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Articles - September - 2024 Issue

Our Weekly Auction Updates: books and the auctions by the numbers

- by Bruce E. McKinney

A year is made up of 52 reports

A year is made up of 52 reports

Our Weekly Auction Updates (WAU) have become a significant publication for us over the past 10 years.  Our RBM and WAU audiences are similar but their perspectives are different.  Rare Book Monthly has been geared to the retail trade, our WAU following organized for the professional trade. Increasingly the dividing line between these two communities is becoming less black and white.

 

The difference?

 

Books are built on words, buying and selling at auction is basically a numbers game. The numerical history of an item is heavily dependent on frequency of appearance, who the offering agent is, the timing of the offer, and the relative strength or weakness of the overall sale.

 

The Weekly Auction Updates, which are issued every week of the year, are single snowflakes.  Over the course of a year you get a sense of the annual downpour. These reports suggest whether you bring an umbrella or buy a bottle of champagne.

 

Altogether, there is a lot to be learned. 

 

Our WAU are always posted on our Auction Page.  Here’s a link.

Rare Book Monthly

  • <b><center>Sotheby’s<br>Year in Review</center></b> <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> A Rare Hebrew Bible with Micrographic Masorah. Sold: 1,514,000 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> "The Freedman's Primer.” Sold: 241,300 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Smith, William. "The Map that Changed the World." Sold: 139,700 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Psalter, C13th. Illuminated Psalter. Sold: 330,200 GBP <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Lincoln, Abraham. The abolition of slavery. Sold: 13,697,500 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Vergilius. Opera, Venice, Aldo Manuzio, 1501. Sold: 1,041,400 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Year in Review
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: A Rare Hebrew Bible with Micrographic Masorah. Sold: 1,514,000 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: "The Freedman's Primer.” Sold: 241,300 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Smith, William. "The Map that Changed the World." Sold: 139,700 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Psalter, C13th. Illuminated Psalter. Sold: 330,200 GBP
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Lincoln, Abraham. The abolition of slavery. Sold: 13,697,500 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Vergilius. Opera, Venice, Aldo Manuzio, 1501. Sold: 1,041,400 USD
  • <b><center>University Archives<br>Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration<br>January 7, 2026</center></b> <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Jefferson's Owned & Signed "Plutarch's Morals" Vol. 4. - 1st Time At Auction In Nearly 200 Years! <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Flown NASA Hasselblad 203S Space Camera On Endeavour STS-111, With Components, Data Module & Flown Film Magazine! <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> One Of The Finest Lincoln Assassination Letters Extant, April 15, 1865 - Illustrated & Beyond Dramatic! 8pp. <b><center>University Archives<br>Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration<br>January 7, 2026</center></b> <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Isaac Newton Highly Important Religious Manuscript With 85+ Words In His Hand, Ex-Bonhams <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Marilyn Monroe Gorgeous Signed & Inscribed Photograph, PSA Authenticated <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Rare Ernest Hemingway, 1 Of 10 Signed Presentation Copies Of "Farewell To Arms" <b><center>University Archives<br>Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration<br>January 7, 2026</center></b> <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Ayn Rand 11pp Revised AMS "The Cold Civil War" For LA Times Newspaper- 900+ Words In Her Hand! <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Mary Todd Lincoln Calls Abe A "great & good man, who loved & served his country so well" <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Abraham Lincoln Gives Rebel Woman Pass To Visit Prisoner Of War Husband, Showing A Very Human Lincoln! <b><center>University Archives<br>Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration<br>January 7, 2026</center></b> <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Babe Ruth PSA Type II Signed Conlon Photo, With Ruth Miniature Louisville Slugger, 16.25" <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin Signed Photo - Prime Crew Apollo 11 - PSA Authenticated <b>University Archives, Jan. 7:</b> Huge Abraham Lincoln Hesler Photo, Ca. 1880 - As If He Were In The Room!
    University Archives
    Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration
    January 7, 2026
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Jefferson's Owned & Signed "Plutarch's Morals" Vol. 4. - 1st Time At Auction In Nearly 200 Years!
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Flown NASA Hasselblad 203S Space Camera On Endeavour STS-111, With Components, Data Module & Flown Film Magazine!
    University Archives, Jan. 7: One Of The Finest Lincoln Assassination Letters Extant, April 15, 1865 - Illustrated & Beyond Dramatic! 8pp.
    University Archives
    Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration
    January 7, 2026
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Isaac Newton Highly Important Religious Manuscript With 85+ Words In His Hand, Ex-Bonhams
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Marilyn Monroe Gorgeous Signed & Inscribed Photograph, PSA Authenticated
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Rare Ernest Hemingway, 1 Of 10 Signed Presentation Copies Of "Farewell To Arms"
    University Archives
    Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration
    January 7, 2026
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Ayn Rand 11pp Revised AMS "The Cold Civil War" For LA Times Newspaper- 900+ Words In Her Hand!
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Mary Todd Lincoln Calls Abe A "great & good man, who loved & served his country so well"
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Abraham Lincoln Gives Rebel Woman Pass To Visit Prisoner Of War Husband, Showing A Very Human Lincoln!
    University Archives
    Rare Autographs & Books Including Lincoln & Space Exploration
    January 7, 2026
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Babe Ruth PSA Type II Signed Conlon Photo, With Ruth Miniature Louisville Slugger, 16.25"
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin Signed Photo - Prime Crew Apollo 11 - PSA Authenticated
    University Archives, Jan. 7: Huge Abraham Lincoln Hesler Photo, Ca. 1880 - As If He Were In The Room!

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