Auction Update Review
In the Quiet Before the Storm
You can be forgiven for not knowing
that the world of books is in the midst of a tumultuous transition because this
week it sure didn’t feel that way. The
sales archived, five altogether, offered one thousand two hundred and
seventy-seven lots of which one thousand and forty-one sold for an 82% success
rate. The aggregate low and high
estimates for the lots that sold were $496,084 and $905,537. Total sales were $928,629 or 103% of the
total estimate of all lots offered. This
suggests a stiffening resolve by auction houses and an acceptance by consignors
to estimate conservatively and let the market set prices. For all sides this is a good strategy for it
sells the material and encourages buyers.
Five sales do not a season make but they suggest increasing trust in the
market to perform logically.
For the week two sales surpassed
100% of their aggregate high estimates:
Bloomsbury. The Craigie Aitchison Sale on January 26th: 161%
Dominic Winter Book Auct. Books, Maps, Epyptology, Bibles on January 25th: 109%
For the week ahead seventeen sales
and sessions are scheduled:
Tuesday January 31st Bloomsbury
Auctions. Antiquarian Books (35870)
Bonhams. Books (20134)
Bruun
Rasmussen. Modern Prints and Drawings
(1205a)
Wednesday February 1st Bruun Rasmussen. Old Prints and Drawings (1205b)
Thursday February 2nd Aguttes.
Books, Ancient Documents and Stamps (18332)
AntiquarianAuctions.co.za. Rare Books – Online Bidstart 1/16 (16)
Bloomsbury
Auctions. Bibliophile Sale (35876)
Freeman’s. Books, Manuscripts and Ephemera (1421)
James
D. Julia. Fine Art (319)
Swann
Galleries. Vintage Posters (2267)
Friday February 3rd James D. Julia. Fine Art (319) continued
Kiefer
– Buch – und Kunstauktionen. Books and Graphics (79a)
Piasa. Photography (18211)
Skinner,
Inc. Fine Prints (2581B)
Saturday February 4th Alain & Evelyne Morel de
Westgaver. Autographs, Prints and Books
(18131)
James
D. Julia. Fine Art (319) final session
Kiefer
– Buch – und Kunstauktionen. Books and Graphics (79b)
The auction market continues to increase its footprint.
Bruce McKinney
AE
January 29th, 2012