Auction Update Review
A day in the life
For the week ending July 23rd,
2011 7 auction sales were archived in the AED:
1 in Euros, 2 in British Pounds, and 4 in dollars. Turnover for these sales was $3,846,532
against their aggregate high estimate of $5,026,890, at 76.5% percent somewhat
below the recent average. Three
thousand seven hundred and thirteen lots were offered and 3,024 sold. The results posted include a JMW sale
conducted in February that while small, was relatively strong.
For the sales reported only one,
the dispersal in Kilkenny, Ireland of the Fred Hanna collection reflecting the
literary life of Ireland, exceeded 100% of the aggregate high estimate: 108%. Mr. Hanna, a dealer, collected with a keen eye and
his heirs found significant financial reward as well as confirmation, if any
was needed, that Mr. Hanna was a skilled collector. Mealy’s did a very good job in the
cataloguing and promotion and reaped the reward, a $541,806 sale at that point
in summer when book collectors would as soon be on a beach but stayed focused
on the rare opportunities that this single owner sale offered.
Several other sales approached 100%
of their aggregate high estimates:
On July 20th Dominic Winter’s
Printed Books & Maps raised $658,862 [95% of the aggregate high estimate]
and Doyle New York’s small but effective sale of 21 of 27 lots on July 21st
achieved 96% of its aggregate high estimate.
The JMW sale of Ephemera, Artwork
and Postcards is of note. It was held in
February and but only recently reported.
In its category of postcards, posters and ephemera it did very
well. Interest in this type of material
has been increasing and auction houses continue to shift resources in its
direction.
For the week upcoming six sales are
scheduled:
Monday July 25th. Cowan’s Online: Western Expansion Stereoviews;
Thursday July 28th. Freeman’s:
Prints;
Key’s
Fine Arts: Books Days;
PBA
Galleries: Fine Books;
Friday July 29th. Keys Fine Arts: Books Days
Saturday July 30th. Ephemera
Even in the relative quiet of
summer the bang of auction gavels is heard in some city, town or precinct.
Bruce McKinney
AE
July 24th, 2011
