Auction Update Review
Strength in the Rooms
For the week ending Saturday
October 6th, 2012 16 auctions were archived to the AED; 1 in euros, 7 in British pounds, and 8 in US dollars.
Turnover was a robust $24,495,995, 79% of the high estimate of all lots
offered: $30,929,914.
Christie's carried the heavy freight
this week with five sales; 3 in London and 2 in New York. Their turnover alone was $11,757,737. Sotheby’s with a single sale of photographs
in New York raised $4,488,253.
For the week 8 sales reached the
$1.0 million level:
Christie's. Photographs on October 4th in New
York: $6,254,500
Sotheby’s. Photographs on October 3rd in New
York: $4,488,253
Swann Galleries. Fine Photographs & Photo Books on October
4th: $2,711,628
Christie's. Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds on October
4th in London: $1,757,920
Bonhams. Early Printing and English Books in London on
October 2nd: $1,732,545
Christie's. Posters with a Purpose: The London Transport Museum Sale in London on
October 4th: $1,656,578
Christie's. Richard Avedon Photographs on October 4th
in New York: $1,517,250
RR Auction. Old West, Gangsters, Mobsters on September 30th: $1,479,822
Six sales reached or exceeded 100%
of their aggregate high estimates:
Lyon and Turnbull. International Sale: Prints on October 3rd: 100%
Bonhams. Early Printing and English Books in London on
October 2nd: 168%
Christie's. Arts of Islam in London on October 5th: 164%
Christie's. Posters with a Purpose: The London Transport Museum Sale in London on
October 4th: 146%
Swann Galleries. Printed & Manuscript Americana on October
2nd: 129%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books on October 1st: 118%
Nine sales saw at least 80% of
their lots sell:
Lyon and Turnbull. International Sale: Prints:
100%
National Book Auctions. Books and Ephemera – Art, Bronzes, Maps,
Glass, etc.: 99.7%
Bonhams. Early Printing and English Books in London on
October 2nd: 96.14%
RR Auction. Old West, Gangsters, Mobsters: 95.56%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books on October 1st: 92.07%
Swann Galleries. Printed & Manuscript Americana: 92.05%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Red China on October 4th: 90.31%
Christie's. Arts of Islam in London on October 5th: 83.33%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books internet bidding ended October 4th: 80.68%
For the week ahead 15 sales are
scheduled:
Mon. Oct. 8th Alde. Library
First Editions. [19718]. 304 lots
Tues. Oct. 9th Christie’s.
Travel, Science, and Natural History.
[6911]. 193 lots
Rupert
Toovey and Co. Antiquarian and
Collectors Books. [1076]. 201 lots
Wed. Oct. 10th Bonhams. Fine Books
and Manuscripts. [20048]. 422 lots
Christie’s. Rendez-vous:
Contemporary Interiors. [3541]. 53 lots
Dominic
Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books,
Maps and Documents. [101012]. 732 lots
Doyle
New York. Doyle @ Home: Prints.
[101012]. 21 lots
Rupert
Toovey and Co. Prints. [1075].
51 lots
Thurs. Oct. 11th Dominic Winter.
Sporting and Natural History, Vintage and Contemporary Photography. [101112].
76 lots
Freeman’s
[Samuel T. Freeman & Co.].
Prints. [1442]. 13 lots
Heritage
Auctions. Rare Books internet auction
ending October 11th [201241].
455 lots
PBA
Galleries. Fine Literature with Books in
all Fields. [490]. 368 lots
Swann
Galleries. Art, Press & Illustrated
Books. [2289]. 367 lots
Fri. Oct. 12th Ader. Shunga – Erotic Prints [20060]. 286 lots
Sat. Oct. 13th Heritage Auctions [HA.com]. Illustration Art. [5111].
726 lots
The market is on display in the
rooms and the descriptive term capturing the spirit:
strength.
Bruce McKinney
AE
October 7th, 2012