Auction Update Review
A Busy Spring becomes a Busy Summer
For the week ending Saturday June 9th,
2012 15 auctions were archived; 4 denominated in US dollars, 1 in British
pounds and 10 in euros. Ten thousand
three hundred and thirteen lots were offered and 6,876 sold for a 67% success
rate. Total turnover was $4,553,276,
sixty percent of the aggregate high estimate of all lots offered. The spring marathon continues but there is a
sense of shallow breathing.
One sale reached 100% of the total
of their high lot estimates:
Bruun Rasmussen. Books and Manuscripts on June 6th: 129%
No sales breached the one million
dollar level.
Four sales sold at least 80% of
their lots:
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books Internet bidstart May 31st
and ended June 7th: 98%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books and Manuscripts on June2 6th: 93%
Swann Galleries. Maps & Atlases, Natural History &
Historical Prints, and Ephemera on June 7th: 88%
Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F.
Tajan. Prints and Illustrated Books on
June 1st: 85%
The market is healthy but the mood
somewhat somber. Spain is preparing to
step back from the brink of default with a 100 billion euro package from the
EU, the Greeks are casting ballots on Tuesday in what is widely viewed as a second
referendum on EU participation, and the Chinese government this past week
lowered bank rates to stimulate economic activity. Meanwhile the failure of the recall vote in
Wisconsin has people wondering about the benefits of tea. It turns out that auction sales of books,
maps, manuscripts and ephemera are altogether a trailing indicator and they are
walking close behind elephants that recently had a hearty meal.
For the week ahead 21 sales are
scheduled:
Monday June 11th Kiefer – Buch- und Kunstauktionen. Books and Graphics [81]. 4,868 lots
Tuesday June 12th Bonhams.
Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photos [20137]. 164 lots
Christie’s. Masterworks of Italian Photography 1945-1975
from the Collection of Paolo Morello [4225].
150 lots
Kiefer
– Buch- und Kunstauktionen. Books and
Graphics continuing [81]. 4,868 lots
Wed. June 13th Christie’s. Books [5334].
219 lots
Kiefer – Buch- und Kunstauktionen. Books and Graphics continuing [81]. 4,868 lots
Rupert
Toovey and Co. Prints [1047]. 9 lots
Thurs. June 14th Ader. Letters and Manuscripts, Autographs, Collection
of E. H. and diverses [18348]. 328 items
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Books – internet bidstart 6-7 [19].
Bloomsbury
Auctions. Books and Manuscripts
[35931]. 728 lots
Gonnelli
Casa d’ Aste. Prints [483].
Heritage
Auctions. Rare Books – internet bidstart
6-8 [201224]
Kiefer
– Buch- und Kunstauktionen. Books and
Graphics continuing [81]. 4,868 lots
Swann
Galleries. American Art / Contemporary
Art [2281]. 282 items
Friday June 15th Gonnelli Casa d’ Aste. Photographs [487].
Sotheby’s. Fine Books and Manuscripts [NO8864]. 195 lots
The
Romantic Agony. Books [48a]. 593 lots
Saturday June 16th Clars Auction Gallery. Art and German Literature Books [61612]
The
Romantic Agony. Books [48b]
Sunday June 17th Bonhams.
Period Art and Design [20110]
Clars
Auction Gallery. Art and German
Literature Books continuing [61612].
Sailing deeper into summer the
sales continue unabated. Every year, for
the next ten, the volume of lots will increase.
This summer seems unusual but it simply reflects the new normal.
Bruce McKinney
AE
June 10th, 2012