. Jewelry, Fine Art and Antiques - Books and Prints on December 9th: 44.44% 
Goldberg Coins and Collectibles. Coins, Manuscripts and Space Memorabilia on December 6th: 74.17% 
Grogan and Company. December Auction on December 6th: 90.91% 
Winter Associates. December Sale - Prints, Books, Ephemera on December 7th: 85.29% 
Stockholms Auktionsverk. Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts on December 15th: 76.23% 
RR Auction. Fine Autographs & Artifacts - Internet bidstart 11/20 on December 9th: 60.06% 
Swann Galleries. African American Fine Art - Prints on December 15th: 80.00% 
Christies. Maurice Burrus (1882-1959): The Library of a Man of Taste on December 15th: 86.90% 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 17th: 84.85% 
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on December 15th: 68.25% 
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana on December 14th: 46.30% 
Christies. MRS THATCHER - PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE BARONESS THATCHER OF KESTEVE on December 15th: 100.00% 
Carlsen Gallery. December Antiques Auction - Prints on December 6th: 100.00% 
Bloomsbury Philobiblon. 1500 Sixteenth Century Books on December 2nd: 70.26% 
Robert Siegel Galleries. Postal History on December 10th: 78.47% 
Kedem Auction. Rare and Important Items on December 2nd: 85.84% 
Auctionata. Editions .. For You or Someone Special - Prints on December 11th: 31.97% 
Auctionata. American and European Fine Art - Prints on December 10th: 23.53% 
Auctionata. 100 Masterworks - Prints on December 7th: 6.25% 
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on December 13th: 73.49% 
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on December 12th: 89.22% 
Michaans Auctions. Estate Auction on December 12th: 90.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/6 on December 13th: 97.92% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/6 on December 13th: 99.52% 
Heritage Auctions. Civil War and Militaria on December 12th: 93.36% 

For the week ahead 7 sales are scheduled: 

Tue. Dec. 22nd 
Sothebys. New York. Important Judaica. 79 lots 
Sothebys. New York. The Valmadonna Trust Library: Part I Magnificent Manuscripts and the Bomberg Talmud. 12 lots 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Lee's Summit . Jesse Barnes Lithographs Online Auction - bidstart 12/12. 24 lots 

Wed. Dec. 23rd 
Soler Y Llach. Barcelona. PHILATELIC LIBRARY AND POSTAL HISTORY.. 

Thu. Dec. 24th 
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/17. 229 lots 

Sun. Dec. 27th 
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/20. 
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/20. 

And now, for a few weeks, the auction houses will slow down for a well-needed rest.  The number of sales upcoming is 7, each looking to benefit from the robust audience that expects appealing material every week, even in the weeks that have traditionally been quiet.  Truth be told, collectors, institutions and dealers buy every day.

Best wishes for the holidays,

Bruce McKinney

RBH and AE